What We Saw
Daily News football writer Paul Domowitch tells you what he will be keeping an eye on during each Eagles game. Here is how things panned out last night:
Daily News football writer Paul Domowitch tells you what he will be keeping an eye on during each Eagles game. Here is how things panned out last night:
1. The turnover battle:
The Eagles and Bears came into the game 1-2 in the league in takeaways. The Eagles had 26, the Bears 25. Yesterday, the Eagles committed the game's only turnover as Michael Vick threw a second-quarter interception that helped set up a touchdown and gave the Bears a 21-13 lead.
2. Many happy returns:
The Bears' Devin Hester and Danieal Manning combined for six kickoff returns for 166 yards. Hester ran back three for 78 yards, including a 46-yard return that set up a third-quarter TD.
3. The big play:
The speed of wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin and the big arm of Michael Vick have given the Eagles big-strike capability. Coming into the game, the Eagles were second in the league in pass plays of 40 yards or more with 10, and fifth in pass plays of 20 yards or more with 36. Yesterday, they completed no passes of 40 yards or more. Vick did complete a 30-yard touchdown pass to Brent Celek in the fourth quarter.
4. Chasing Mike:
Michael Vick had his poorest game of the season against the Giants. He failed to throw a TD pass, had just one completion longer than 25 yards and averaged just 3.1 yards on 11 rushing attempts. Yesterday, Vick was 29-for-44 for 333 yards and two touchdowns. But he snapped a streak of 240 passes without an interception. And that costly pick set up a Bears' touchdown in a game the Eagles lost by five points.
5. Turning up the heat:
Neither the Bears nor the Eagles have been particularly good at protecting the quarterback this season. Yesterday, the Eagles' Michael Vick and the Bears' Jay Cutler were both sacked four times.