Eagles defense finally holds a lead
Eagles 17, Giants 10
Eagles defense finally holds a lead
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Eagles 17, Giants 10. Another fourth quarter lead. Two minutes, 45 seconds left. After the kickoff, 91 yards to protect.
This time, finally, the lead held.
The Eagles did give up 70 of those 91 yards, including a 47-yard pass to Victor Cruz. But in the end, they made the play that mattered: Jason Babin sacked Giants quarterback Eli Manning and stripped him of the ball, and Derek Landri recovered the fumble.
With their margin for error exhausted and their nearest and greatest foe on the other side of the field, the Eagles’ defense arrived last night at MetLife Stadium in poor humor and stayed that way until the end. It was about time.
They began the night with an extra-curricular roughing up of Manning after an interception, with defensive tackle Trevor Laws and linebacker Brian Rolle doing the honors and setting an ornery tone. Later, after another big play, it was Rolle spraying the surroundings with imaginary machine-gun fire in a celebration that the league office will undoubtedly find to be cute.
Play after play in the first quarter ended with the two teams scuffling after the whistle; on one, safety Kurt Coleman emerged from the pile without his helmet. For the first time in a long time, the Eagles arrived with an edge to their game -- one that the defensive line maintained throughout the long night, dominating physically both against the run and in their mission to bang around Manning whenever possible.
But would it matter?
The answer came late.
The game came down to what every Eagles came has seemed to come down to in 2011 -- the fourth quarter, and the question of whether or not the Eagles would be able to preserve their lead.
This time, it was a 10-3 lead. And, just like five other times this season, that lead did evaporate with 11:36 left in the quarter when Cruz beat Nnamdi Asomugha in the left corner of the end zone for a touchdown pass from Manning. Asomugha, for some reason, stopped for a second, allowing Cruz to beat him cleanly. It was a different play, but it was the same two players, Cruz and Asomugha, in the first Eagles-Giants game this season -- and the same result.
So it was 10-10. The fourth quarter lead was gone again. This time, with Vince Young playing quarterback all night in place of Michael Vick and his broken ribs, playing and throwing three interceptions, the offense managed to convert on five different third downs on an 18-play drive that ate almost 9 minutes off of the clock and resulted in an 8-yard touchdown pass to Riley Cooper in the back of the end zone.
Which left 91 yards for the Giants.
And 2 minutes, 45 seconds.
Trying to figure out this bunch has become a municipal obsession. The talk for the last week has been about a lack of identity, and the discussion has been fair. For whatever reason, these Eagles have not been able to put a recognizable imprint on this season. Their offense has been either very hot or very cold -- and last night, with Young at quarterback, very interception -- but that hasn’t been the biggest issue. It has been a defense that was terrible early in the season, much better lately, but still unable to make a play in the fourth quarter when it mattered.
This defense has been maddening. This defense also has had far too many soft moments. And in the fourth quarter, week after week, it has been as if one bad moment or one bad play would beget another, and then another, in an unstoppable chain of horror.
Last night, finally, the chain was broken.
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The only upside to this win is they beat the GiAin'ts. All of the rah rah chumps will be here soon saying the Birds are back. This team stinks and freak wins like this only prolong the Reid era (or error).— 2ndNlong- Where was this team and specifically the defense in the must win past two games, even all year. With all the late game collapses, it keeps me from truly being able to have any confidence in that defense the rest of the season especially in the playoffs.— xlGmanlx
- Where was this team and specifically the defense in the must win past two games, even all year. With all the late game collapses, it keeps me from truly being able to have any confidence in that defense the rest of the season especially in the playoffs.— xlGmanlx
- Hahahahahaha It funny even after a nice win in a meaningful game against the Division leading G-Men... Y'all haters... hahahhahha... RANTING!!!...The Giants were bad...hahahaha Fire Reid... Y'all won't even give this New Team's clutch pressured performance SOME CREDIT...Ohh The QB is mediocre... I thought that 18 play fourth quarter drive was an important response in the game... I will enjoy this win... Players made plays when they had to...Is this team starting to come together?... The Patriots brings an even bigger Challenge than the G-Men according to the So claimed experts... I wounder if we beat the Pats what y'all haters say then... Guess we shall see... Pats are next. Go EAGLES.— trinieagle
- Love it or hate it, you are what your record is, they have shown over the past ten games they can't hold a lead and can't win at home and have a losing record. Not really hating as wanting to see a change — xlGmanlx
- Super Bowl!!!— jimqk
- Giants D was below par but hey what team in the NFL shows up to play every week? And our D-line had a monster game. Put the two together and good things happen. The taunting flag against DeSean was garbage - if he'd been in the middle of the field it wouldn't have been called. Refs would be calling it every second play if they use his behaviour as the standard. For example, Canty's chest beating a few plays later, how is that different??? Still don't get some of the O play calling - Chad Hall in the backfield? No blocking back formations for McCoy?— GHem
Jimmie Johnson was smiling last night.— bigcityballer- DJax taunting call was correct but it's an odd situation when the Giants' hands to the face penalty actually worked to their advantage. Had they not been called, the taunting call on DJax would have just cost the Birds 15 yards from the spot of the ball instead of allowing the refs to call offsetting penalties and replay the down. (Even though the taunting came after the play, it's treated as part of the play) The Giants got 35 extra yards because they committed a penalty...35 yards...6 more than they rushed for all game.— DelValLifer
- Andy Reid is a championship anti Christ— Chemist1524
