Eagles beat Giants 23-11, advance to NFC title game
by JasonB on Jan 11, 2009 5:19 PM EST
in Philadelphia Eagles News
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4th down and... win
The can be no doubt about the two defining moments of this game for me. Two times in the 4th quarter the Giants had 4th down and less than one and both times the Eagles defense didn't give up an inch. Those are the kinds of defensive stands that legends are made of. For my money, they belong with "4th and 26" as some of the great moments in Eagles playoff history. 4th & 1 x 2?
Credit for those two stops has to go to Broderick Bunkley, who drove his man back and the play both times. The guy has had a great year locking down the interior of that Eagles' D and he deserves some national attention. His effort on those two plays should earn him that.
McNabb making magic
Last week, the Eagles victory was due to an amazing defensive performance and one great offensive play. This week, the defense certainly did it's job to great effect... but Donovan McNabb was sensational. In a game where Westbrook was completely shut down and the Eagles' running game couldn't do anything, McNabb took the team on his back in the second half and made plays. His efforts specifically on 3rd down were awe-inspiring. His escape plus throw to Avant for a first down on 3rd and 20 has to go down as one of the plays of the game, if not the entire postseason so far.
McNabb once again outplayed his opposing QB and once again the Eagles won. That's no coincidence. Five finished 22/40 for 217 yards, 1 TD and 1 rushing TD. He did have 2 picks on the day and that made his QB rating not so hot... but in the playoffs it's about making plays at big moments and winning games. That's what McNabb did today.
Speaking of QBs...
Eli Manning simply came up small today. What really was amazing to watch was how much he struggled with the wind and McNabb didn't. Clearly Manning doesn't have the arm that McNabb has(few guys do) but he didn't look like the QB with homefield advantage. You would think that the guy who has played his entire career in Giants' stadium would understand how to play it better than anyone else. Despite the Eagles rarely bringing the blitz and not sacking Manning once, Eli finished a dismal 15/29 for 169 yards and 2 INTs... one of which was returned by Asante Samuel to the one yard line setting up the Eagles' first TD.
And again, I must say... Asante Samuel = worth every cent.
Speaking of home field disadvantage...
Eli Manning wasn't the only Giant to struggle in the weather while his counterpart thrived. How about David Akers? He's perfect on the day in a stadium he's always struggled in. He sets the NFL record for consecutive FGs made in the postseason... all while his pro bowl counterpart John Carney misses two FGs and struggles to figure out the wind in his home stadium.
Road warriors
With the Eagles win in New York, road teams are now 3 for 3 in the divisional playoff round. Overall, road teams are 5-2 this postseason. That's a pretty decent omen for the Eagles as they get set to travel to Arizona to face the Cardinals for the chance to go to the superbowl.
Fifth NFC title game in Eight years
We've all gotten frustrated at times. Whether it's been with Reid, with McNabb, with ownership ect... It's a week to week game and people's emotions are going to change week to week. When the Eagles got beat by the Ravens to send us to 5-5-1 with McNabb benched a short week against a playoff team in the Cardinals coming up... it wasn't wrong to be frustrated and it wasn't wrong to lose some faith.
That said, when you step back and reflect on the stat in this headline, we have to give Reid/McNabb/Lurie/Banner the credit they deserve. 5 NFC title games in 8 years is an amazing achievement. It's not the ultimate goal of winning the superbowl, but it's a level of success that nearly any other team in the NFL would be ecstatic with.
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Something about this team feels special.
I think we have all the pieces to win the Superbowl.
"When I have the ball, I experiment." #5
just wondering
where is Wes Welker?
And again, I must say… Asante Samuel = worth every cent.
Who wants to play Leapfrog with Trent?
i would say both now lol
hes what?? the 2nd highest paid corner? i would say hes play for pay :)
E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!
This defense is just incredible.
Doesn’t get enough credit. It gives us a chance to win EVERY game!
E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!
Akers had a good game too
Great defense once again, getting use to see them play well. The offense made some nice adjustments and took control of the game in the second half. But I really got to give Dave Akers a game ball for making those field goals in tough conditions.
Complete effort
So many people stepped up! McNabb looking vintage, Curtis redeeming himself after the big drop, DJax and big-play ability, Bunkley looking absolutely dominant, Asante being all day all day…
Unbelievable!
super bowl
if the eagles make the super bowl there are many connections. its in tampa bay, and the phillies faced tampa bay in the world series. tampa bay’s losses at the end of the season helped the eagles make the playoffs. Also, if the ravens also make it too, is a repeat of the infamous game when McNabb was benched. The eagles face Arizona in the NFC title game. When they faced each other earlier in the season, it started the eagles memorable run. Also, the super bowl last season was in Phoenix, which the giants played in. The eagles beat the Giants to get to the NFC championship, in Phoenix.
