PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Trent Cole and the Philadelphia Eagles have agreed on a four-year contract extension through 2017.

Cole is a two-time Pro Bowl selection who ranks third on the team’s all-time list for sacks with 68. The deal was announced Wednesday.

Cole had 11 sacks in 2011, his fourth season with a double-digit total.

“We are excited to be able to sign Trent to a new contract,” coach Andy Reid said. “Trent plays the game with a level of tenacity that’s hard to replicate. He’s one of the premier defensive ends in the league.”

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

The Eagles struggled early and never recovered. A four-game winning streak at the end came too late and they finished 8-8, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2007 and just the fourth time in coach Andy Reid’s 13 seasons.

“It’s going to motivate us to work harder,” quarterback Michael Vick said Monday. “It’s very disappointing.”

After an offseason spending spree brought several accomplished players to Philadelphia and added to a roster that already featured Vick, LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson, the Eagles were the talk of the NFL. They were defending NFC East champions and seemingly on the rise.

So when Young compared his new teammates to the Miami Heat, some people scoffed but most expected the Eagles to make a serious run at the first championship since 1960. Even team president Joe Banner declared the Eagles “all-in” and called this a Super Bowl-or-bust year.

But the team quickly imploded.

“There were definitely red flags,” said defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins, who won the Super Bowl with Green Bay last season. “A lot of people see Super Bowl, or I think they let the fact that the Super Bowl is there, and so many people talk about it right away. You can hear people nowadays, they come out of the draft talking about Super Bowl and I think it kind of gets thrown around too loosely now.

“It’s obviously the ultimate goal in where you want to get to, but you have to understand that you have to work hard. It’s something that is a process and you have to take it each step at a time to get to it and I think a lot of time people just want to jump from preseason to the Super Bowl without doing what it takes in between.”

Various factors contributed to a four-game losing streak that dropped the Eagles to 1-4 and doomed them from the beginning. Vick couldn’t finish two games in September because of injuries, the offense made critical turnovers and the defense struggled mightily as new players tried to adjust to new defensive coordinator Juan Castillo’s system.

Finishing games was a problem, too. The Eagles lost five games in which they led in the fourth quarter. One play could’ve made the difference in a season where the division was mediocre. The Eagles weren’t eliminated from playoff contention until right before their next-to-last game kicked off and they ended up second behind the New York Giants (9-7).

“It will be tough to sit at home and watch the playoffs, but we have to maintain a positive outlook about what we could be and go into the offseason knowing that we can play with the best teams in the league,” wide receiver Jeremy Maclin said. “Philly is not used to not being in the playoffs. I think guys will be hungry. This offseason will be very critical for us and I think it will be good.”

It’s uncertain whether the team will make major changes. Reid was criticized heavily this season and many fans want him gone. They chanted “Fire Andy!” during a loss to New England. Reid refused to discuss his future after Sunday’s game and wasn’t available to reporters on Monday. He’s expected to return, but his coaching staff may look different.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles are the hottest team not going to the playoffs.

Michael Vick threw three touchdown passes, including a 62-yarder to DeSean Jackson, and the Eagles beat the Washington Redskins 34-10 Sunday for their fourth straight win.

The Eagles (8-8) are hoping to carry the momentum from their strong finish into next season. But they can’t be satisfied after entering the year with Super Bowl aspirations.

It’s the first time since 2007 that Philadelphia didn’t qualify for postseason play and just the fourth time in coach Andy Reid’s 13 seasons. The Eagles set a franchise record for total yards with 6,386.

The Redskins (5-11) finished last in the NFC East for a franchise-worst fourth straight year. It was Mike Shanahan’s worst full season in 18 years as a coach.

One of four NFL games on the final day that had no playoff ramifications, this had the feel of a preseason game. There were thousands of empty seats at the always sold-out Linc, and there was far more interest in the Mummer’s Parade on Broad Street.

The Winter Classic alumni game between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers across the street at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday generated more excitement.

Playing without NFC leading rusher LeSean McCoy, the Eagles relied mainly on their passing attack. Vick threw for 335 yards, becoming the second player to have consecutive seasons with 3,000 yards passing and 500 yards rushing.

Rex Grossman had 256 yards passing, one TD and one interception, and Evan Royster had 113 yards rushing for Washington.

The Redskins were 3-1 and leading the NFC East when the teams met on Oct. 16. A 20-13 loss to Philadelphia started their six-game losing streak and knocked them out of the playoff picture.

The Eagles weren’t eliminated from playoff contention until last week, and finished with the best record in the division at 5-1. But they’re going home while the winner of the New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys game on Sunday night advances.

Vick’s 7-yard TD pass to Chad Hall in the second quarter gave Philadelphia a 10-0 lead after Derek Landri blocked Graham Gano’s 36-yard field-goal attempt.

Vick connected with Jackson to make it 20-10 in the fourth quarter. It could’ve been Jackson’s last game with the Eagles. The two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver played the final year of his rookie contract and never got the extension he wanted after holding out in training camp.

