Eagles Win
So here was the call, blog-style, courtesy of AOL's Fan House:
The Giants are out of timeouts and the Eagles seem content to attempt a 38-yarder. Andy Reid calls a timeout with 21 seconds to go, but it's only third down. Maybe Reid doesn't want a Romo repeat if the snap's botched. And lets be honest, if Detmer single-handedly loses this game, he's not getting out of the stadium alive.
Uh, forget that ... Garcia comes back out on third down and runs a QB sneak. Now, with three seconds left, Akers will attempt a 38-yarder. The snap is good ... the hold is good ... and the kick ... is GOOD!
A nail-biter in the rain. Garcia, Westbrook & Co. had marched down the field, melting 5:04 off the clock in masterly fashion. No mistakes. And there it was, Akers splitting the uprights for three, a 23-to-20 win, a bear hug, an invitation to the Big Easy for round two.
This was a little hard to watch. Which is why it's not a bad thing having your laptop in the living room, and checking out the chatter from the cheap seats. I mean, why listen to the Joe Buck-Troy Aikman team on CBS saying things like Eagles QB Jeff Garcia has become "the toast of the town" when he was still playing like toast? A trip to Deadspin offered sharper observations.
Like in the second quarter, when the Eagles' Sheldon Brown picked off Eli Manning, making the Giants QB two-for-the-last-seven (and that's counting the interception). Deadspin's live-blogger wrote:
And welcome back, Eli Manning. There's an interception deep over the middle to Sheldon Brown. I don't know if it would be fair to see that the Giants are unraveling, or that their first possession was just a miracle. But momentum has titled directly in the direction of the Eagles.
This was Ryan Wilson of AOL's view of Manning's deflation:
There's the Eli Face (made famous by his brother ... but that's called the Peyton face) -- he just stared down his receiver ... in double-coverage ... and was picked off. Okay, Coughlin, I feel safe in saying this definitely will be your last game with the Giants.
Or back to the comments section of Deadspin, which is a national sports blog, and invites readers from outside the NY-Philly axis. Hence:
this game actually makes me glad I have FullCourt so I can watch the MSU/UTenn game.
As I'm waiting for the Eagles bloggers to do their wrap-ups, a couple images remain: Brian Dawkins' leonine entrance into the stadium. Jeremy Shockey's lunging, helmetless into a green scrum, his golden locks flying, like some berserk Viking. Jon Runyan's knocking down Giants. Lito Sheppard's not getting up.
Wait, The Iggles Blog is out of the gate first with a post-game post. Derek Sarley writes:
It was by no means a dominating performance, but it was good enough to get the job done against a tough division foe.
Now the Eagles move on to New Orleans, probably without their best cornerback and facing long odds against a team for which most of America will be rooting. But that's ok, because right now we can look around our division and see that the Eagles -- without Donovan McNabb -- are the last team standing in the East. That's a very sweet thing.
Sarley makes an observation that takes a little air out of the Jeff Garcia balloon flying over the city:
Speaking of McNabb, maybe it was because he showed up on the sideline, or maybe it's because we have so many memories of his heroics against the Giants, but today we got a good idea of what we're missing with McNabb laid up. Jeff Garcia did a fine job managing today's game, but he didn't make the kind of game-changing plays that for so long have defined McNabb's career.
I can think of one play in particular, at the beginning of the third quarter. The Giants blitzed and one of the rushers managed to slip through a slap a hand out to bring down Garcia. It wasn't Jeff's fault, but that's the kind of contact McNabb shrugs off like it's nothing right before firing a 40-yard bomb down the sideline. So maybe just back off the whole "Garcia runs the offense better" thing, eh?
The Illadelphia Eagles blog is in next. Gives the game ball to Westbrook, who complained of a little stomach distress. Illustrates the post with a box of Imodium:
If Westbrook has the runs like this every week -- 141 yards on the ground -- then I'll take a winter flu for that guy every day and twice on Sundays.
