Reid is maddeningly predictable when he speaks to reporters each time the Philadelphia Eagles lose: He always points the finger at himself.

``I've got to put them in a better position to make plays,'' is the common reply to most questions about his team's shortcomings.

At last check, Reid isn't the one throwing interceptions, dropping passes or missing tackles.

``Our football team was not ready to play,'' he said after Sunday's 13-6 loss to Jacksonville dropped the Eagles to 4-4. ``That's completely my responsibility to get our football team to that position.''

Part of the blame certainly belongs to Reid because his team played without heart, emotion or sense of urgency against the Jaguars. The head coach has to make sure his players are focused on the game instead of worrying about any outside distractions like vacation plans for their bye week.

Reid also deserves criticism for his stubborn refusal to run the ball, even in gusty wind conditions that make completing passes an adventure.

But Reid can't control physical mistakes on the field. How is it Reid's fault when Reggie Brown drops Donovan McNabb's pass on the first play? How is Reid's fault when McNabb holds the ball too long instead of running for a first down and takes a sack on fourth-and-five? How is it Reid's fault that the defensive tackles were manhandled by the offensive line and middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter was nowhere to be found against the run?

These are players with pedigree. They've been very successful over the years in Philadelphia and started this season 4-1, with each victory by a double-digit margin.

They didn't suddenly forget how to play. They're just finding different ways to lose every week against beatable teams.

In a 30-24 overtime loss to the New York Giants in Week 2, defensive end Trent Cole kicked a player and drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty to set up Jay Feely's tying, 35-yard field goal that forced the extra period. Reid didn't admonish Cole publicly for his stupid act. If he did, perhaps defensive end Jerome McDougle wouldn't have committed a similarly dumb mistake in a 23-21 loss at Tampa Bay five weeks later.

McDougle gave a struggling offence 30 extra yards during an important drive in the fourth quarter when he grabbed quarterback Bruce Gradkowski's facemask while making a sack and then kicked the yellow flag in disgust. The Buccaneers eventually got a field goal and later won it on Matt Bryant's 62-yarder as time expired.

Again, Reid didn't exactly lash out at the culprit.

``That's not smart football right there,'' Reid said. ``The first one you can see because he was busting his tail to get to the quarterback. The second one there is no excuses.''

Think Bill Parcells would've handled it so delicately? McDougle may have ended up on the waiver wire if he played elsewhere, but the Eagles have given the former first-round pick _ bust! _ the benefit of every doubt.

In the same game, McNabb made a terrible decision to throw the ball to L.J. Smith at the Buccaneers 2 with no timeouts left at the end of the first half instead of killing the clock and setting up a chip-shot field goal.

``He thought he saw something there that turned out not to be there,'' Reid said.

It was the fourth time in 19 games that McNabb failed to make that play. Obviously, he doesn't realize he MUST throw the ball in the end zone or out of bounds in those situations. Maybe McNabb would get that point if Reid challenged him publicly.

Reid is an excellent coach who turned the Eagles from a laughingstock franchise into a model organization for winning since his arrival in 1999. He's led Philadelphia to five playoff appearances, four trips to the NFC championship game and one Super Bowl in his first seven seasons.

Sure, Reid has some flaws _ such as his reliance on passing and poor clock management skills. But he's built the Eagles into a team that's been considered a contender every year since his first one.

Now he's at a crossroads.

A few weeks ago, it seemed the Eagles were poised to make a championship run. At 4-4, they're more mediocre than elite.

Are they overrated or a talented team that's underachieving?

The answer will come after the Eagles return from their week off and play two inferior opponents _ Washington and Tennessee _ before facing a more difficult schedule the rest of the way.

Many players said they'd never seen Reid angrier than he was after the loss to Jacksonville. But it's one thing to yell and scream inside the locker-room and another to do it in front of cameras and microphones. Reid has never done that.

If the players aren't listening to the message, send it another way. Be more direct. Make them accountable. Call them out publicly.

Time's yours, Andy.