A 4-yard TD toss from Vick to Brent Celek made it 27-10.

Roy Helu turned a screen pass into a 47-yard TD to get Washington within 10-7 on the opening drive of the second half.

The Redskins turned the ball over on downs at the Eagles 35 in the final minute of the second quarter. They got the ball back when Brian Orakpo sacked Vick and forced a fumble. Perry Riley recovered at the 17, but the Redskins wasted the field position.

An unsportsmanlike penalty on Santana Moss for taking off his helmet and arguing a non-call for pass interference pushed the ball back, and the clock expired before Gano could attempt a field goal after Jabar Gaffney was tackled at the Eagles 7. Long snapper Nick Sundberg wasn’t on the field as players scurried to the line of scrimmage.

CBSSports.com wire reports
Jan. 1, 2012

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles played their best football too late.

Michael Vick threw for 335 yards and three touchdown passes, including a 62-yarder to DeSean Jackson, and the Eagles beat the Washington Redskins 34-10 Sunday for their fourth straight win.

But the Eagles (8-8) are going home despite the strong finish after failing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2007 and just the fourth time in coach Andy Reid’s 13 seasons. They can’t be satisfied after entering the year with Super Bowl aspirations

“That’s the unfortunate part,” Vick said. “Everybody’s jelling together, our team is getting closer as a unit, everybody’s understanding their coaches and what they’re trying to do and their philosophy. We know what needs to be done. We’ll fly under the radar and try to shock people next year. Next year will be totally different. I promise you.”

Reid refused to discuss anything about the future, including whether he wants to return or if defensive coordinator Juan Castillo will be back. Reid took plenty of criticism this season, and heard “Fire Andy!” chants during a loss to New England in November. Castillo was intensely scrutinized in his first season after serving as an offensive line coach for 13 years.

“We’ve got to get better all the way around, starting with me,” Reid said. “This wasn’t good enough.”

The Redskins (5-11) finished last in the NFC East for a franchise-worst fourth straight year. It was Mike Shanahan’s worst full season in 18 years as a coach.

“I think the last five, six games we’ve done some good things, run the football against some good teams, not as good as we need, though,” Shanahan said. “We talked about adding a few pieces on offense, we need a few pieces on defense, a good draft, but we made some strides. Our football team is a lot different than a year ago, and that’s a positive.”

One of four NFL games on the final day that had no playoff ramifications, this had the feel of a preseason game. There were thousands of empty seats at the always sold-out Linc, and there was far more interest in the Mummer’s Parade on Broad Street.

The Winter Classic alumni game between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers across the street at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday generated more excitement.

Playing without NFC leading rusher LeSean McCoy, the Eagles relied mainly on their passing attack. Vick delivered, becoming the second player to have consecutive seasons with 3,000 yards passing and 500 yards rushing.

Rex Grossman had 256 yards passing, one TD and one interception, and Evan Royster had 113 yards rushing for Washington.

“I really enjoy it here,” said Grossman, who will be a free agent. “I really enjoy this offensive system and what they’re building here. I’d love for this to be the place where I end up.”

The Redskins were 3-1 and leading the NFC East when the teams met on Oct. 16. A 20-13 loss to Philadelphia started their six-game losing streak and knocked them out of the playoff picture.

The Eagles weren’t eliminated from playoff contention until last week, and finished with the best record in the division at 5-1. But they’re starting an early vacation while the winner of the New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys game on Sunday night advances.

“You have to analyze everything that happened and figure out how not to let it happen again,” Vick said. “We’ve got a lot of soul-searching to do, a lot of thinking to do. I think our opportunities will arise.”

Vick’s 7-yard TD pass to Chad Hall in the second quarter gave Philadelphia a 10-0 lead after Derek Landri blocked Graham Gano’s 36-yard field-goal attempt.

Vick connected with Jackson to make it 20-10 in the fourth quarter. It could’ve been Jackson’s last game with the Eagles. The two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver played the final year of his rookie contract and never got the extension he wanted after holding out in training camp.

A 4-yard TD toss from Vick to Brent Celek made it 27-10.

Roy Helu turned a screen pass into a 47-yard TD to get Washington within 10-7 on the opening drive of the second half.

The Redskins turned the ball over on downs at the Eagles 35 in the final minute of the second quarter. They got the ball back when Brian Orakpo sacked Vick and forced a fumble. Perry Riley recovered at the 17, but the Redskins wasted the field position.

An unsportsmanlike penalty on Santana Moss for taking off his helmet and arguing a non-call for pass interference pushed the ball back, and the clock expired before Gano could attempt a field goal after Jabar Gaffney was tackled at the Eagles 7. Long snapper Nick Sundberg wasn’t on the field as players scurried to the line of scrimmage.

“A little mix-up there relative to communication, coupled with not getting the play,” Shanahan said, explaining that the headsets weren’t working at the time.