The sentiment here this year has always been that this team goes the way of Brian Westbrook, and today was as much proof of that as you will ever get. On a day when Garcia ditched the angel wings and fluttered back to at least partial reality, and the Eagles defense gave up a touchdown to the Giants on a monster, monster late fourth-quarter drive, #36 came back to lead the way, help move those chains, and set the team up for the game-winning Akers kick.
Random thought on NFL holders: Maybe Koy can ink a one-year deal with Dallas this offseason?
Next Saturday night the Eagles will go to New Orleans as an underdog, on a short week against the Saints: a rested team with a high-powered offense playing at home and with nearly everyone in the country rooting for them.
It won't be an easy win, but it will be possible.
Last word for now goes to Enrico Campitelli, Jr., who wrote at Fan House:
It was a much tighter game than Eagles fans had hoped for. Eli Manning didn't crumble like many, myself included, expected him to do. The last time I felt this anxious about a football game, the Eagles found themselves coming up on the losing end of the Super Bowl. Thankfully, it was Coughlin and Manning instead of Belichick and Brady on the other side of the field tonight. As Andy Reid says, the Eagles battled through a heck of a football game and have kept our hopes alive for at least another week.
The Eagles got the job done at home tonight and will travel to New Orleans for a chance to play in the NFC Championship game. It sure feels good beating the Giants along the way.
"...today we got a good idea of what we're missing with McNabb laid up. Jeff Garcia did a fine job managing today's game, but he didn't make the kind of game-changing plays that for so long have defined McNabb's career." By "game-changing" do you mean horrible, game-ending, soul-crushing interceptions? Or do you mean taking a bad sack when the Eagles are at the edge of Akers' field-goal range? Or do you mean McNabb's complete inability to run the 2-minute offense? So far, that's what I've seen from McNabb in the playoffs. When Garcia got the ball back with about 5 minutes left on the clock I was totally confident that the Eagles were going to run the clock down, not making any stupid mistakes, and give Akers a chance to win it. If it had been McNabb I would've been waiting for him to either a) try to win the game on one play and turn it over or b) mess up the clock management and force a situation where he HAD to win the game on one play. Personally, I'm much happier with a Westbrook-centered offense.
Loved it! That's what I call "quoting" it like it is Man....you can W-R-I-T-E!
Daniel - Nice post. It was a hard fought win. Looming in the afterglow with be talk about Mcnabb's mom, and him looking like he was at a funeral on the sidelines. (Check out my blog for more on that) One of the things that will hurt next week is if Lito can't play. That would hurt big time. Until next week, I'll enjoy this win, and keep my fingers crossed next week along with the rest of Philly and hope we can keep this train rolling. Peace, - Neo
Good luck Eagles and your fans from a Giants fan. Yes, Garcia is good enough to go all the way. It could be an all-aviary (Eagles-Ravens) Superbowl!
As much as I like Don - I prefer Garcia - for reasons stated in the excellent post by EaglesFan. This is how I see it: Donavan's easy going attitude has it's place - keeps the team loose and the we'll get em on the next series,no big deal approach gives confidence to his defensive team and offense. Great right, but so many three and outs kills your defense late in the game and the offense doesn't get in a rhythm, the running backs don't get touches and the shoe top throws just kill any momentum. I also have an issue with how hard he throws - great for going deep but those passes are too hot for short yardage plays and receivers can't hold on. On the other hand Garcia's passes are easier to corral. Three and out is not okay, and he brings a sense of urgency on every play. Garcia understands that a long sustained drive resulting in points is the goal. Garcia is more willing to go ten yards at a time, be patient, hand the ball off, move the chains and eat up clock - defense rests, opposing offense stays off the field. That has always been the key to success in football and will come in handy and be even more important now that Lito is hurt. What happens next for now we stop this talk and focus on New Orleans. Later if Donovan can come back and be ready he starts the regular season. Jeff gets a monster contract - when/if Donovan gets hurt again in goes Garcia. Neither of these guys can take a whole seasons worth of a beating - keep them both.
