The Eagles overcame two special teams blunders, nine penalties and a late rally to trip the Giants 20-14. It was a dominating performance from start to finish for the Birds who held the ball for 34:54 while compiling 331 yards, 144 of which came on the ground. Brian Westbrook was again the catalyst, totaling 203 yards and scoring two touchdowns. The Eagles pounded the Giants defense with 41 runs by running between the tackles. No edge runs or sweeps, just good old fashioned up-the-gut physical rushing. It was a thing of beauty.
Donovan McNabb was efficient with the ball completing 19-30 for 191 yards, one touchdown and no turnovers. Missing-in-action tight end L.J. Smith had his best game of the year with six key catches for 44 yards, including some critical third down conversions.
Give a game ball to Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson. His defense stuffed the Giants #1 ranked rush offense by holding them to just 88 yards. The secondary provided blanket coverage most of the game. Starting Giants’ receivers Amani Toomer and Domenik Hixon caught only 5 balls for 55 yards. Eli Manning was not sacked but he looked uncomfortable in the pocket and misfired on several of his throws. He would finish 13-27 for 123 yards and a late touchdown toss.
Whew!! What a win for the Birds. I stated a couple times earlier in the week I sensed a feeling in the air about this game. The Eagles did exactly what they needed to do to pull out a victory: Stop the run on defense – run the ball on offense. Mission accomplished. It was as physical a performance by the ENTIRE team as I can remember witnessing. Credit Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg for calling a perfect game. They wore down the Giants defense by controlling the clock and in turn prevented Eli Manning and his offense from finding any rhythm. A huge win for the Birds. The playoffs are still within reach, although it will be an uphill battle.
Congratulations Eagles! Two impressive wins in a row could be the start of another December push. We shall see.
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Great WIN! Even better is the stinkin Cowboys blew it against the Steelers!
When do the Eagles ever stick with the run this much? Since when do the Eagles run a ball control offense? When do the Eagles WRs not have any drops? The Eagles can convert 3rd-and-1? The Eagles have a FB who can carry the football? McNabb can still run? When did LJ Smith learn how to make a defender miss?
This was not the Eagles I have been watching all season. I think aliens invaded the nova care complex and has brain washed the team into playing smart football.
The real key to me, was Plaxico Burress not playing. He has been an Eagle killer the past few years, and JJ usually puts a lot of attention his way. Burress has a big play presence which opens the field up for the rest of the offense. Without him, JJ could sell out on the run much more, and take a lot of chances with Hixon and Toomer. They almost got burnt once in single coverage, but Hixon dropped a TD. For the most part the Giants receivers sucked.
I didn’t think the pressured the QB very well. They had a few key hurries, but too often Eli had a lot of time to throw. I thought the defense was excellent in coverage for majority of the game. A lot of passed were batted down, and many times Eli had to try and force a throw into a tough spot or throw it away.
I was pretty pissed that Asante Samuel broke up what would have been Brian Dawkins all time franchise record 35th interception. I know Dawk wanted that one.
Maybe this will be another 2006 type of run?
Great win!! Totally unexpected. 41 rush attempts!! I never thought I’d see the day Reid would call that many runs. Most of them between the tackles too. Hell, Westbrook looked like Jacobs out there.
You’re right about Burress. I had no idea he’s scored more TDs vs Philly than any other player since 2004? If the Giants don’t think they’ll miss him from here on out, they are sadly mistaken.
Amazing little stat. Eagles 2-0 last two weeks and have 0 sacks. The pressure has been there, but the coverage has been outstanding. This secondary is finally playing the way we all thought they would in the pre-season.
Yes, wasn’t it nice to see “Big Game” Romo flop again? And you know who was whining on the sidelines that he was open.
hey eagle fans, we’re comin……don’t start packin for the playoffs just yet. we kicked pitts’ ass for 3 1/2 qtrs and romo tried to force it in the end. romo feels as he’s let this team down the last 2 seasons. he feels like he gave this game away. and maybe he has. so how does a young and rising qb RISE? by his mistakes. you will gain more from tough losses than easy wins. this kid is ready to take the load and mature as a winner. our D is playing at the peak now and if romo can put it together, he has owens, williams and witten to rely on? thats good odds for any gamblin man? so we’ll be ok from this loss. nothin is easy in the NFL and this will only make us tougher as well. and by the way, if i’m owens, i’d be bitchin on the sidelines too. he wants the ball. he wants to win. and garrett needs to find ways to get him the ball and we will win if he can. so what’s the point of your rave on owens? still sore it did’nt work out for you guys?