Notes

• The Eagles set a franchise record for total yards with 6,386.
• Eagles WR Jeremy Maclin had eight catches for 105 yards.
• Eagles rookie K Alex Henery finished the season 24 of 27 on field goals for the best percentage (88.9) in team history.
• Jackson became the fifth player in NFL history to have 900 yards receiving in each of his first four seasons.
• Grossman finished with 20 interceptions despite not starting three games.
• Shanahan’s previous worst season was 6-10 last year and with Denver in 1999.
• Vick threw a career-high 14 interceptions.
• Orakpo left with a left shoulder injury. He’ll have an MRI on Monday.

 

PHILADELPHIA (AP)

The Philadelphia Eagles played their best football too late.

Michael Vick threw for 335 yards and three touchdown passes, including a 62-yarder to DeSean Jackson, and the Eagles beat the Washington Redskins 34-10 Sunday for their fourth straight win.

But the Eagles (8-8) are going home despite the strong finish after failing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2007 and just the fourth time in coach Andy Reid’s 13 seasons. They can’t be satisfied after entering the year with Super Bowl aspirations

”That’s the unfortunate part,” Vick said. ”Everybody’s jelling together, our team is getting closer as a unit, everybody’s understanding their coaches and what they’re trying to do and their philosophy. We know what needs to be done. We’ll fly under the radar and try to shock people next year. Next year will be totally different. I promise you.”

Reid refused to discuss anything about the future, including whether he wants to return or if defensive coordinator Juan Castillo will be back. Reid took plenty of criticism this season, and heard ”Fire Andy!” chants during a loss to New England in November. Castillo was intensely scrutinized in his first season after serving as an offensive line coach for 13 years.

”We’ve got to get better all the way around, starting with me,” Reid said. ”This wasn’t good enough.”

The Redskins (5-11) finished last in the NFC East for a franchise-worst fourth straight year. It was Mike Shanahan’s worst full season in 18 years as a coach.

”I think the last five, six games we’ve done some good things, run the football against some good teams, not as good as we need, though,” Shanahan said. ”We talked about adding a few pieces on offense, we need a few pieces on defense, a good draft, but we made some strides. Our football team is a lot different than a year ago, and that’s a positive.”

One of four NFL games on the final day that had no playoff ramifications, this had the feel of a preseason game. There were thousands of empty seats at the always sold-out Linc, and there was far more interest in the Mummer’s Parade on Broad Street.

The Winter Classic alumni game between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers across the street at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday generated more excitement.

Playing without NFC leading rusher LeSean McCoy, the Eagles relied mainly on their passing attack. Vick delivered, becoming the second player to have consecutive seasons with 3,000 yards passing and 500 yards rushing.

Rex Grossman had 256 yards passing, one TD and one interception, and Evan Royster had 113 yards rushing for Washington.

”I really enjoy it here,” said Grossman, who will be a free agent. ”I really enjoy this offensive system and what they’re building here. I’d love for this to be the place where I end up.”

The Redskins were 3-1 and leading the NFC East when the teams met on Oct. 16. A 20-13 loss to Philadelphia started their six-game losing streak and knocked them out of the playoff picture.

The Eagles weren’t eliminated from playoff contention until last week, and finished with the best record in the division at 5-1. But they’re starting an early vacation while the winner of the New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys game on Sunday night advances.

”You have to analyze everything that happened and figure out how not to let it happen again,” Vick said. ”We’ve got a lot of soul-searching to do, a lot of thinking to do. I think our opportunities will arise.”

Vick’s 7-yard TD pass to Chad Hall in the second quarter gave Philadelphia a 10-0 lead after Derek Landri blocked Graham Gano’s 36-yard field-goal attempt.

Vick connected with Jackson to make it 20-10 in the fourth quarter. It could’ve been Jackson’s last game with the Eagles. The two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver played the final year of his rookie contract and never got the extension he wanted after holding out in training camp.

A 4-yard TD toss from Vick to Brent Celek made it 27-10.

Roy Helu turned a screen pass into a 47-yard TD to get Washington within 10-7 on the opening drive of the second half.

The Redskins turned the ball over on downs at the Eagles 35 in the final minute of the second quarter. They got the ball back when Brian Orakpo sacked Vick and forced a fumble. Perry Riley recovered at the 17, but the Redskins wasted the field position.

An unsportsmanlike penalty on Santana Moss for taking off his helmet and arguing a non-call for pass interference pushed the ball back, and the clock expired before Gano could attempt a field goal after Jabar Gaffney was tackled at the Eagles 7. Long snapper Nick Sundberg wasn’t on the field as players scurried to the line of scrimmage.

”A little mix-up there relative to communication, coupled with not getting the play,” Shanahan said, explaining that the headsets weren’t working at the time.

Notes: The Eagles set a franchise record for total yards with 6,386. … Eagles WR Jeremy Maclin had eight catches for 105 yards. … Eagles rookie K Alex Henery finished the season 24 of 27 on field goals for the best percentage (88.9) in team history. … Jackson became the fifth player in NFL history to have 900 yards receiving in each of his first four seasons. … Grossman finished with 20 interceptions despite not starting three games. … Shanahan’s previous worst season was 6-10 last year and with Denver in 1999. … Vick threw a career-high 14 interceptions. … Orakpo left with a left shoulder injury. He’ll have an MRI on Monday.

