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11:37 PM - Al Michaels is out of his mind to question the Eagles for not rushing to the line to get their 3rd and 3 play in before the two minute warning. With only one timeout, they can't possibly play for another possession, and two minutes is more than enough time to gain 57 yards to score a touchdown and take the lead. McNabb, who had scrambled on consecutive plays in hurry up offense, was rightfully winded. Should the Eagles take the lead, all that rushing to the line before this crucial 3rd down would have done is buy the Giants extra time on the back end. Brian Westbrook's run to the sideline brings up 4th down and a yard with the game on the line. Chase Blackburn's tackle in the backfield puts the game away, stopping Brian Westbrook for no gain. The Giants now hold a two-game lead over second place Washington, as the Eagles fall into the all too familiar cellar. The only team left between the Giants and an NFC East crown is the Giants. The Eagles, meanwhile, face an uphill climb to reach postseason play, sitting only a game behind the current wild card leaders but with a bevy of NFC teams sitting at 6-3, including the Redskins and Cowboys, who hold tiebreakers over them. Stay tuned over the next few days, as I'll attempt to answer the most important question currently facing Philadelphia sports: who needs to go first from among Maurice Cheeks, John Stevens, and Andy Reid?
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7:25 PM - Welcome back, my friends, to the show that never ends. After a couple of weeks away from my commentary/chats, I'll be making my hopefully triumpant return tonight. I'm especially excited to discuss tonight's game as it's my first opportunity to do so during a game between Philly and New York. Both teams face what has to be considered their toughest test of the season, though it would be hard to disagree with the notion that the Eagles need the game significantly more than the Giants. Kickoff is just under an hour away. The Giants will be without the services of Gerris Wilkinson, and Kevin Dockery, while the Eagles list a slew of players with minor injuries, including the Brians Dawkins and Westbrook, as probable. Expect all the wounded Birds with the possible exceptions of LJ Smith (if I'm lucky) and Lito Sheppard (if I'm not) to play. Please check back as the game unfolds and chime in as much as your hearts desire. E A G L E S EAGLES!
8:18 PM - Aside from the obvious rivalry involved, the next most exciting aspect of this game when compared to the other chats I've done is without a doubt the commentators. As I made no secret during the NLCS and World Series, I have nothing but contempt for the Fox commentary crew of Joe Buck and anyone, though in that case it was Tim McCarver. John Madden and Al Michaels, though it took them some time to develop chemistry as a tandem, are the best national crew going right now, in my opinion. Though Madden's analysis is perhaps not as in depth as it once was, and suffers as he grows noticeably tired as the evening goes on, he is actually getting more entertaining with every step he takes towards out and out senility.
8:26 PM - Before I even had a chance to complain about the lack of movement in the Eagles' front 7 on the Giants' first pair of plays, defensive tackle Mike Patterson deflected a pass and brought in for his first career interception, rumbling down to the Giants' nine yard line to set up an Eagles first and goal. Following a throwaway by Donovan McNabb, DeSean Jackson took a direct snap and ran off tackle to the right side of the line for an Eagles TOUCHDOWN! No better start the Eagles could possibly ask for, and a great first step towards the eventual aim of building a lead, the best strategy I can find to neutralize the New York's ground attack.
8:35 PM - The Giants' second possession is looking a lot like the first one did thus far. The Giants' trademarked offensive balance, coupled with a few great second efforts by Derrick Ward, have the Giants marching down the field without too much trouble. They have converted a couple of third downs on the drive, but they've been short ones. Only now, inside the Eagles' 18 yard line, do the Giants face a 3rd and 9 after Eli was forced into a bad throw by pressure on 2nd down. A poorly timed corner blitz on third down left Plaxico Burress alone in front of a helpless Brian Dawkins, allowing him to make a sliding catch on a low throw from Manning for a Giants touchdown. I can't say I see the logic in letting Plax get off the line untouched on a long third down, but I guess that's why I don't call defensive plays.
