With Eagles Giving Vick Protection, Philly Takes NFC East Lead With 19-17 Victory Over Giants.
Sundays’ game of the week definitely lived up to all expectations as the defending Super Bowl champion Giants went into Lincoln Financial Field to play their NFC East rival, the Philadelphia Eagles. This game started off extremely slow in which we saw neither team passing up the 50-yard line as neither team would score in the 1st quarter.
In the 2nd quarter on the Eagles third possession of the quarter, they would start their first and only touchdown drive of the game. Giant’s defensive end Osi Umenyiora (the ballerina called by LeSean McCoy) would get penalized being offside which would set up a touchdown pass a few plays later from Michael Vick to DeSean Jackson on an impressive fake slant-right route to the left in-zone for a catch.
On the next ensuing possession form the Giants, Eli Manning would lead his team down the field on a 2-minute drive all the way to the Eagles 13. New York had three chances to even the game out with a touchdown but failed and would have to settle for a FG with 5 seconds left before halftime.
Fast-forwarding to the third quarter, we would see our first LeSean McCoy sighting of the game as he rushed for 60 yards to lead the Eagles to the Giants 1-yard line on three consecutive plays. The Giants defense would come alive stopping McCoy three times on the goal line forcing a fumble that was recovered to prevent the Eagles from scoring 7. Philly would have to settle for a touchdown to put the game at 10-3. On the next Giants possession with good field possession on the 43-yard line, Ahmad Bradshaw would rush three consecutive plays for 18 yards to get to the Eagles 34. This drive was capped off with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Eli to Victor Cruz for the team’s first TD evening the game at 10 all. On the next Eagles possession, they would answer back with a 48-yard FG from Alex Henry to regain the lead for his team.
Heading into the 4th quarter, in which the first pass of the quarter with the Giants on the goal line, Eli Manning would throw as pass to Martellus Bennett in the in-zone, but that would be intercepted by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Eagles Kicker, Alex Henry would score another FG this time from 35 to put his team up by 6. On the next Giants possession, Eli Manning would throw two consecutive deep passes to Domenik Hixon and Ramses Barden for 72 total yards to bring his team to the Eagles 8. Eli would finish off this impressive drive with a 6-yard pass to tight-end Bear Pascoe to regain the lead at 17-16. For the next Eagles possession, we would see Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy lead their team down the field for a FG by Alex Henry from 26 to regain the lead a 19-17.
With two minutes left, Eli Manning would go for another hope for another historic game winning 2-minute drive down the field. Eli almost had become the victim of a late “4 and out” for their last chance at scoring but after a desperation pass to Ramses Barden on 4th and 1, they would keep their drive alive with defensive pass interference from Rodgers-Cromartie. Eli would throw three more consecutive incomplete passes but on 3rd and 10, the Giants would once again get pass interference once more to keep their drive alive but this time on Nnamdi Asomugha. Manning would throw two more incomplete passes but they would become victim of offensive pass inference on Ramses Barden. With the ball on the Eagles 36, Lawrence Tynes was called upon for a 54-yarder. He would miss the first attempt as Eagles Andy Reid called a late timeout to ice the kicker almost blowing the game. On the next try, Tynes would miss the 2nd attempt coming up short for the Giants giving Philly the upset.
Eagles now move to 3-1 in the record standings as they play their instate rival the Pittsburgh Steelers in a big inter-conference showdown next Sunday; while the Giants have an “bye week” next Sunday against the Browns before their BIG week 6 at San Francisco. If Michael Vick has protection seen like tonight, sky’s the limit for the Eagles. The NFC East, presumably the toughest division in all of football, will come down to the wire as all four teams are legitimate playoff contenders.