For 13 years BRIAN DAWKINS gave everything he had physically and verbally to the Philadelphia Eagles. And it was appropriate on the night he was honored (see our exclusive interview here) that star running back LESEAN McCOY gave it everything he had as he carried 13 times for 123 yards to lead the Eagles to a 19-17 victory at home. There was nothing aesthetically beautiful about this win, but the Eagles will take a win over their arch enemy any day or night.
If one is interested in fireworks, they would have been bored by the first quarter of this contest as no points were scored. Not only that, it took most of the second quarter for either team to put points on the board. More on that later. The Giants had a promising drive that started on their own 7 yard line. A 20 yard ELI MANNING pass (24 of 42 for 309 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception) to running back AHMAD BRADSHAW (77 yards total offense on 16 touches) on 3rd down and 8 got the Giants a first down. Then a 13 yard DOMENIK HIXON (6 catches for 114 yards and no score) reception on 3rd and 17 coupled with an illegal contact penalty on the Eagles’ JASON BABIN, advanced the ball to the Giants 33 yard line. But the drive ended on a BRANDON HUGHES pass defense/very good coverage on a pass intended for Hixon on third down.
Starting from their own 20, the Eagles saw another drive stall after MICHAEL VICK (accounted for 290 yards total offense and one score) carried for 12 yards on 3rd and 13 to force a MAT MCBRIAR punt. But the Eagles, with 1:47 left in the second quarter, scored on a Vick 19 yard touchdown pass to DESEAN JACKSON (6 catches for 99 yards and one score) in the back of the end zone. This came after a possible momentum killing CHASE BLACKBURN (8 tackles and 1 sack) 1 yard tackle for loss of McCoy near the right sideline. With that touchdown connection and ALEX HENERY’S (4 for 4 on field goals and 1 for 1 on extra points) successful extra point, the Eagles had a 7-0 lead.
But the Giants weren’t done with aggravating the Eagles defense. Hixon made a great diving and extended arms catch for 32 yards to the Giants 45 yard line. Then Hixon caught two more passes for 17 yards. But all of Hixon’s hard work (3 catches for 49 yards on this drive) went up in smoke, as the clock did them in and they only had time for a successful 25 yard field goal by LAWRENCE TYNES, which made the score 7-3 Eagles.
McCoy was extremely helpful in the Eagles’ first drive of the second half. He carried 7 times for 59 yards on this drive. The fact that the Eagles didn’t scored a touchdown on this drive is beside the point. McCoy gained 34 yards on the fifth play of this drive to the NYG 23 yard line. Then on the next play he carried 22 yards to the NYG 1 yard line. Those runs set up a Henery 20 yard field goal that gave the Eagles a 10-3 lead. The Eagles needed every one of Henery’s field goals to eventually pull out the win.
The Giants came right back with a scoring drive of their own as VICTOR CRUZ (9 catches for 109 yards and 1 score) snatched a Manning pass and took it 14 yards into the end zone followed by his trademark Salsa dance. The game was now tied 10-10.
Then with 2:12 left in the third quarter and after an Eagles three and out, Henery came in again to save the Eagles bacon with a successful 48 yard field goal to give his team their third straight lead of the game at 13-10.
A 53 yard DAVID WILSON kickoff return to the Eagles 49 gave the Eagles more problems to worry about. On third down and one, Bradshaw was stuffed by rookie defensive tackle FLETCHER COX and company. But then on fourth and one and in shotgun formation, Manning showed why he is one of the most elite quarterbacks in the league and the coolest quarterback this side of the North Pole. He stood calmly in the pocket and fired a first down strike to Cruz for a 30 yard gain to the Philly 10 yard line with cornerback DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE dragging him down from behind.
But on the next play Rodgers-Cromartie intercepted a Manning pass intended for MARTELLUS BENNETT in the end zone, and he returned the theft to the Eagles 9 yard line. Two plays later JASON AVANT caught a Vick pass for 23 yards to the Eagle 38. But this promising drive only yielded a field goal due to Blackburn coming up with a big sack of Vick for a three yard loss on 3rd down and 3. The sack forced a Henery 35 yard field goal which was good and made the score 16-10 Philadelphia with 9:53 left in the game.
The Giants mounted another scoring drive that was highlighted by a 31 yard RAMSES BARDEN catch to the Eagle 49. Then on the next play Manning connected with Hixon for 41 yards to the Eagle 8 yard line. Those big plays led to a Manning curveball touchdown pass to tight end BEAR PASCOE from 7 yards out and an eventual 17-16 lead.
Then with around two minutes left in the game, Vick went down on his own for a 7 yard loss near the left sideline. The Eagles fans and most everyone connected to them thought they may very well lose this game and not to mention having to deal with Manning after the ensuing kickoff or turnover on downs (if they missed the field goal). But Henery became the hero as he connected from 26 yards out to make the score 19-17 with less than 1:50 left in the game.
The Giants’ had 65 yards to go for the win after the kickoff. Two pass interference penalties on Rodgers-Cromartie and NNAMDI ASOMUGHA on this drive advanced the ball all the way to Eagles 28 yard line. But a Barden offensive pass interference penalty and a Manning incompletion into double coverage to receiver Hixon versus Rodgers-Cromartie and NATE ALLEN, doomed the Giants into trying a very long Tynes field goal from 54 yards. After a timeout was called on Tynes’ first attempt he was asked to kick again. His second try was dead straight but 2 yards short of the goal post and that was all she wrote for the Giants, as the Eagles ran out the clock to triple zeroes.
