Another Close Victory for the Birds

Another win, another fourth quarter comeback from the Philadelphia Eagles. Every divisional game is a knock-down, drag-out affair, and Sunday proved no different. With the victory, the Eagles kept pace with the division-leading Cowboys and distanced themselves from the Giants.

The Redskins played well despite a 3-7 record heading into the contest. Jason Campbell always seems to show up in Philadelphia, evidenced by winning in his last two starts at the Linc. He led the offense to eight third-down conversions which frustrated the Eagles defense. But this win was about the better team stepping up in crunch time to take the game.

Donovan McNabb has received his fair share of criticism for late-game struggles, but has now orchestrated two consecutive fourth-quarter comebacks. He finished with 260 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The offense remains a bit hit-or-miss, but the unit was able to put enough points on the board to squeak by the ‘Skins.

Observations

Faith in the Run Game: Andy Reid is showing more and more confidence in his running attack. LeSean McCoy ran 17 times for a tough 76 yards. His most impressive run might have been the two-point conversion in the fourth quarter, where he managed to stay on his feet to ensure the Eagles tied it up. “Shady” is the man for the Eagles right now, and the future looks so bright for the 21-year old.

Leonard Weaver also continues to produce when giving the opportunity to run the football. In six carries, Weaver ran for 44 yards. The north-south style he employs is a recipe for success in this league. I love seeing this guy get the ball, and look for more of Weaver in the coming weeks.

DeSean Jackson’s Concussion: Reid announced after the game that Jackson did in fact suffer a concussion in the third quarter. It was certainly a hard hit, and there will be a very real chance that he sits next week against the Falcons. With all the talk regarding concussions and head safety in the NFL, teams are taking extra precautions (see Warner, Kurt and Roethlisberger, Ben).

Celek’s Struggles: In what has been a breakout year for Celek, this game is one to forget for the youngster. Celek dropped three passes and committed a holding penalty on a touchdown, which was called back. News after the game is that Celek suffered a sprained thumb, which could have contributed to his lack of hands. Either way, he played poorly and needs to get back to being the reliable target McNabb has fallen for.

Jason Avant and Jeremy Maclin Step Up: When Jackson left the game early in the second half, the Eagles needed their other receivers to step up. Avant and Maclin did just that. Locker room favorite Avant had another huge day, grabbing five balls for 94 yards. The bulk of his work came in the fourth quarter, where he made a few very impressive catches down the middle of the field. Sure-handed, quick, and smart, Avant is as reliable a receiver as McNabb has. If Jackson is unable to go next week, we could see even more of the Michigan product.

Maclin looks more and more comfortable with every passing week. His route running is much improved, and the timing with McNabb is there. He caught five balls for 63 yards on the day. Gotta love the plethora of weapons stepping up each week.

Linebacking Corps Remains in Flux: Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott continues to shuffle his linebackers with all the injuries that the unit has suffered to date. Akeem Jordan missed another game, and his status for next Sunday’s game is up in the air. Jeremiah Trotter saw alot of action in the middle again, which shows the lack of confidence in the inexperienced Joe Mays and Moses Fokou. Tracy White got some third-down reps, and recorded a few nice tackles.

Two More Picks for Samuel: While his tackling form leaves something to be desired, no one has ever questioned Samuel’s knack for intercepting the football. He now has seven picks on the year. On the other side, Sheldon Brown looked a bit slow. Could he still be feeling the effects of that injured hamstring?

Analysis

By no means was this a pretty win. The Eagles were in for a dogfight as soon as they botched an onside kick to open the game. Fortunately, they were able to put together a win and put themselves in prime position for a playoff berth. There are no easy games remaining on the schedule, starting with next Sunday’s away game in Atlanta. A win there would give the Eagles additional breathing room in an always-competitive NFC Wild Card race.

Tags: Andy Reid, Asante Samuel, Brent Celek, DeSean Jackson, Donovan McNabb, Jason Avant, Jason Campbell, Jeremy Maclin, Leonard Weaver, LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles, Sheldon Brown, Washington Redskins