Your last paragraph is right on the money paul
Can anyone explain why we always get the biased announcer combo of Joe F**k and Troy My-body-aches-man for important games? Is anyone else sick of listening to Joe F**k , he's a baseball announcer after all. Watching the game and having to listen to those trolls - I was out of town - reminds me of why there should be a rules quiz for every announcer. These two idiots were constantly missing the calls and are clearly biased. PLEASE, PLEASE get someone else in the announcing booth - or get Merrill synched up correctly on the radio so we aren't hearing about the play after seeing the TV coverage. I finally had to turn down the volume and go without sound - being out of town for Eagles games sucks. GO BIRDS!!!!
77volks, You are so right - Joe Buck is terrible. It's painful to watch him on the Fox pre-game show as well. The tension between him and Terry Bradshaw is too obvious. Joe must go!
Totally Agree with the McNabb comments - I love the guy but he's got to learn to Manage the game - of course if they had handed of to Westbrook more in the first half of the season we would have been 8-2 w/McNabb and he wouldn't be out - so maybe he will learn something from this and maybe Reid and Co. will learn - Regarding the Aikman Buck team - they are horrible - biased and boring - did you see them calling for Runyon to be thrown out of the game for a little shove - Am I the only one that saw the huge sucker punch the the giants defender threw into LJ smith while he was on the ground before Runyon shoved anyone - look at the replay if you get a chance it is so obvious its unbelievable.
Does anyone remember before the season started, Donovan McNabb said this was a playoff team. Everyone laughed, who's got the last laugh now.
AZ Eagle, You are on the money. My wife was jumping up and down hollering about that sucker punch. I had just turned around and saw big John push that guy. Then I heard the same thing, Buck and Aikman calling for him to get ejected. I used to like these guys but they are poor, do they even watch the game? Heck, even Madden finally started showing some passion and good commentary during the Jets/Pats game. Jeez... Go EAGLES!!!!
for those who think jeff garcia is the second commming, remember this , that mr. reid isn't putting jeff garcia in a position to fail. with balanced play calling they're able to keep mr. garcia out of harms way. with that in mind , these things has happend since mac5's injury. the abilty to run the ball in true run situations 1 & goal , 2nd & short , etc. , the recievers are holding the ball better, tackling is a lot better , 3rd down defense has improved. remember mr. garcia , made two crucial faux pas in his 1st. meeting against the g-men , but the defense bailed him out , like it did mac5 in the past. as for mac5's so called choking how many playoff games has he won, compared to my fave. eagle of all-time " randall cunningham " ( by the way # 12 has only 1 , ironically against the saints at the dome )so i guess jaws ,rodney peete, jim mcmahon , never choked , just was unlucky, so even after a victory sat. mac5 still will have a better playoff record than the jeff garcia experience , but eagle fans just be careful what you wish for.
Thanks Alasauras - I thought I was seeing things. Jonmann - I dno't know about other fans but I'll take Big 5 over just about anybody, he just has to learn to manage the game a little more like Garcia ( he really does take too many big sacks when they are in FG range and have problems at the end of the halves) and Ried and Morningweg have to balance the offense like they have for Garcia - if they do that - and Jim Johnson sends more blitzes from the corner instead of clogging up the middle - then we win the SB next year.
By managing the game do you mean handing it off to Westbrook because that falls to the coaching staff and not the QB. And hopefully Reid and the coaching staff will learn from this run and keep the play calling like this next year. Balance is the key along with Westbrook. Yeah McNabb needs to be a little more careful sometimes but to think that a 36 year has more experience that a man 6 years his junior is just shocking to me (note the sarcasm). Donovan comes back every year better than the year before maybe watching Garcia some this year will help him in the future but there is no question that McNabb is by far the better athelete and better QB. Look back to Garcia's interception in his first game against the Giants that was all because he didn't have enough arm strength to get it to the WR. McNabb on the other hand would have had a TD off of that play. You don't replace a franchise QB who just turned 30 with a man 6 years older than him. Forget that cap hit you've got Garcia on his last legs. This run is amazing but Garcia is not that answer.
Ive always admired the Eagles Defensive strategy of, "If we only allow them to gain 20-50 yards per play, we wont stay on the field long enough to get tired." Keep it up, fellas. Theres no way you can lose with an airtight strategy like...