8:42 PM - Quintin Demps, the Eagles' rookie backup safety and kickoff return man, fumbled the subsequent kickoff, setting the Giants up with only a slightly longer field than the Eagles had on their first possession. A pair of runs up the gut followed by an incomplete pass intended for Madison Hedgecock on third and 6 allowed the Eagles' defense to minimize the damage and hopefully build some confidence after they had allowed the Giants to move the ball essentially at will on their first two series. Giants lead 10-7 following John Carney's successful chip shot.
8:51 PM - After a much better effort by Demps the second time around, the Eagles quickly went three and out, highlighted by a pair of incompletions intended for LJ Smith. In the interest of being fair to my least favorite Eagle, neither of Donovan's throws was any good, as has been the trend for him early in games all season. The Giants start at their own 20 following a 62 yard boot by the Eagles' most consistent performer, Aussie punter Sav Rocca. I still can't decide if what bothers me most about him being the best Eagle thus far this season is that he's Australian (nothing against Aussies, but I don't see too many starring in the NFL) or that he's a punter. Any thoughts?
8:59 PM - Amani Toomer appears to be open five yards down field every play, as his umpteenth catch on this drive set the Giants up with a first and goal at the Eagles' 1 as the first quarter came to a close. Al Michaels' favorite stat of the quarter, as well as mine: the Eagles held the ball for 90 seconds out of 15 minutes. Their astounding 12 total yards come in a close second. It could prove pretty amusing to track how many plays the Eagles create during the next three quarters which surpass their entire first quarter yardage output. I'll set the over/under at 3.5, and even go as far as to pick the under.
9:10 PM - As Rocca struggles to find his range, Quintin Demps is currently atop the Eagle of the Game leaderboard, as he brought the kickoff back to the Eagles' 47 yard line. Unfortunately, McNabb's range appears to be even more nebulous tonight than Rocca's, as only a great play by Kevin Curtis to deflect a ball which had hit Aaron Ross in the hands prevented McNabb from adding an interception to his now 0-for-5 start. Giants begin their drive at their own 19. If the Eagles can't sustain some offense, this is going to be a blowout quickly, as they simply can't afford to bring an eighth man into the box against this Giants offensive unit. If this defense can't be kept fresh, they don't have a chance in hell.
9:16 PM - Following a 9-yard sack of Eli Manning on 1st and 10, Al Michaels referred to 6'3 270 pound Eagle defensive end Trent Cole as "small." The scary thing is, it's true relative to most offensive tackles and even other defensive ends.
9:19 PM - Despite the Eagles' best efforts to give up a 3rd and 15 conversion, the Giants' offense has come away without points for the first time since their opening possession ended with an interception.
9:24 PM - The Eagles appear to be taking the baby steps approach to offense. Following an end around to DeSean Jackson on 1st and 10 to pick up the team's second first down of the first half, the Eagles quickly got back into their normal rhythm and immediately stalled out. The silver lining: McNabb's now 1 of 8 after finding Reggie Brown for seven yards on 2nd and 10.
9:27 PM - Brandon Jacobs' fumble at the end of a 10 yard run has to remind at least a few fans watching this game of Brian Westbrook's in the teams' meeting early in the 2006 season. That fumble proved the key play in igniting a 14 point comeback by the Giants, while this one gives the Eagles a short field as they attempt to establish some kind of offense and keep themselves from falling too far behind.
9:32 PM - The Eagles needed just five plays to take the ball 44 yards and draw within three points on a 10 yard strike from McNabb to Jason Avant. The march was aided by a blatant late hit out of bounds by Sam Madison at the tail end of another end around to Jackson, turning what would have been a 3rd and 3 at the Giants' 20 into a first and goal at the 10. Just like that, the Eagles' defense has found itself an extended period of rest and a pair of successful series to build upon.
9:38 PM - The Giants have quickly put together three short drives, most recently their first three and out possession of the game. The Eagles take over at their own 15 hoping to put together a drive which, at the very least, doesn't leave the Giants in prime position to score before the half. Tom Coughlin continues to prove that he's far and away the best clock manager among NFL coaches, making the somewhat uncommon but strategically obvious decision to call a timeout before the Eagles' 3rd and 12 snap. His defense's own effectiveness in picking off McNabb's throw may, however, have made his decision to call timeout backfire, as the Giants are now running a 2nd down play before the two minute warning from inside the Eagles' 15. Even if they give up a touchdown, the Eagles stand to get the ball back with time to mount another attempt to score before the half.
