Vick, Eagles Dominate Redskins 59-28
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18 seconds. That’s how long it took the Philadelphia Eagles to deal a devastating blow to the Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football. Before the game, Redskins safety LaRon Landry was jawing with Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson. On the very first play from scrimmage, Jackson left Landry laying on the ground after burning him for an 88-yard touchdown from the cannon-like left arm of Michael Vick.
“That pregame altercation got it going man, it had us ready,” Jackson said. “We came back in the locker room pumped up, we were just ready, we were like pitbulls ready to get out of the cage. I think it helped out a lot, especially, too, [that] they came to our house and put a butt whooping on us.”
The first pass of the night traveled 62 yards through the air and took the life out of a rowdy crowd at FedEx Field, as the Eagles grabbed a 7-0 lead while the clock still showed 14:42 left in the first quarter. Just over four minutes later, the Eagles were at it again, as Vick scrambled into the end zone from seven yards out to make it 14-0. By the time the dust had settled, the Eagles held a 35-0 lead over the Redskins just one play into the second quarter.
At that point, Vick was 9-of-9 for 229 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions through the air and had run 3 times for 26 yards and a touchdown. Across the field Donovan McNabb, the 78 million dollar man, was 2-of-6 for 6 yards and an interception.
“You’ve got [LaRon Landry] over there chirping before the game, so that fired us up,” said Eagles safety Quintin Mikell. “We’re a sleeping giant, you fire us up and we were ready to go from the beginning so that made it even worse.”
“DeSean’s our guy, we won’t let that happen, he’s one of our guys. Anytime anybody is threatening one of our guys we’re going to ride for it,” Mikell added.
So the Eagles answered Landry’s pre-game taunting on the field as Michael Vick played the game of his life in a 59-28 victory, throwing for 333 yards and 4 touchdowns on 20-of-28 passing and running for 2 touchdowns and 80 yards on 8 carries. Vick ended the night with a 150.7 passer rating, improving his rating on the season to 115.1.
“I’d have to go back and watch some of the film, I’ve had some great games in my day, but I don’t think I’ve had one quite like this one,” Vick said.
The numbers don’t lie. Vick came just four yards short of his career high of 337 yards, tied his career high with 4 passing touchdowns, set a career high with 6 total touchdowns and came just 20 rushing yards shy of being the first player in NFL history to throw for 300 yards and run for 100.
“I feel like I’m playing the best football [of my career] because of the coaches that I have and the guys that I’m playing with, and the offensive line is playing great,” Vick said.
McNabb, meanwhile, racked up 295 yards on 17-of-31 passing and tossed 2 touchdowns, but also threw 3 interceptions for just the fifth time in his career. Washington’s offense failed to convert a third down attempt, going 0-for-10 and was outgained 592-375. Philadelphia held the ball for more than 38 minutes and won the turnover battle 3-0. It truly was utter domination, the kind that makes you think a team might be good enough to compete for a Super Bowl.
“That’s what we’re here for,” said cornerback Dimitri Patterson, who had 2 interceptions. “We’re not here just to make the playoffs, not with the talent we have. We’re loaded. We’re just trying to build continuity, we’re trying to gell, see which packages work with which individuals. Once we master that, I think we’re on our way, bottom line.”
Injury Report
Linebacker Ernie Sims left the game with a “slight” ankle sprain, according to head coach Andy Reid.
Defensive end Juqua Parker suffered a hip flexor strain and didn’t finish the game.
LeSean McCoy’s role was scaled back in the second half because his shoulder was bothering him, Reid said.
Notes
Before tonight, Michael Vick’s career passer rating on Monday Night Football was 49.0. Tonight it was 150.7.
Vick is now 4-1 on Monday Night Football, while Donovan McNabb is 10-7. McNabb started his career 7-1 on Mondays, but has gone 3-6 since.
The Eagles set team records with 28 first quarter points, 45 first half points and 592 yards of total offense.
Vick was the first player in NFL history to throw for 300 yards, run for 50, throw four touchdowns and run for two touchdowns in a single game.
The first play from scrimmage set three records. The 88-yard touchdown was the longest first play in Eagles history, the longest pass of Vick’s career and the longest catch of Jackson’s.
Vick became the first player in NFL history to have three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in the first half of a game.
Vick passed Steve Young to become the NFL’s second-leading rusher among quarterbacks. Vick’s 4,295 yards trail only Randall Cunningham’s 4,928.
Vick hasn’t thrown an interception since December 24, 2006 and has attempted 182 passes without a pick, the longest streak of his career.
Vick’s passer rating has been above 90 in all six games this season.
Dimitri Patterson scored his first NFL touchdown, while Kurt Coleman grabbed his first career interception. Coleman became the second rookie to grab his first pick in his first career start, which Nate Allen did on opening day.
The 87 combined points were the most in Eagles regular season history.
The Eagles are 5-0 in 2010 when scoring an opening-drive touchdown.
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