The only especially interesting question surrounding the
Philadelphia Eagles’ season finale 1 o’clock this afternoon at Lincoln Financial
Field against the Washington Redskins is: how many fans will show up?

The outcome of the game makes no difference in the NFL playoff picture. A
New Year’s Day game faces a lot of competition for attention (hello
Mummers).

And Eagles fans voted with their feet during the last Linc
disaster when less than 10,000 remained in the stadium during the fourth
quarter of the loss to the New England Patriots in November. At least the weather’s supposed to be nice — 55 and sunny.

What the fans who do show up will see is a Redskins team in its usual place in the NFC East — last for the fourth straight season — and one of the few NFL teams with more issues than the Eagles. Substance abuse suspensions, a quarterback (Rex Grossman) who leads the
NFL in interceptions, all kinds of injuries and a Super Bowl-winning
coach in Mike Shanahan who seems to have left his bag of magic tricks in
Denver add up to another fine mess megabucks Redskin owner Daniel Snyder has gotten himself into again.

Shanahan himself admits Washington has taken a lot longer to turn around than he thought.

“A lot longer than I first anticipated,” Shanahan said. “We had less
depth than I thought. We were a little bit older at a few different
positions. I thought we might keep those players a little longer than we
did.”

The Eagles probably thought their season would be lasting a little
longer. Their three-game December win streak came too late to salvage a
playoff spot and any accomplishments that will come today are for
individuals alone.

LeSean McCoy has an outside shot at the NFL rushing crown. He has 1,309
yards coming into the game, trailing Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew
by 128 yards (that each conference’s leading rusher will miss the
playoffs gives a pause when thinking of how critical running games are).

It may be more realistic for McCoy to break the all-time Eagles
single-season record of 1,512 yards set by Wilbert Montgomery in 1979.

“Yeah, it’s on my mind,” said McCoy, who leads the NFL in touchdowns
(20) and rushing TDs (17). “Hopefully, I can get it. A lot of things have
to go right for me to get it but I’m going to go out and play my heart
out. I’m sure my linemen are going to do the same thing. But the main
thing is winning and kind of go out on a good note. And it would just be
even sweeter to get the record though.”

Sweet for his linemen too, perhaps.

“Yeah, he can take us to McDonald’s or something,” said guard Evan Mathis with a laugh.

Eagles’ defensive end Jason Babin, with 18 sacks, trails Minnesota’s
Jared Allen for the NFL lead by half a sack and, with a huge day, could
pass Michael Strahan’s NFL record of 22.5 in one season.

Other than such records, there’s not much at stake. The Eagles make a
big deal about finishing .500 and going 5-1 in the NFC East and while
some dismiss such talk, defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins, who won the
Super Bowl with Green Bay last season, disagrees.

“Oh yeah, it’s something that’s huge,” he said. “Even if you look at
Green Bay, what we did at the end of the season last year and that
carried over with them into this year and that’s happened to us a
couple times out there when I was there. So I think it’s something that,
especially for the young guys or the people coming in, is that you kind
of get a taste of that winning like, ‘Man, we won four games straight,
we can do this.’ So then for all of the young guys, their approach for
next year will be wanting to go through that again, they don’t want to go through the losing part, and then they know that we have the ability to do that.”

Eagles fans might wonder why it took until December to find that
ability. Quarterback Michael Vick said the team was frustrated, too.

“We’re all going through it together,” he said. “We want to win just as
bad as they do and, you know, certain things just didn’t happen the way
that we wanted them to and this is where the chips fell. So, hopefully,
we’re all disappointed and wish that the outcome could have been
different but we apologize and, hopefully, we can give them want they want
very soon.”

A win today would be a small first step, for however many show up at the Linc.

What happens when an easily stoppable force meets an easily movable object? If Saturday’s game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys is close in the fourth quarter, we might find out.

Dallas and Philadelphia have been two of the worst fourth-quarter teams in the NFL this season. The Cowboys have led in the fourth quarter in five of their six losses, and in three of those games the fourth-quarter lead was at least 12 points. The Eagles have held fourth-quarter leads in five of their eight losses — tough, close defeats at the hands of the Falcons, 49ers, Giants, Bears and Cardinals that have pushed their season into its current dire circumstances.

Their inability to hold fourth-quarter leads is the main reason one or both of these teams didn’t lock up a playoff berth weeks ago. Each one is an extremely talented club that has shown ability to hang in games with some of the best teams in the NFL. But each is also adept, it would seem, at gakking away a game at the very end.

The Eagles made this a non-issue the first time these teams played, blowing the Cowboys out of the water in Week 8 in Philadelphia. And the way the Eagles have played the past two weeks, that could very well happen again. But if this game is close at the end, believe it or not, it’s the Cowboys who are the better bet to pull it out. Although neither team can make a fourth-quarter stop, the Cowboys have at least shown the ability to score some fourth-quarter points.