9:46 PM - For the second time this evening, the Eagles' defense held up inside their own 10 , limiting the Giants to just three points and giving the Eagles the ball back with over 1:45 in the half and two timeouts left. Despite two turnovers deep plus territory, the Giants have managed just 6 points, the margin by which they currently lead, off of the Eagles' mistakes. Of course, if you ask Al Michaels, the Eagles are lucky to have gotten the turnovers which have put them in striking distance. We agree on one thing: the Eagles are damn lucky to be in this game. Amazingly, a 20 yard strike to LJ Smith followed by an 8 yard catch by Smith have the Eagles knocking on the door of David Akers' range.
9:53 PM - The Eagles will have to settle for a field goal following one final pass attempt from the Giants' 11 with 10 seconds remaining and no timeouts. Given their offense's ineptitude and their defense's inability to stop the Giants from marching the length of the field, it is absolutely incredible to me that the Eagles will receive the opening kickoff of the second half in 15 minutes or so with the ability to score a touchdown to take the lead.
10:10 PM - Following yet another good return from Quintin Demps, this one out to the 37, McNabb has found Jackson and LJ Smith for consecutive completions on his first two second half throws. John Madden described the second, a 9-yard completion over the middle, a "hall of fame throw" into a very tight window. Correll Buckhalter's first offensive touch of the game resulted in a 20 yard gain, officially making my "under" 3.5 12 yard plays pick a loser. You won't hear me complaining.
10:13 PM - The Giants, who still hold a significant yardage advantage, now trail the Birds in the most important category of them all: points. A beautiful leaping catch on a fade route to Hank Baskett capped the Eagles' first possession of the second half and gave them a 24-20 lead. Given the amount of momentum in the Eagles' favor, despite an interception to set up a field goal before the half, this possession could very well be pivotal for the Giants. Manning will be looking for his team's first first down since 11:11 remained in the first half, 14:47 of game time ago.
10:22 PM - Am I alone in thinking it's no coincidence that the Giants are now marching again at the very same time as they start running the offense through Brandon Jacobs again? "Big Blue" now faces a 2nd and 7 at the Eagles' 27 following a series of their third first down of the drive. A short gain by Derrick Ward, however, keeps the Eagles from having to defend too short a third down play. Manning burns the Giants' first timeout as the crowd reminds him whose house it is.
10:30 PM - Following the Eagles' first penalty of the game, an illegal contact call on Asante Samuel, Manning was pressured into a pair of quick incompletions, followed by an illegal forward pass penalty being reversed to set up a first and goal for the Giants. I find it absolutely impossible to believe that there was "indisputable" visual evidence that Manning didn't release the pass after his airborne left foot crossed the line of scrimmage. Was it closer than I believed? Absolutely. But I have seen far less conclusive challenges upheld consistently in the past. Regardless, the Giants have reclaimed the lead following a touchdown run by Brandon Jacobs.
10:43 PM - Greg Lewis, who has absolutely no real value to the team in any phase other than special teams, has officially cemented the fact that his roster spot is a wasted one. Had I not known this for four years, it might not drive me so completely out of my mind with rage. His idiotic fair catch interference penalty gave the Giants a free 15 yards, improving their starting field position from the 18 to the 33. To compound matters, Stewart Bradley was flagged for a personal foul for grazing the facemask of Brandon Jacobs while stopping him in the backfield on a 3rd and 1. I won't call it a bad call, but it certainly wouldn't have been criminal to miss it, especially in the era of all flagged facemasks going for 15 yards. Anyone who claims it would have gone for 15 in the 5-yard facemask era is lying to themselves and probably seeing the world through blue lenses.
10:49 PM - The Giants will open the fourth quarter with a first and goal at the Eagles' 7, looking to extend their lead to 10 points and take a huge step towards putting the game away and taking a stranglehold on the NFC East.
