EAGLES NEWS

Coming into tonight's showdown with the New York Giants at the Linc the Birds had a golden opportunity to pull themselves to within a game of the first place Giants and suddenly make the NFC East division race wide open. Thanks to some key Giant's turnovers they nearly did so, but once again a late short yardage situation did them in. Donovan Mcnabb did not have his best night completing 17 of 36 passes for a scant 194 yards and 3 TDs and one int, but the defense picked him up time and time again, forcing 2 turnovers, and limiting the Giants to just 6 points on the Eagles 2 turnovers. However, the Giants run game which amassed over 200 yards on the night, proved to be the difference. The Eagles meanwhile rushed for just 106 yards, and Mcnabb was actually the leading rusher with 35 yards. Early on it looked like it might be a big night for the Eagles, as Mike Patterson intercepted Eli Manning on the 2nd play of the game, to set up a 9 yd TD run by Desean Jackson and a 7-0 Birds lead. The Giants then went on a long drive capped off by a 7 td pass from Manning to Plaxico Burress to knot it up at 7. Quintin Demps fumbled the ensuing kickoff deep in Eagles' territory, but the Eagles defense managed to force a John Carney field goal for a 10-7 Giant's lead. Another long drive to start the 2nd quarter and another Manning TD pass this one a 1 yd pass to Kevin Boss made it 17-7. On the next Giants possession Brandon Jacobs fumbled the ball away deep in Eagles territory, setting up a 10 yd td pass from Mcnabb to Jason Avant to cut it to 17-14. Mcnabb was intercepted on the next Eagles possession but again the Eagles defense forced a John Carney field goal for a 20-14 lead. Mcnabb then used the rest of the half to put the Eagles in range for a David Akers field goal to cut the halftime lead to 20-17. The Eagles came out firing to start the 2nd half as Mcnabb led a long drive, capped off by a 7 yd td pass to Hank Baskett for a 24-20 Eagles lead. The Giants answered with another long drive that ended with a 3 yd Jacobs td run, after an illegal forward pass penalty on Manning was overturned, to put the Giants up 27-24. Early in the 4th quarter Carney finished off another long drive with a field goal to mak it 30-24 Gmen. A long punt return by Domenik Hixon then set up a 3 yd td plunge by Jacobs for a 36-24 lead. The ensuing Eagles drive showcased Mcnabb at his best as on 4th goal from the 2 after a 10 play drive, he hit Kevin Curtis with a 2 yd td pass to cut it to 36-31 and renew hope. After an Eagles defensive stand Mcnabb and offense got it back for one last chance, and managed to drive to about midfield , but there Brian Westbrook came up short and on 3rd and 1 and then on 4th and 1, turning the ball over on downs. The Giants then converted on 4th and inches with 15 seconds left and ran out the clock for the 36-31 win. So the Eagles drop to 5-4 overall and back into a last place tie with the Cowboys. It is going to be tough now for them to reach the playoffs.