NFC EAST FLY BY Week #4

 

Packers @ Eagles

Dallas @ Titans

Jacksonville @ Washington

Giants: Bye

 

Packers @ Eagles

            McNabb ran for two touchdowns and threw for a pair as McNabb finished 16-of-30 for 288 yards and 47 yards rushing. He scored on runs of 6 and 15 yards, and connected with back up Greg Lewis on TD passes of 45 and 30 yards. Thus leading the Eagles to a 31-9 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football. 

Meanwhile, Favre, who has enjoyed many memorable moments on Monday Night Football, would like to forget this one. Favre misfired badly on several passes, including two interceptions that led to Philadelphia scores.  Favre was 22-of-40 for 205 yards and had a passer rating of 44.2. He didn't speak to reporters after the game, and a team spokesman said he was complaining of headaches.

Once a feared runner, McNabb had just 55 yards rushing last season when he was limited by injuries and missed the final seven games because of a sports hernia. "I decided to go back to my style of play," McNabb said, "and if the opportunity is there, take full advantage."

The win was significant as the birds were without cornerbacks Lito Sheppard (ankle) and Rod Hood (heel) joined Westbrook (knee) on the sideline for the Eagles.  The Eagles did make many mistakes in the first half most notable two fumbles in the red zone.  Coach Reid put it best "A sign of a good football team is you can buckle down and change the wrongs to rights, there were good things we did in the second half. It wasn't flawless."  For more game analysis please read the Post Game Report. 

 

Eagles 31 Packers 9

 

Notes: Eagles starting wide-outs Donte' Stallworth (hamstring) and Reggie Brown (shoulder) both left the game in the fourth quarter. Their Status is unclear at this point and will be evaluated sometime this week. Favre extended his NFL-record streak for consecutive starts to 225. He's 17-14 on Monday nights.  Eagles FS Brian Dawkins passed Hall of Famer Chuck Bednarik for most wins (86) with the team.

 

Dallas @ Titans

In a game that featured the return of T.O. and the first NFL start of Tennessee rookie Vince Young, Bledsoe and Glenn hooked up on two 13-yard touchdown passes and the Dallas Cowboys beat the Titans 45-14. 

Owens did indeed play with his broken right hand protected by a plate and a glove only five days after his hospital visit for an accidental overdose. He caught five passes for 88 yards but also dropped a pass in the end zone he couldn't pull in with his injured hand.  "He caught a couple balls," Dallas coach Bill Parcells said. "You were there. What do you think? I was pleased with the offense.

Ironically, Owens was not the main news in this game, but that of a lineman.  Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth stomped on Dallas center Andre Gurode's face and was ejected. Gurode needed stitches above his left eye and didn't return because of blurry vision.  If they suspend me, that's fine," Haynesworth said. "Because for what I did, whatever they give me, I deserve it. I did it and it's wrong. That's not the game of football; that's not how it's supposed to be played. I let my team down."

Another storyline took place in this lopsided victory, that being Vince Young’s first start.  Young looked very much the rookie as Dallas sacked him twice and intercepted him twice, with Bradie James returning the second 15 yards for a touchdown. Young also fumbled at the end of a scramble, which Dallas also recovered. He finished 14-for-29 for 155 yards and ran five times for 3 yards.   In the end it was evident that the Cowboys and Titans are both going different directions this year.  And Dallas will have a big test against the Eagles this week, along with the distraction of T.O.’s return to Philly. 

Notes: The Cowboys now are 13-5 after bye weeks, second-best in the NFL. Dallas now leads the series with their ex-Texas rivals 7-5. Tyson Thompson scored Dallas' final touchdown on a 7-yard run. It was the first NFL touchdown in two seasons for Thompson, the only Cowboy ever to grow up in Irving, Texas, where the team practices and plays. The Titans' opening drive that ended in a field goal was their first points in the first quarter this season.

 

 

Jacksonville @ Washington

            Three spectacular touchdowns by Santana Moss, led to a Redskins victory in overtime.  Brunell-to-Moss resurrected the Redskins' season last year, and the combo came to life again in the 36-30 victory.  The game winner was a dazzling one as he left two defenders flatfooted one a 68 yard touchdown to end the game. 

            Moss finished with four receptions for 138 yards, including TD catches of 55, 8 and 68 yards. Clinton Portis ran 27 times for 112 yards and a touchdown, becoming the first back in 13 games to get 100 against the Jaguars. And Brunell, who played nine seasons for the Jaguars before he was replaced by current Jacksonville quarterback Byron Leftwich at the end of the 2003 season, went 18 for 30 for 329 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

            The Redskins (2-2) have won two straight, and the Jaguars (2-2) have lost two in a row. Leftwich, playing in front of his hometown fans and family for the first time since high school, completed 21 of 35 passes for 289 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.  Leftwich led two fourth-quarter rallies, digging his team out of a 10-point hole with 12:24 remaining. Josh Scobee 's 43-yard field goal tied the game with 6:40 remaining, and he tied it again with a 41-yarder with six seconds left in regulation. But the Jaguars couldn't stop the mighty Moss and the rest of the Redskins in Overtime.

           

Washington 36 Jacksonville 30

           

Notes: Jacksonville's Rashean Mathis picked off a flea flicker in the first quarter, his franchise-record 16th interception and fourth of the season. ... Washington DE Phillip Daniels got his first career interception, catching a pass tipped by CB Kenny Wright ... Washington's John Hall kicked his 200th career field goal.

 

Giants: Bye

            The Giants took the week off as they figure out if they can hold the ship together, and steer it in the right direction.  If finger pointing continues, their team will sink to the bottom of the NFC East.  Next up for them is an NFC East battle with the Redskins to fight for position in the toughest division in football.  Each inner division game is magnified for this division. 

 

What it means for the Eagles?

 

            The eagles sit alone the top the NFC East for now.  The schedule will rapidly be turning tougher as the season progresses.  This week the Eagles will face their toughest opponent to date, the Dallas Cowboys.  The return of T.O. is finally here.  How will it all play out?  I believe that the birds have something to prove not only to T.O. but to the rest of the division.  They must prove they are back and do deserve to be in sole possession of the division.  This week is a big one with all four teams playing each other.  A win can help the Eagles on the right path to the playoffs.  Have fun watching the games this weekend, they should be vastly entertaining.