I’m not buying all this talk from pundits and fans about how the Eagles need to give Kevin Kolb a shot to prove what he can do this Sunday in the home opener against the New Orleans Saints.

Why? Why do we need to give Kolb a chance?

We didn’t draft Kevin Kolb. We didn’t make him the heir apparent to Donovan McNabb. We’re not going to look stupid if Kolb turns out to be a dud. No egg on our face.

Sure, for Andy Reid to prove that he made a smart move when he drafted Kolb in 2007 he needs to start Kolb on Sunday. I get why he and the Eagles’ front office believe that they need to stand behind him.

But as fans, and objective pundits, there shouldn’t be a single person out there saying that Kolb should be the starter against the Saints. Not if you’re first priority is winning football games.

I don’t buy the argument that it’s still early in the season, so we can risk this game. That’s what the preseason is for, to see what players are capable of. These games count, Week 2 as much as Week 14. If you aren’t successful in Week 2, then maybe you’re not in a position to play an important game in Week 14.

Kolb has yet to prove that he can play at a high level in the NFL. Jeff Garcia, on the other hand, is a proven leader and winner. Yes, he is 39 years old, significantly older than Kolb. But he has the experience, in this offense and in this league, to put the Eagles in a position to win against a weak New Orleans’ offense.

Reid’s steadfast support of Kolb is simply an attempt to make himself look good, not a true vote of confidence in his ability to play quarterback. Garcia is the better, and only, option for Sunday.

Put him in coach.