With the help of the invaluable ESPN Stats & Information Group, we find that it’s not just our imaginations. These teams are two of the worst fourth-quarter defensive teams in the league. The Eagles are allowing 100.6 yards per game in the fourth quarter this season, which ranks 26th in the league. The Cowboys rank 27th, allowing 101.9. Philadelphia has allowed 13 fourth-quarter touchdowns and Dallas has allowed 10. Both numbers rank near the bottom of the league. Opposing teams are averaging 75.1 passing yards per game in the fourth quarter against the Eagles, which ranks 24th in the league. The Cowboys are even worse, ranking 30th with 80.8 fourth-quarter passing yards allowed.

So yeah, I know, you’re going to have a bunch of family over and the kids will be bouncing off the walls and looking out the window for Santa Claus, but the Stats & Info Group and I are here to tell you: Don’t turn that television off in the fourth quarter.

The thing is, although both teams have been abysmal defensively in fourth quarters this season, the Cowboys have actually been a pretty good offensive team. Dallas is fourth in the league with an average of 109.6 yards of offense and third in the league with an average of 80.3 passing yards per fourth quarter. Their 11 fourth-quarter touchdowns are tied for eighth.

Tony Romo should be able to beat the Eagles’ secondary with deep throws late if the Cowboys can keep the game close. In the first three quarters of games this season, the Eagles limit opponents to a 24.1 completion percentage, 8.8 yards per attempt and a league-low Total QBR of 46.1 on throws of 21 or more yards downfield. In the fourth quarter, those numbers go through the roof — a 56.3 completion percentage, 20.1 yards per attempt and a Total QBR of 100.0, which is the highest possible Total QBR.

To recap: For three quarters, the Eagles’ defense takes the big play away almost completely. But in the fourth quarter, it’s all yours whenever you want it. As long as the Cowboys don’t get destroyed the way they did early in the Week 8 game, they will have a chance to come back and win.

So will the Eagles, of course, but the difference is that Michael Vick & Co. aren’t as good at actually doing it. The Eagles average 84.6 yards per game in the fourth quarter this season, which ranks 21st in the league. They average 52.4 passing yards per fourth quarter, which ranks 24th. And their seven fourth-quarter touchdowns represent the seventh-lowest such figure in the NFL. It is Vick’s chief failure as a member of the Eagles that he has been unable to orchestrate a signature game-winning drive — to bring the Eagles back from behind and win a game in the fourth quarter. The Eagles have done it once this season, and it was backup quarterback Vince Young who did it to the Giants.

Vick could get his chance Saturday. The way the Cowboys have been playing, there’s every reason to expect this game to be close and high-scoring into and right on through the fourth quarter. But assuming it is, Romo’s a better bet than Vick is to find a way to win it.

The Philadelphia Eagles take on the New York Jets on Sunday, December 18. In what may come as a surprise to a lot of fans, the Eagles have never lost to the Jets. They hold an 8-0 record in the all-time series. As an Eagles fan, I would love for that trend to continue. The two teams have had some memorable games in their short series. Here is a look at some of the best games between the Eagles and the Jets.

October 3, 1993 – Eagles 35, Jets 30

This game was one of the best comebacks ever for the Eagles. The 3-0 Eagles fell behind 21-0 in the second quarter against the Jets. To make matters worse, the team lost Randall Cunningham to an injury. However, the Eagles seemed to finally find their inspiration near the end of the first half. The Eagles cut the lead to 21-14 at the break. After falling behind 28-14 in the third quarter, Philadelphia tied the game. A New York safety put the Jets on top 30-28. The final score came when Eric Allen intercepted a pass near the goal line and took it all the way back for a touchdown.

December 14, 1996 – Eagles 21, Jets 20

The Eagles were nearly embarrassed in this game. The 1-13 Jets were coached by former Philadelphia coach Rich Kotite and were a terrible team in 1996. However, they built a 20-7 lead in the fourth quarter against the 8-6 Eagles. Just when it looked like the Eagles would have to swallow a humiliating loss, Ty Detmer woke up. He threw two touchdown passes in the final frame to save his terrible game and help the Eagles win

December 9, 1973 – Eagles 24, Jets 23

Both of these teams were in the middle of the pack when they met for the first time in 1973. This game started a familiar trend in the series. The Eagles came back to win. New York held a 17-0 lead in the first half. The Eagles got back into the game when Roman Gabriel threw a pair of touchdown passes. The Eagles were still trailing 20-17 in the third quarter when John Outlaw returned an interception for a touchdown to give the Eagles a 24-20 lead. They held on to win in the fourth quarter.

December 20, 1987 – Eagles 38, Jets 27

This game featured a strong performance from Mike Quick. The Philadelphia receiver caught six passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns. Cunningham threw for 280 yards and three scores. Those offensive numbers outshined a decent effort from the defense. The Eagles had three sacks and forced three turnovers in the win.

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Make no mistake about it, when the Philadelphia Eagles commenced their game-winning drive in the fourth quarter of Sunday night’s 17-10 win over the division-leading New York Giants, there weren’t many fans in Philly overwhelmed with confidence about what they were about to witness. If you’ve had the displeasure of watching the Birds operate in the fourth quarter this year, that needs no explanation.

