THINKS THE EAGLES STOLE ONE
Updating: The Eagles got within 7-6, following a 48-yard David Akers field goal that capped a 54-yard drive, 12 plays plus one penalty, lots of good momentum for the running game.Things looked better, especially with Jason Peters returning at the 2-minute warning. Apparently, those ankle X-rays were negative.
Then, though, the defense got shaky. First it allowed a 64-yard Tony Romo completion to Patrick Crayton. Then, for the second time in the game, the Cowboys set up points by converting a long third down on an inside screen to wideout Kevin Ogletree. Maybe after halftime, the Birds will have figured that one out.
It's 10-6 Cowboys at the half, following a 22-yard Nick Folk field goal.
Earlier: Well, we're into the second quarter and the Cowboys are still winning, 7-3 now, after a 45-yard David Akers field goal.
Most ominous development so far was when Jay Ratliff rolled up Jason Peters' ankle while sacking Donovan McNabb. Peters did not go to the locker room right away, instead getting retaped, but now he's inside getting an ankle X-ray. Todd Herremans moved to Peters' left tackle spot, Nick Cole moved from right to left guard, and Stacy Andrews came in for Cole at right guard. Andrews just gave up a sack to Jay Ratliff, killing the Birds' drive and making the field goal tougher than it should have been.
Earlier: The Eagles are down 7-0, thanks to a pass that rookie wideout Jeremy Maclin volleyballed off his hands to Dallas's Gerald Sensabaugh, setting the Cowboys up at the Birds' 37.
Seven plays later, Tashard Choice took a Wildcat snap through a large hole left of center, from 2 yards out. Several times so far, the Eagles have used a funky defensive lineup that features 3, 2, or no down linemen. It hasn't worked great. In fact, the no-down-linemen version surrendered a 21-yard screen completion to Kevin Ogletreee on third and 9 from the Eagles' 23; Dallas didn't seem taken aback, or confused.
Stay tuned.
Les Bowen has covered the Eagles for the Daily News since 2002. Before that, he spent nearly 13 years covering the Flyers. It took Les only a few seasons after the switch to figure out that there was no penalty box at the Linc, and that the time really wasn't his, despite what Andy Reid kept saying. Les came to Philadelphia and the Daily News from Charlotte in 1983. In the intervening years, he has pretty much lost track of NASCAR, and his accent. He, his wife Barbara, and their two sons live in Haddon Township, New Jersey.
Paul Domowitch has been with the Daily News since 1982. He has spent most of his 27 years at the paper covering the Eagles and pro football. For the last 10 years, he’s been a selector for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A native of Wilkes-Barre and a graduate of Wilkes University, Domo came to the Daily News from the Fort Worth (Tx.) Star-Telegram, where he covered some god-awful Texas Ranger baseball teams. His first beat at the Daily News actually wa s boxing, which he covered just long enough to lose two sports coats to blood spatter before moving on to football. Domo and his wife Shelley, a University of Oklahoma grad and very dangerous to be around following a Sooner loss, have been married 29 years and have raised 2 terrific daughters – Allison, 26, a lawyer and graduate of Boston University School of Law; and Amy, 23, who graduated from Clemson and works in marketing and sales for a professional baseball team.
