EAGLES NEWS

One had to wonder how the Birds would come out tonight, just 4 days after a tough loss to the Chicago Bears, and with top corner Asante Samuel still sidelined. Ultimately it wasn't their best performance, with 11 penalties for 85 yards, but in the end it was enough to get the job done. Mike Vick threw for another 302 yards and 2 TDs, and rushed for another 48 yards a TD, but also tossed up another costly interception. Lesean McCoy continued to rack up Westbrook like yardage with 130 all purpose yards and 2 TDs. Desean Jackson also had 3 catches for 84 yards and Jeremy Maclin had 5 catches for 68 yards. So it was another banner night for the Eagle's offense. Not so for the Eagles' defense which was carved up for 431 yards, as Matt Schaub, Arian Foster, and Andre Johnson all had big nights. Still, they forced Matt Schaub into 2 turnovers and stopped Houston on downs when it mattered most in the 4th quarter.

Things got off to a quick start for the Birds, as Jorrick Calvin returned the opening kickoff for a TD. Unfortunately, it was called back thanks to a holding penalty. Still, the Eagles followed that up with 2 long drives, as McCoy scored twice in the first 7 minutes for a 14-3 lead. After another long drive, David Akers booted a 36 yard field goal for a 17-3 lead and the route was on right? wrong. Houston fought back to cut it to 17-10 and then had the ball with a chance to tie it up , before Schaub was intercepted on a screen pass snuffed out by Trevor Laws. That setup another Aker's field goal to preserve a 20-10 Eagle's lead at the half. It didn't last though as Houston ate up the clock in the 3rd quarter with two long drives capped off by Foster scores to take a 24-20 lead. The Eagles fought back to start the 4th quarter with a 60 play drive, capped off by a Vick 2 yard plunge to retake the lead at 27-24. After they finally held on defense, Vick marched the Birds 67 yards in 7 plays, before firing a 5 yard TD pass to Owen Schmitt for a 34-24 lead. After a Schaub fumble the Birds had the ball at midfield with a chance to put things a way but they couldn't convert on 3rd and short. Again on their next drive they were not able to run out the clock but the defense held again and the Birds eventually hung on for an important 34-24 win that keeps them in 1st place in the NFC East.