I am pulling for the Steelers though
"This world extends way beyond this little field of dreams we're dancing in and I want to see that world"
Poll
I voted McNabb. I couldn’t just pick one guy on the defense, but McNabb put the offense on his back on a day where the run just wasn’t there and picked up huge 3rd downs.
That escape-scramble-and throw to Avant was vintage Donovan.
I wonder if I can bill Jeff Lurie and Peter Angelos for the years of therapy their teams are going to put me through.
Congrats Eagles fans
I will be pulling for your team to win the superbowl. McNabb and Reid (I know there has been some grumbling about him of late) really deserve it. Go get em guys.
-from a colts fan
I agree about the whole post, more or less
I thought Mike Patterson was at the point of attack on one of those fourth downs.
But I also thought this game was more about holding the Giants to field goal attempts than it was those fourth-down stops. Those don’t quite go down alongside 4th-and-26 for me.
I agree about 3rd-and-20 being vintage Donovan.
I thought there were a lot of hidden performances as far as key contributors. You hit on some of them.
Also, Abiamiri seemed to be in a lot on run downs, and for an “undersized” D, his role is to toughen us up against the run. Demps and Considine had to play some key downs in the secondary and didn’t stink up the joint. And I saw Celek blocking a couple times, helping out a tackle, which is not supposed to be his strong suit.
Agree about Asante. That guy is clutch.
On the 4th and inches, Patterson had incredible penetration. (The announcers gave Bunkley all the credit, but I thought Mike was the one who really busted through and got Jacobs)
I was also impressed how the D came up and got a stop after the tipped INT w/o Asante or Mikell on the field.
I wonder if I can bill Jeff Lurie and Peter Angelos for the years of therapy their teams are going to put me through.
Patterson had incredible penetration.
haha
"I need to do a better job of putting players in the right position to perennially come up short of expectations"
I thought of a couple more underrated but very key plays:
When Akers pushed Bradshaw out of bounds on the opening kickoff return, and when Kevin Curtis tackled Fred Robbins on the McNabb pick.
Since the Giants settled for FG attempts both times when that might have been return TDs otherwise, gotta say those are huge hustle plays.
Felt like sharing :)
is it me or
Is Deion Sanders trying to get MC Nabb ut of Philly. I just watched the interview on NFL network and it seems like he keeps baiting MC Nabb into talking shit. Mc Nabb was asked if he likes the Philly fans and his response was…..quite mocking..
Deion really is not good at anything
"This world extends way beyond this little field of dreams we're dancing in and I want to see that world"
he was a pretty good returner.
"I need to do a better job of putting players in the right position to perennially come up short of expectations"
And thats the thing about McNabb- as much as I like him...
he just can’t get used to our Philly ways. Classy but thin skinned.
Is that Britt or Garrett?
Good for Andy. Hope the best for him and his family.
He and Jeff Lurie are the best things to ever happen to the Philadelphia Eagles.
by Luxury_Used_Vehicles_By_Braman on Jan 11, 2009 9:32 PM EST reply actions
Brandon Jacobs is a classy guy.... seriously
“Philly is a hot team now and they are playing well on defense,” Jacobs said. “Donovan has managed the game well and I don’t think there is any team out there … I think they beat the only team out there that had a chance to beat them, and I don’t think there is anybody out there that is going to beat them. I’m on their bandwagon and I’m picking Philly to win the whole thing.”
-Brandon Jacobs
I heard that -- very classy
"This world extends way beyond this little field of dreams we're dancing in and I want to see that world"
if they can’t negotiate a contract with him, and don’t franchise him, I will punch myself in the leg as hard as I can.
by Clyde Simmons on Jan 12, 2009 9:42 AM EST up reply actions
How many times are people going to underestimate you?
Nobody gives your D enough credit, honestly. I remember watching us get neutered by you guys in the regular season and praying we didn’t have to play you in the playoffs. A hearty congratulations from a Falcons fan!
I voted for Akers
3 for 3 while the chump on the other side of the field missed two on his home turf.
"When I have the ball, I experiment." #5
BetAgainstMe
We definetely made a claim for#1
http://www.betagainstme.com/?affid=959
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