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McNabb comes up huge

This article was originally published in the Inquirer on September 21, 2004.

That No. 5 on his chest still looks like Superman's S and this is still Donovan McNabb's team.

The quarterback lives for games such as this. It is his natural habitat: National TV, with millions tuned in to see which of the game's stars shines brightest. This game had a great cast, but Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and Daunte Culpepper were reduced to supporting roles.

You thought maybe Culpepper was a better quarterback? He had chances to take your breath away, breaking for the goal line. But Culpepper fumbled the ball away at the one-millimeter line.

You thought maybe Owens had crowded McNabb out of the spotlight, had captured the heart of the city with that yeah-I'm-good smile? McNabb moved the ball up and down the field last night without leaning on T.O. He spread the ball among seven receivers - Jon Ritchie? Greg Lewis? - and when the Eagles most needed a big play, he took care of things himself.

His third-quarter touchdown run was McNabb's dare to the rest of the great players on the field. Match this.

Nobody could.

It was classic No. 5. He got the Eagles close with short throws to Ritchie, L.J. Smith and, yes, T.O. himself. On second and 9 from the Minnesota 20, McNabb dropped back. Before he could start reading the defense, one-11th of it was in his face. Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams broke in free.

McNabb sidestepped, and Williams caught him around the waist. Then his grip slid. Knees, ankles, nada. Williams was facedown on the turf and McNabb was off.

If you see the replay again, watch Minnesota defensive end Kenechi Udeze. He wears No. 95 and is easy to spot. As McNabb steps up in the collapsed pocket, Udeze starts closing in from behind.

McNabb couldn't have seen him. He might have heard him or smelled him or just felt the pressure. Maybe he simply didn't see any of his receivers get open. Whatever it was, McNabb started speeding up. Udeze seemed to have a chance to catch him.

But no. As McNabb veered to his left, Udeze faded. One of his teammates, joining the chase, cut him off. All he could do was watch while McNabb ran around a very good block by running back Reno Mahe and into the end zone.

It was a good-enough play that you could almost excuse the Michael Jackson-inspired moonwalk and leg-whip celebration dance. Maybe McNabb hasn't been following the news lately, but Mr. Jackson may not be the best guy in the world to pay homage to right now.

With that touchdown, McNabb took control of the game for the Eagles. With the next, he invited T.O. to share in the glory.

It's important to note that McNabb's 20-yard touchdown run was the Eagles' longest play from scrimmage through three quarters. That's important because of what it says about the efficiency of their offense - which ultimately translates as the efficiency of the quarterback.

On their first possession, the Eagles went 72 yards in 11 plays without a gain longer than 13 yards. On their second possession, McNabb took the team 53 yards to set up a field goal - without a play going longer than 15 yards.

The Eagles' longest play of the first half was their worst. Westbrook picked up 19 yards on a short toss from McNabb but fumbled the ball away.

This was the West Coast offense as it was supposed to be run, with McNabb playing quarterback like a point guard. You can understand how frustrated Eagles fans have been with the dink-and-dunk approach in the past. When this thing isn't beautiful, it's hideous.

Last night, it was beautiful, and McNabb was at the controls. A year after an early-season slump that had the hounds at his door, he is playing with seemingly limitless confidence. It's something to see.

"What a difference a year makes," McNabb told ABC before he left the field last night. "We've taken a step forward here. Confidence plays a major part, and you can see the confidence out here. We're spreading the ball around. "

Still, you kept waiting. Sooner or later, you just knew, the long ball was coming. All those three-step drops and quick hits had to be setting something up.

And then there it was, Owens striding down the right sideline behind Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield. McNabb's throw couldn't have been better, falling out of the night and into Owens' hands just as he reached the goal line.

Owens' celebration, a slam dunk over the crossbar, was a tip of the cap to his quarterback. That was McNabb's signature move for a while there.

Culpepper and Moss answered with a touchdown of their own, but not until late in the fourth quarter. Before that, Culpepper fumbled one touchdown run away and another was negated by penalty. Moss was reduced to pushing off Roderick Hood, drawing a penalty against a cornerback he probably had never heard of before last night.

They are great players, no question about that, and it won't be surprising if the Eagles see them again in the postseason.

But this game was McNabb's all the way. He was among the best, where he belongs, only he was better.