Although he couldn't really say why, coach Ray Rhodes on Wednesday named Ty Detmer his starting quarterback for Monday night's game against the San Francisco 49ers.
In choosing Detmer over Rodney Peete, who started the last three games for the 4-5 Eagles, Rhodes' only rationale was that Detmer had limited success in last week's 31-21 loss at Arizona while Peete didn't have any."Ty went in and moved the ball pretty effectively," Rhodes said. "He's going to get a chance to start Monday."
The latest chapter in the Eagles' continuing quarterback controversy marks the second time this season Rhodes has changed starters. He has switched quarterbacks during games on three occasions.
The principals in the saga - Detmer and Peete - haven't made any waves, but the constant shuffling is beginning to wear on them.
Detmer patiently answered questions about the 49ers and about how glad he was to be getting the start. But when asked about how the changes were affecting him, Detmer declined comment.
"I don't want to get into that," he said. "There's a lot of individual dilemmas on this team, and it doesn't do any good to get into them."
Peete, who was the backup for the first six weeks of the season, won his first two starts against Arizona Oct. 19 and Dallas Oct. 26, then looked awful in last week's loss against the Cardinals.
He was 3-of-13 for 54 yards and an interception before being pulled at the half. On the season, Peete is 68-for-118 for 869 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions.
Peete said that when a change is made, the new starter has to make an immediate, positive impression. "That's not exactly what I did," he admitted. "I'm really not back into the flow."
After a training camp battle between Detmer and Peete that neither player really won, Rhodes named Detmer his opening day starter based on a "gut feeling."
Detmer played well in spots during the Eagles' first six games of the season, completing 106 of 186 passes for 1,206 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions.
But after a 38-21 loss at Jacksonville left the Eagles at 2-4, Detmer was out and Peete was in - until the second half last week.
Detmer came in against Arizona and threw two touchdowns to give the Eagles a lead they would later relinquish. He also threw two fourth-quarter interceptions, including one late in the game that eliminated any hope of an Eagle comeback.
Rhodes said he's just trying to keep his team in the playoff hunt.
"Both guys understand where we are," he said. "Quite naturally, no one likes the situation we're in - no one likes that - but, again, this is where we are."
Third-stringer Bobby Hoying's chance may come soon. Asked if he was thinking of moving Hoying up on the depth chart, Rhodes said, "That's going to happen in future games."