If not for those two players, who made massive play after massive play, this season would be a lost cause. The Eagles played 29 minutes and 59 seconds worth of excellent football in the first half, only to see a field goal blocked by the Niners and returned for a touchdown. San Fran then came out and put 10 unanswered points on the board in the 3rd quarter to head into the 4th with a 26-17 lead. I don't know about you, but I thought the game was over.
It's usually not so easy to point to a couple of players in football and say they won the game, but today it was obviously Parker and Buckhalter. Juqua sealed the game with a 55-yard INT return for a touchdown, but he also had a sack, a huge tackle for a loss on an end-around, and he along with Cole absolutely worked over the Niners line for the final 15 minutes. Jim Johnson didn't have to blitz because the line was getting pressure rushing 4 and even 3 sometimes. The defense was
more than stout down the stretch.
On offense, Correll Buckhalter simply would not go down. His final stat line was Westbrookian: 18 carries for 93 yards and a TD, 7 catches for 85 yards. He gave the Eagles the extra fight they needed and really carried the offense in the second half, when they couldn't go anywhere else with the ball. McNabb's stat line was good, DeSean saw plenty of action and made the most of it. Hank Baskett and L.J. Smith, two forgotten men, even caught TD's, but it was Buckhalter picking up Westbrook's slack on offense that kept the chains moving and powered this offense.
It truly was not only an amazing fourth quarter, but a critical one. The Cowboys just lost on a blocked punt in overtime, the Skins lost to the Rams earlier today (isn't that the funniest thing you've heard in a while?), so the Eagles pick up a game on two of the teams they're chasing in the NFC East. The Giants play tomorrow night.
Still, some questionable calls from Andy, although while I knew Akers wasn't going to make that 50+ yard attempt before the half, I certainly didn't think it would get blocked and returned for a TD, it was a bad call either way you look at it.
3-3 heading into the bye is much better than 2-4, so let's take it, lick our wounds and get everyone healthy.
Offensive Player Of The Game: Buck
Defensive Player Of The Game: Juqua
Special Teams Player of The Game: Demps (63-yard return)
And what a bonus that Dallas and the Skins lost in the last minutes of their game as well! 3-3 is only one game away from 4-2.
Tony Gonzalez is on the block and Gcdog had reported that the Eagles were among the contenders. Have you heard anything more of this? I had heard NY was pursuing him, which isn't a good thing for us, as we already can't stop any decent TE we face.
You know I went into the 49'ers game not caring...I was like its "only" the 49ers and even if they win it proves nothing. But I must say it feels DAMN good to get a win. 49ers to their credit played a great 3 quarters...Frank Gore was a beast. Im seeing that on any given sunday anybody can beat anybody so a win is a win. No matter who it is against.
Buckhalter was amazing. Oh and that 3rd and 1 play late in the game...he DEFINITELY got the first down IMO...didnt he ?
As far as Tony Gonzales...I hope the Birds get him. Otherwise watch him light up the Eagles while playing for the Giants. He can still play and while LJ did make a nice TD catch he still looked REALLY bad on a couple plays. Give Mcnabb a serious weapon and lets make a run while the window is still cracked open a tiny bit...
The pick that TKO got on McNabb was probably LJ's fault, he took a lazy route.
I'd rather see Gonzalez on the downside of his career on our side than on the Giant's. We're staying alive...
And on a positive note, aren't we great coming out of a bye week statistically?
Yeah, they've always been good after byes (except in the super bowl :( )
It's worth a third rounder just to keep him away from the Giants, let alone the production he'd bring to the team.
When you think of it, a third rounder is a little more than the price of a happy meal for an oldie but goodie. Besides, if he doesn't land here, he'll probably land with the Giants, and that means we'll have to see him twice and defend against him, something the Eagles haven't been able to do with any TE they've faced so far.