Eagles survive longest day
Eagles 30, Broncos 27
Eagles survive longest day
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
On the longest day, partly because of injuries but mostly because of an unending series of flags and officiating conferences, the last conference went the Eagles’ way.
Aided immeasurably by a key call with 59 seconds left, when referee Mike Carey overruled one of his officials and decided that Jeremy Maclin got both feet down on a really close play along the sidelines, the Eagles beat the Denver Broncos, 30-27. David Akers kicked the game-winning field goal with 4 seconds left.
In pulling it out in the end -- after blowing a huge lead in the third quarter on the day that Brian Dawkins returned to Philadelphia -- the Eagles left open the possibility that they could win the NFC East later tonight if Dallas were to lose at Washington.
The Eagles were cruising at halftime, 20-7. They were cruising well into the third quarter, 27-10. But then it all began to unravel, thanks largely to a Macho Harris penalty that flipped the field position and then a Harris fumble on a kickoff. By the time the Eagles ended the third quarter with a particularly ugly three-and-out, their lead was down to 27-24.
Then it became two wildly swinging fighter, mostly swinging and missing. But the field position was working more for the Broncos, and a 46-yard field goal with 6:05 left made it a 27-27 tie.
From there, the Eagles went on a drive that featured a Donovan McNabb conversion of a third-and-25 with a 27-yard scramble. But that was it, and Sav Rocca punted the Broncos back to their 9-yard line. The Broncos got nothing done and punted it back. From there, the Eagles got the benefit of the big officiating call in the end.
What was originally an incompletion was, instead, ruled to be a 27-yard pass that put the Eagles into position for Akers to make the game-winning field goal.
I think the officials correctly reversed the original call on Maclin. He had two feet down and control of the ball.— PhillyfaninChicago- Let's see: They beat a team with a winning record, they scored in the red zone, it was a fourth quarter comeback, McNabb converted on a 4th and 25 by RUNNING, they made big plays on offense and defense when it counted, but I'm sure someone will still complain. But I won't. Bring on the cowboys...— PhillyHouse JayDuce
Comment removed.- Thank you Victor Abiamiri-you saved the day with the fumble recovery! Thank you! Hail the Victors!!— hallux
- The penalty on Harris following the Samuel pick was ridiculous.— jonnyb0916
- Dear Santa: For Christmas next year please give us a real punter. 60 yards on one low punt leading to a 21-yard return. Then, with the Eagles up just 3 in the 4th quarter, a lousy 28-yarder that practically gift-wrapped a field goal to tie the game. Every year, the same thing with this Aussie. When the weather turns cold, he becomes wildly inconsistent. Thank you, Santa, and if you could give us another beast of a DE to consistently help out Trent, that would be a bonus.— farside37
- I agree. He does not need to be handling the Ball!! Let D. Jackson return the punts!! GO EAGLES!!!— GA_Mike
- Where's Granpa?— rwwhit
- Thank you Victor Abiamiri!! You saved the day with the Harris fumble recovery, his 2nd. Hail to the Victors!!— hallux
A game that looked like a rout--27-10-and a TD or Fg to come--turned into a great game for a fan.Macho was all that. It was fitting that he was slammed on the kick return after his cheap shot penalty--and then he almost fumbled the game away with his last return. Did anyone else notice DM grabbing his left leg at the end of his run?— HO HUM- Comment removed.
- macho almost singlehandedly screwed this one up. he sure is a step up from demps.— notch44
- Ho hum--what ceap shot penalty--was the hit out of bounds?? NO. Was it belwo the waist? NO. Was the reciever defenseless??NO,in fact, he was in position to make the tackle on Samuel. Not only that, but that official, immediately after the hit, didn't throw his flag--you might have thought if it was that flagrant, he would have thrown the flag and he didn't. Mike Carey is usually one of the best, but from that first call, when he reversed the fumble recovery and said the ball was thrown forward, his crew struggled. I mean, they drew a line on TV--it was thrown from the 23, it landed on the 23, so how does it go forward?— bobbyuk
- Well, we won in spite of McFumble, 1 int and 3 fumbles. He needs to play better in the playoffs. I hope he does. The team will be as successful as McNabb is in the playoffs. This team is built around McNabb, he does not have a great running game, so the team, to be successful, is dependent upon McNabb. That in my opinion is why the Eagles have not won a Super Bowl.— chucksf
- LOL, yeah, wheres granpa? granpa you see that 3rd and 25?— L Bears
