Eagles Struggle to Halftime Edge

In what has become the hallmark of this season, the Eagles struggled horribly throughout the first half and saw the two-minute warning arrive with no points on the board, for the fourth game in a row. Then they drove for a touchdown and took the lead.

In nine plays plus a huge pass interference call against the Lions, the Birds moved 79 yards, covering the last 2 on a Michael Vick screen to LeSean McCoy for a 7-6 lead.

Before that, Vick threw an interception on a first-down heave when he was blasted -- the Eagles' o-line was porous -- and he couldn't chase down a shotgun snap from Dallas Reynolds that came while Vick was trying to realign his wideouts. Had Nnamdi Asomugha not intercepted Matthew Stafford in the end zone, the Lions might have led by more than 6-0 when the Eagles finally got going.

Some observations:

*The yellow flags were the Eagles' friend, Detroit racking up 10 first half penalties for 92 yards.

*Asomugha did a tremendous first half job on Calvin Johnson. Five targets, one catch, and the pick.

*Mardy Gilyard returned every punt except the last one, which DeSean Jackson fielded, but there still wasn't any blocking, which was really the problem with Damaris Johnson's returns.

*Stafford was 6 for 18 for 91 yards and a pick in the first half; Vick 16 for 24 for 118, a pick and a touchdown.

*LeSean McCoy carried 7 times for only 12 yards; Eagles' o-line was dominated.