Owens has won nothing so far in his career. If he ever does win, then he can bitch all he wants.
I forgot to mention what about Akers! I know two kicks were blocked, but that was due to blown assingments up front. He nailed that 51 yarder. Seems like he is out of his slump.
owens may not have won a championship but niether did marino or a slew of other great players. check the stats on owens sometime and see where he ranks among the alltime greats. now tell me he does’nt deserve to bitch when all he wants is that WIN
Make all the excuses for Owens that you want. Us Eagles fans did the same four years ago. The guy is a problem. I’ll take championships over stats any day.
i ain’t makin any excuses for him, hell it is what it is. he’s a great talent that deserves the ball and does great things with it when he gets it. so you get it to him. when you guys were in the bowl he damn near won it for you. i did’nt see anyone bad mouthin him then??? so what the hell, why now? because he plays for dallas and he kicked you guys in the ass? ok i’m ok with that. he’ll win with us. thats fine too.
We had no reason to badmouth him, until he threw McNabb and the entire organization under the bus. And for what? It had nothing to do with money. He was being paid a fair salary. He did it because Donovan told him to “shut-up” once in the huddle. And baby TO couldn’t handle having his feelings hurt. He’s a 30 year old man who behaves like he’s seven. I’ve had some pretty big disagreements with my friends, but we’re still friends. Bottom line is TO has no idea how to conduct adult relationships. I thought you were a McNabb fan dave? Now you support TO? That’s contradictory behavior. Don did nothing to justify the way Owens villified him in the media. You better hope you guys win a Super Bowl because if you don’t, TO will blow up the Cowboys the same way he did Philly. If you can’t see that, then your simply wearing blinders.
i am a mcnabb fan. and i know that owens has some deep rooted problems somewhere. but, i do believe that he posses great talent and we are not using his talent to it’s fullest. i’m not gonna sit here and say i love the man TO. cause i don’t. i am saying that i’m a fan a great football players that can win games for us. i met emmitt smith and several other cowboy players at the sheridan convention center in dallas the night before a game. we were staying at the players motel and they were very assessable to the fans. signing autographs and just bullin around. it was AWESOME for us fans. i met jay novacek and bill bates. talked with them and they signed football cards of mine. there was a small boy with his dad in the crowd that had a cowboy football helmet with most of the players signing it. when the boy asked emmitt, he replied, yeah, for $35. i don’t sign free. what an ass. i never forgot it and i never cared much for emmitt as a human again, but i admired what he could do as a player for my cowboys. i did just what the players themselves do, i seperated the human element form the game and now i look at it for what it is. my love for the game, and i hope to experience some great men to come out of this game to look up to as well, but then i might not. so i’ll just admire their athletic abilities and call it the game. you’re right he could blow this whole team up, but his talent is worth the risk i believe. just get him the ball and let him play…….he’ll carry thru
“…but his talent is worth the risk i believe.”
I remember saying the same thing when the Eagles traded for Owens. At this point you’ll never be able to convince me that TO’s talent is worth the risk. Some guys just don’t get it. TO is one of those guys. I wish the Cowboys nothing but good luck, because they will need it as long as TO is a member of their team.
thanks, and i understand your dislike for owens. had the shoe been on the other foot, i’d have the same feeling for owens as well. i just think that at this point in his career owens has got to feel as this is his last shot. his age IS starting to be his worst enemy. even more than his mouth. i think he’ll harness his phsyco tendencies during his playing time. but after he is retired or at the point of leaving the game, look out. i think at that point all hell will break loose and he’ll write a bash all, tell all book or something controversial like that. it’s a shame. i look at all the talent this guy posses and just can’t understand why? anyone in that position would do what he does? he loves attention, bad or good it does’nt seem to matter with him. i do think that when he has time to reflect, he is remorseful for things that go down this way. it just seems that he does stupid stuff without any thought of what the concequences will be, till it’s well over and he realizes the hate he’s caused. to bad that he’ll be remembered more for that, then being one of the greatest wrs we’ll ever see. if only he himself could realize that. that’s what i hope for him.