Coming into the game, the Eagles had blown five fouth quarter leads during this campaign. That kind of gross negligence when games are on the line equals out to a 3-6 record entering the tilt with New York. They’ve done it every way possible—fumbles, penalties, dropped balls, interceptions, complete and utter sideline stupidity. The 18 play, 8:51 drive, during which the Eagles converted on an impressive five third downs before Young found Riley Cooper(notes) lurking across the middle of the back of the end zone and zipped it in for the winning score, left Philadelphians dazed and confused about what they had seen. This wasn’t the 2011 Eagles. When Jason Babin(notes) strip-sacked Eli Manning(notes) and the Giants turned it back to the Birds, the confusion grew. This wasn’t the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles. The over-exhuberance of fandom has led many to call for Young full-time. I chalk that up to alcohol.

Young deserves accolades for leading the longest Eagles drive in a decade. It ate up clock. They spread the ball around and used all their players. It was slow but still surgical in that it healed, all be it only for a week, an ailing Eagles team.

Those out there who are clamoring for VY to replace the injured Michael Vick(notes) long term need to sit back, take a breath, and look at the bigger picture. Before that fourth quarter mirage, Young was downright awful. In the bar where I watched the game, the words “McNabb!” rung out in muffled laughter each time Young threw a worm burner at a receiver in the first three quarters. The general mood was one of placid contentment. Fans were impressed that the Eagles defense, as one fan put it, “grew a pair” and showed up. The Birds seemed like they had the game dominated, yet there were only 10 points up on the board.

Young’s numbers (23-36, 258 yards, 2 TDs, 3INTs) weren’t bad for a first start with what had to be some serious butterflies working in his stomach. That doesn’t change the fact that he throws the ball like a third grade girl. It doesn’t change the fact that his arm strength has diminished since his days in Tennessee. It doesn’t change the fact that under thrown balls will kill you in the NFL, and Young had a ton of them.

Vick isn’t exactly the winning lottery ticket of quarterbacks these days, but you have to believe that when healthy, the Eagles have a better chance of winning with him than Young. If for no other reason, game planning for Vick is a nightmare that allows players like Shady McCoy to continue to grow into a superstar in this league. When VY is at the trigger, you game plan for McCoy because you don’t fear Young.

Say the Eagles defense plays well enough to hold Tom Brady(notes) and the Patriots to 24 points on Sunday. That would be a fine effort against that offense, would it not? Even for an improving defense, the Eagles still have too many holes and are too young at too many defensive positions to completely throw Brady off his game, unless of course something happens to the All-American boy.

Do you really have faith that Vince Young(notes) can throw up more than that against anyone right now?

SOURCE

RotoWorld

ESPN.com

Pete Lieber is a freelance writer and a Philadelphia sports enthusiast. Follow him on Twitter at @Lieber14.

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles finally got it right in the fourth quarter, and it’s no surprise they did it against the New York Giants.

Subbing for the injured Michael Vick, Vince Young threw a go-ahead 8-yard touchdown pass to Riley Cooper with 2:45 to play and the undermanned Eagles posted a 17-10 victory over the Giants in what was a must-win game for Andy Reid’s struggling team Sunday night.

The Eagles (4-6) had lost five games in the fourth quarter this season but found the solution this time with an 80-yard, 18-play march over 8:51 that sent the Giants (6-4) to their second straight loss.

Philadelphia converted six third-down plays with DeSean Jackson setting up the first-and-goal with a 10-yard catch to the 10, and Young capping it with his second touchdown pass of the game to a wide-open Cooper, who came in without a catch this season.

Jackson, who was benched for last week’s game for missing a team meeting, finished with six catches for 88 yards. Cooper had five receptions for 75 yards.

The Eagles, of course, made Reid sweat out the final minutes. Eli Manning, who tied it with a 24-yard TD pass to Victor Cruz earlier in the quarter, drove the Giants from their own 10 to the Eagles 21 with the final 47 yards coming on a catch-and-run by Cruz with 1:25 to play.

However, Manning stepped out of the pocket on the next play and was hit from behind by Jason Babin and fumbled. Derek Landi recovered at the 26, sending the Giants to their second straight excruciating loss to the Eagles and second consecutive tough loss overall.

It dropped New York into a tie for first place with Dallas in the NFC East with six games to play and left the Eagles two games behind. The Cowboys beat the Redskins in overtime after Washington missed a game-winning field-goal attempt.

It also marked the second straight year the Eagles rallied late to beat New York at the Meadowlands with last year’s 38-31 decision coming in a game that Philadelphia rallied from 21 points down late.

Young was 23 of 36 for 258 yards and two touchdowns, and LeSean McCoy had 113 yards rushing — with 60 coming on a game-sealing scamper in the closing moments.

While Young made several big plays to spark the Eagles’ offense, he also threw three interceptions, the most costly being one that Aaron Ross picked off in the end zone on a second and 9 from the New York 16 with Philadelphia ahead 10-3 with 5 minutes left in the third quarter.