10:53 PM - The Eagles held up at the goal line yet again, forcing John Carney to add a 28 yard field goal to the 26 and 27 yarders he made in the first half, and keeping McNabb and the offense within a touchdown of pulling back in front. Since the Giants completed their second touchdown march to extend their early lead to 17-7, the Eagles' defense has been head and shoulders above both the Giants' offense and either unit's counterpart.
11:01 PM - Michael Johnson's hold on the last man standing between Domenik Hixon and the end zone just cost the Giants their death blow, nullifying a punt return for a touchdown and setting the Giants up at the Eagles' 40 yard line. Giving up even three more points will probably still be enough to put the game out of reach for the Eagles. Preventing that would appear to be nothing but a pipe dream, as the Giants are now inside the 20 facing a 3rd and 7. Unless the Eagles can force a turnover here, they'll likely be facing a two possession deficit. Refusing to get out of their own way, the Eagles have now been flagged for an offside penalty, setting up a 3rd and 2 as opposed to a 4th and 1. On the positive side, at least they get another shot at a turnover.
11:12 PM - Following a challenge based purely on wishful thinking, Reid will yet again risk a timeout on the fact that Brandon Jacobs lost control of the football before he brought it across the goal line. If it's ruled a fumble, the recovery by the Eagles is clear, but I doubt that this will get overturned.
11:16 PM - Challenge upheld, as it should've been, the Eagles now face a 12 point defiict with just one timeout remaining. If they're gonna win this game without a miracle and a monumental collapse to go with it, this drive must result in seven. It starts from the Eagles' 29.
11:24 PM - The Eagles face a decision which is an absolute no-brainer, facing a fourth and goal from the 3 yard line. McNabb's throw to Kevin Curtis in the back of the end zone was caught for a touchdown, which brings the Eagles within one possession at 36-31. I don't think they're in onside kick mode yet, but it's definitely something worth giving some serious thought. If they kick deep, a couple of methodical first downs are all it will take to put the Giants in position to kneel out the clock. Still, I would have to put my faith in the defense to keep the Giants from moving the ball, and so will Andy Reid. Giants take over at their own 30 after an Ahmad Bradshaw return which looked like it had the chance to be very long.
11:31 PM - Facing a 3rd and 1 run by Derrick Ward, Brian Dawkins added yet another signature play to his hall of fame career, coming around the back side to stuff Ward for a five yard loss. The Eagles, taking over at their own 15, have immediately picked up 17 yards on a completion to Kevin Curtis, as the clock ticks down near 2:40 remaining. A subsequent interception was nullified by a holding penalty away from the play on Giants middle linebacker Antonio Pierce, though it may well have been Matthias Kiwanuka whose offense was actually flagged. A dropped pass by Brent Celek brings up 2nd and 10 at the Eagles' 36.
11:37 PM - Al Michaels is out of his mind to question the Eagles for not rushing to the line to get their 3rd and 3 play in before the two minute warning. With only one timeout, they can't possibly play for another possession, and two minutes is more than enough time to gain 57 yards to score a touchdown and take the lead. McNabb, who had scrambled on consecutive plays in hurry up offense, was rightfully winded. Should the Eagles take the lead, all that rushing to the line before this crucial 3rd down would have done is buy the Giants extra time on the back end. Brian Westbrook's run to the sideline brings up 4th down and a yard with the game on the line. Chase Blackburn's tackle in the backfield puts the game away, stopping Brian Westbrook for no gain. The Giants now hold a two game lead over second place Washington, as the Eagles fall into the all too familiar cellar. The only team left between the Giants and an NFC East crown is the Giants. The Eagles, meanwhile, face an uphill climb to reach postseason play, sitting only a game behind the current wild card leaders but with a bevy of NFC teams sitting at 6-3, including the Redskins and Cowboys, who hold tiebreakers over them. Stay tuned over the next few days, as I'll attempt to answer the most important question currently facing Philadelphia sports: who needs to go first from among Maurice Cheeks, John Stevens, and Andy Reid?
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