EAGLES NEWS

When you're down by 21 with 8 minutes to play in the 4th quarter that's supposed to be it. You know game over, better luck next week. Just don't tell that to the Eagles who this afternoon became the first team in NFL history to rally from 21 points down in the 4th quarter to win in regulation. Prior to that late rally it was not a great day for the Eagles, especially in the first half where they struggled on both sides of the ball. Still thanks to the 4th quarter Mike Vick wound up throwing for 242 yards and 3 TDs while running for 130 yards and another TD. Brent Celek still wound up with 2 catches for 72 yards and a TD. Finally Jeremy Maclin still ended up with 7 catches for 59 yards and 2 TDs. Meanwhile, Eli Manning threw for 289 yards and 4 TDs and Mario Manningham caught 8 balls for 113 and 2 TDs, yet their team came out on the wrong end of things. The Giants also won the turnover battle 3-2 but that wasn't enough either. Ultimately, the numbers boggle most anyway you look at it in a game that was anything but conventional.

Things got off to a rough start for the Birds in this one. They just couldn't move the ball early and got their only points of the first half off a Giant's turnover, Quintin Mikell intercepted Manning to setup an Aker's field goal. Other than that it was all Giants. Manning threw 2 TD passes to Manningham to give New York a commanding 17-3 lead late in the half. The Eagles got the ball back for what looked to be the final possession of the half and decided to try for a score but their strategy backfired when Maclin fumbled ball away deep in the Eagle's own territory. Replays showed he might never have caught the ball in the first play but the officials would not overturn the call and 1 play Eli fired a TD pass to Hakeem Nicks for a 24-3 halftime lead. In the 3rd quarter another Giant's turnover led to a Vick TD pass to Jeremy Maclin to cut the lead to 24-10 and briefly restore hopes of an Eagle comeback.

Those hopes were quickly dashed when Desean Jackson fumbled the ball away on the Eagle's next possession. Although replays showed he was down by contact before fumbling, the Eagles failed to challenge the play and Giants took over with a short field again. A few plays later Manning found Kevin Boss in the back of the end zone for a 31-10 lead as the 3rd quarter ended and that was it right. Game over. Apparently no one told Mike Vick it was over. Just 2 plays into the Eagles next possession he found Celek for 65 yards and a TD and it was down to 31-17. The Eagles then surprised everyone, including the Giants, with an onsides kick recovered by Riley Cooper. 5 plays and 57 yards later Vick ran it in from 4 yards out to cut it to 31-24 and suddenly it was a game again. The Giants went 3 out on their next possession and the Eagles got the ball back deep in their own territory with around 2 minutes left. 8 plays and 88 yards later, including 2 long Vick runs to elude Giant blitzers, Vick found Maclin for 13 yards and another TD to tie things up at 31.

After another 3 and out by New York the game seemed destined for overtime as the final seconds ticked off the clock. When all was said and done the Eagles were left with 14 seconds as Desean Jackson lined up for his first punt return of the day. Surely New York would punt the ball out of the bounds, I mean why let Jackson have a chance? Instead rookie punter Matt Dodger hit a line drive right to Jackson, to who fumbled it, backed up, found a seam and was gone 65 yards to house, capping off the greatest 4th quarter comeback in NFL history and a thrilling 38-31 Eagles win.