New York eventually tied it early in the fourth quarter on a 24-yard TD pass from Manning to Cruz. It was set up two plays earlier when Manning rolled out of the pocket and found Hakeem Nicks for a 47-yard gain on third down to the Eagles 24.

Manning was 18 of 35 for 264 yards, and Cruz had six catches for 128 yards. The Giants’ running game failed to get going, rushing for just 29 yards.

The first half was typical of an Eagles-Giants meeting: chippy, intense, hard-fought and, not surprisingly, ugly.

If there was a surprise, it was that the defenses dominated. The norm was Jackson taunting the Giants in more ways than one, including one that cost the Eagles a 50-yard pass completion.

Jackson set up both of the Eagles’ scores in the first half. He caught a 32-yard pass early in the second quarter to set up a 33-yard field goal by Alex Henery and then brought back excruciating memories from last season with a 51-yard punt return that was a carbon copy of his winning 65-yard punt return on the final play of the Eagles’ 38-31 Meadowlands Miracle, a game Philadelphia rallied from a 21-point deficit in the final seven-plus minutes.

What made the return so eerie was that Jackson fielded Steve Weatherford’s punt at his own 35, circled right and then ran down the sideline in front of the Giants’ bench — the same thing he did last season. The only difference was Weatherford pushed him out of bounds at the 14; Matt Dodge was the Giants’ punter last season.

It didn’t matter. One play later, Young found former Giants receiver Steve Smith cutting under the zone and he easily outran linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka into the end zone with 1:22 left in the half.

It was enough time for Manning to get the Giants on the board. A 21-yard pass to Cruz on the first play got the ball the 41 and a late 10-catch by running back D.J. Ware on a play in which he suffered a concussion set up Lawrence Tynes’ 48-yard field goal.

The Philadelphia Eagles needed a win over the New York Giants on November 20 to keep their season alive. The Eagles got that despite missing their quarterback and top receiver. Philadelphia rode a mostly strong defensive performance as well as a memorable fourth quarter drive to defeat the Giants 17-10. The Eagles are now two games out of first in the NFC East. They still have a lot of work to do if they want to win the division, but at least the Eagles played hard in this game. As an Eagles fan, I’m happy to have meaningful football for at least another week.

The Eagles built a 10-0 lead in the second quarter. The game was still 10-3 when the fourth quarter began. Early in the period, the Giants marched down the field thanks to two huge plays from Eli Manning(notes) to tie the game. It started to feel like the horrible fourth quarter saga of 2011 would continue. But Vince Young(notes) and the Eagles mounted one of their best drives of the Andy Reid era. Philadelphia took 18 plays to move down the field 80 yards and take the lead on a Riley Cooper(notes) touchdown. The Giants responded by moving the ball downfield. However, Jason Babin(notes) forced a huge fumble that the Eagles recovered. After a long run from LeSean McCoy(notes), the Eagles were able to run out the clock.

This wasn’t the prettiest game. Young threw three interceptions while McCoy really struggled to move the ball forward. However, both were great in the fourth quarter. As for the defense, the group was mostly huge outside of the one touchdown drive the Giants had. The Eagles got two huge turnovers and did a nice job of rushing the passer. They also took away the New York ground game. The tackling wasn’t great but it was a huge upgrade from the previous few weeks.

The key for the Eagles will be sustaining this performance. They have to follow it up with an equal effort for the rest of the season. The schedule doesn’t get any easier with the New England Patriots visiting on November 27. The Eagles still have a pulse after this win but there is a lot more work that needs to be done.

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The New York Giants had the Philadelphia Eagles right where they wanted them Sunday night — trailing the Birds heading into the fourth quarter.

After all, the Eagles had blown five fourth-quarter leads this season and the Giants had staged four final-period comebacks heading into Sunday night’s NFC East showdown at the MetLife Stadium.

And when New York wide receiver Victor Cruz, who is rapidly becoming a Grade-A Eagle-killer, fried the Eagles’ $60 million-man Nnamdi Asomugha to a crisp for a 24-yard scoring pass early in the fourth quarter to tie the game (officially the Birds’ sixth blown fourth-quarter lead of the season) it looked like the game would play out the way Eagles’ fans are all too familiar with.

It didn’t— thanks to Vince Young.

And then came the drive that saved — for now — the Eagles’ season.

Young, suddenly looking like Joe Montana after throwing three picks earlier in the game, marched the Birds 80 yards on 18 nerve-wracking plays.

Young dissected the Giants’ defense, coolly converting six third downs on the march, helped by stellar blocking by the much-maligned Howard Mudd acolytes up front and some nifty post-catch moves by DeSean Jackson, Brent Celek and Jason Avant.

Then Young hung in the pocket on third-and-goal and found Riley Cooper for the winning 8-yard TD pass; it was Cooper’s fifth catch of the game and fifth catch of the season.

Call it Revenge of the Scout Team.

The Giants couldn’t muster the one play on defense they needed. Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora couldn’t get near Young — Eagles’ tackle Jason Peters smothered Umenyiora all night — and cornerback Corey Webster missed a tackle on Jackson that would have brought up a fourth down.

The Eagles’ defense, brilliant all night, came up with a big play to seal the game. After Cruz, exploiting a blown coverage, hauled in an Eli Manning pass to let the Giants threaten, Jason Babin stripped Manning of the ball and Derek Landri recovered.

Or call it Revenge of Juan Castillo — whose defense could not have been more clutch. Castillo has taken a lot of abuse, but for this one night he wears the genius cap — and it relieves some pressure on Andy Reid.

The Eagles were hugely helped by New York’s general incompetence.

The Giants couldn’t have played a worse first half and were extremely fortunate to be down just by a touchdown.

No receiver seemed to be able to hold Manning’s passes. The offensive line couldn’t have blocked a classroom of kindergarteners heading for their naps (10 rushes, 19 yards before halftime) and the Giants’ backs, especially Brandon Jacobs and D.J. Ware, ran tentatively even when there were holes, which wasn’t often.

The Eagles defense looked as inspired as it has all season. Up front, Trevor Laws, Cullen Jenkins, and Mike Patterson owned their turf, physically dominating the entire Giants’ offensive line.

Linebackers Brian Rolle and Jamar Chaney filled gaps with fury and perfect tackling on running plays. Rolle, especially, seems to be coming into his own as a mobile and hard-hitting run stopper who’s solid in coverage as well.

When New York punter Steve Weatherford pulled a Matt Dodge and punted right to Jackson, allowing a near-repeat of the 2011 Miracle of the MetLife and setting up that rarest of sights, a Steve Smith touchdown, the idea that it wasn’t the Giants’ night began to make a lot of sense.

Not that the Eagles were especially brilliant either — Young needed most of the first half to shake off two months’ worth of rust and the Giants’ defensive line, led by Jason Pierre-Paul and Chris Canty did a superb job of hemming in LeSean McCoy and limiting his deadly cutbacks.

But the Birds turned a Young-to-Jackson 32-yarder into an Alex Henery field goal and Weatherford’s brain cramp into a touchdown for a 10-3 halftime lead that they could thank the awesome defense for.

EAST RUTHERFORD (Reuters) – The Philadelphia Eagles cut down division rivals the New York Giants 17-10 Sunday to leave the race for playoff places in the NFC East division wide open.

The Eagles, playing without starting quarterback Michael Vick who broke two ribs a week ago, played ferocious defense and back-up signal caller Vince Young directed an 80-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter for the upset victory.

The Giants fell to 6-4, leaving them tied with the Dallas Cowboys, who went to overtime to beat the Washington Redskins, at the top of the NFC East standings but with a tough schedule ahead.

Philadelphia pulled off a role reversal with the Giants, who five times this season had overcome fourth-quarter deficits to win.

The Eagles, who squandered fourth-quarter leads five times this season, this time finished strong to improve to 4-6 and remain third in the division.

“It’s happened to us so many times,” Philadelphia coach Andy Reid told reporters about fourth-quarter failures. “We were able to flop one around this time.”

Giants coach Tom Coughlin had a different take.

“”It was as pathetic as it can get, it was a very poor performance,” Coughlin said. “I’m really disappointed.”

“I know our offensive line was completely outplayed by the front eight of Philadelphia.”

New York threatened to send the game to overtime when they reached Philadelphia’s 21-yard line with 1:25 left on the clock after a 47-yard pass from Eli Manning to Victor Cruz.

But defensive end Jason Babin then stripped the ball from Manning and it was recovered by Derek Landri to end the threat.

The Eagles led 10-3 at intermission with help from two big plays from wide receiver DeSean Jackson, a 32-yard catch that led to a field goal, and a 51-yard punt return to set up a 14-yard touchdown pass from Young to former Giant Steve Smith.

Philadelphia carried that lead into the fourth quarter, when the offenses got into gear.

The Giants threatened another comeback by tying the game 10-10 in the last quarter on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Cruz, who did his signature samba dance in the end zone.

But Philadelphia took the ensuing kickoff and marched 80 yards, converting six third-down plays and using nearly nine minutes to retake the lead on Young’s eight-yard touchdown pass from Young to Riley Cooper.

Young has struggled with injuries himself this season and had thrown only one pass for the Eagles and that resulted in an interception.

The former Tennessee Titans quarterback who joined Philadelphia before the season showed his rust as he was intercepted three times. But Young got better as the game went on, finishing 23-of-36 for 258 yards and two touchdowns.

And with the game on the line, he cooly directed the Eagles the length of the field for the winning score.

“I just go out and play ball. If I have a mistake I just tell the guys to get ready for the next series,” said Young. “This was definitely a big win for us.”

It was the second loss in a row for the Giants, whose schedule only gets tougher in the run home. Their next two games are against the New Orleans Saints then the Green Bay Packers before they travel to Dallas to face the Cowboys.

(Editing by Julian Linden)