NFL Divisional Playoff Recap
Philadelphia Eagles 23 - New York Giants 11
McNabb continues hot streak, Eagles
beat Giants 23-11 to reach the NFC title game
Donovan McNabb will get another chance to chase that elusive
Super Bowl title. Eli Manning threw away his opportunity to defend it.
McNabb made all the big plays that Manning did not, and the Eagles eliminated
the New York Giants 23-11 Sunday to reach the NFC title game for the fifth time
in eight seasons.
“He is the best quarterback in the NFL,” Eagles coach Andy Reid praised his guy.
“I don’t think I have to say anything more than that.”
Manning, meanwhile, never resembled the poised quarterback who won last year’s
Super Bowl MVP award with that one perfect spiral to Plaxico Burress.
Five times New York got inside the Eagles 20. The result? A mere three field
goals....
Video: The Philadelphia
Eagles will head to the NFC title game after beating the Giants 23-11. Donovan
McNabb, Andy Reid, Eli Manning, and Tom Coughlin talk about the game.
Watch CBS Videos Online
|
Scoring Summary |
PHI - NYG |
| 1st Quarter |
| 9:59 |
NYG |
FG |
John Carney kicked a 22-yard field goal |
0 - 3 |
| |
| 5:58 |
PHI |
TD |
Donovan McNabb rushed up the middle for 1 yard gain
(David Akers made PAT) |
7 - 3 |
| |
| 2nd Quarter |
| 12:34 |
NYG |
SY |
Safety |
7 - 5 |
| |
| 1:33 |
NYG |
FG |
John Carney kicked a 34-yard field goal |
7 - 8 |
| |
| 0:00 |
PHI |
FG |
David Akers kicked a 25-yard field goal |
10 - 8 |
| |
| 3rd Quarter |
| 12:33 |
NYG |
FG |
John Carney kicked a 36-yard field goal |
10 - 11 |
| |
| 7:45 |
PHI |
FG |
David Akers kicked a 35-yard field goal |
13 - 11 |
| |
| 4th Quarter |
| 14:56 |
PHI |
TD |
Donovan McNabb passed to Brent Celek to the left for 1
yard gain (David Akers made PAT) |
20 - 11 |
| |
| 3:58 |
PHI |
FG |
David Akers kicked a 20-yard field goal |
23 - 11 |
|
Team Statistics |
| |
PHI |
NYG |
| First Downs |
18 |
16 |
| Passing |
12 |
8 |
| Rushing |
4 |
7 |
| Penalty |
2 |
1 |
| Third Down Efficiency |
7-13 |
3-13 |
| Fourth Down Efficiency |
0-0 |
1-3 |
| TOTAL NET YARDS |
276 |
307 |
| Total Plays |
68 |
61 |
| Average Gain Per Play |
4.1 |
5.0 |
| NET YARDS RUSHING |
59 |
138 |
| Rushes |
28 |
32 |
| Average Per Rush |
2.1 |
4.3 |
| NET YARDS PASSING |
217 |
169 |
| Completions-Attempts |
22-40 |
15-29 |
| Yards Per Pass Play |
5.4 |
5.8 |
| Times Sacked |
0 |
0 |
| Yards Lost to Sacks |
0 |
0 |
| Had Intercepted |
2 |
2 |
| PUNTS |
4 |
2 |
| Average Punt |
42.0 |
45.0 |
| PENALTIES |
8 |
6 |
| Penalty Yards |
61 |
49 |
| FUMBLES |
0 |
1 |
| Fumbles Lost |
0 |
1 |
| TIME OF POSSESSION |
29:45 |
30:15 |
Preview: The New York Giants
defied doubters and the odds last season, getting hot late in the year and
riding that momentum to a stunning Super Bowl title despite entering the NFC
playoffs as the fifth seed.
The Giants should see something very familiar in this year's Philadelphia
Eagles.
New York opens the playoffs Sunday with a divisional-round game against the
red-hot Eagles, who despite being the last seed in the conference, should pose a
formidable challenge for their NFC East rivals at Giants Stadium.
New York (12-4) stumbled somewhat at the end of the season, dropping three of
its last four, although it managed to clinch the top seed in the NFC with an
overtime win over Carolina on Dec. 21. That earned a much-needed first-round bye
for the Giants, who opened the season 11-1 and weathered a brutal schedule while
playing 13 straight games after their bye week...
Prediction: The Giants,
champions of the NFC East and top seed in the conference at 12-4, beat the
Eagles, 36-31, in the first meeting on Nov. 9 in Philadelphia. Eli Manning threw
for two touchdowns and Brandon Jacobs ran for two more for the Giants. Then on
Dec. 7 the Eagles surged back into the playoff race with a 20-14 victory against
the Giants in the Meadowlands. This is the rubber match and both games have been
close so we have to take the 4 points and the Eagles to cover.
NY Giants 24 - Eagles 21
The Game Plans:
The
Eagles would like to follow the same offensive game plan Sunday against the
Giants that they used in their 20-14 Week 14 win over them. They jumped out to
an early 10-0 lead in that game and ran the ball a season-high 42 times in windy
conditions. It is expected to be fairly windy again Sunday
If
this game follows the usual design of games between these teams, there will be a
premium placed on conservatism. The Eagles don't have a major downfield
receiving threat other than rookie WR DeSean Jackson, and the Giants are without
their Pro Bowl star Plaxico Burress (suspended). So it's going to be a running
attack built around short passing and concentration on the TE as a major
receiver
Watch out for this:
The Eagles beat the Vikings, 26-14, last Sunday and have now won
five of their last six games overall since Donovan McNabb was benched in Week 12
against the Ravens
The Giants have lost just three fumbles this season, fewest of
any team in football since the 2002 Chiefs had just two
Video Preview: The Giants
will look to put an end to their division rival's postseason when they host the
Eagles on Sunday. Jason Horowitz and Charley Casserly go inside the number to
breakdown this playoff game
Watch CBS Videos Online
Statistically Speaking:
|
Eagles |
Average Team
Rankings |
Giants |
 13.3 |
Total Offense |
 11.5 |
|
9.1 |
Total Defense |
9.4 |
|
11.0 |
Passing Offense |
13.9 |
|
6.3 |
Passing Defense |
8.5 |
|
17.8 |
Rushing Offense |
5.8 |
|
7.2 |
Rushing Defense |
11.2 |
|
9.7 |
Receiving Offense |
14.5 |
|
9.5 |
Receiving Defense |
11.5 |
|
21.5 |
Punting |
20.0 |
|
13.5 |
Return |
19.8 |
|
10.3 |
Kicking |
12.7 |
|
Eagles Rankings
|
OFFENSE |
|
Rush Yds/Gm |
106.1
(22nd) |
|
Pass Yds/Gm |
244.4
(6th) |
|
Total Yds/Gm |
350.5
(9th) |
|
DEFENSE |
|
Rush Yds/Gm |
92.3
(4th) |
|
Pass Yds/Gm |
182.1
(3rd) |
|
Total Yds/Gm |
274.3
(3rd) |
|
|
Giants Rankings
|
OFFENSE |
|
Rush Yds/Gm |
157.4
(1st) |
|
Pass Yds/Gm |
198.6
(18th) |
|
Total Yds/Gm |
355.9
(7th) |
|
DEFENSE |
|
Rush Yds/Gm |
95.8
(9th) |
|
Pass Yds/Gm |
196.2
(8th) |
|
Total Yds/Gm |
292.0
(5th) |
|
|
Around the Web:
Eagles-Giants scouting report
Boston Globe
Miscellany: The NFC East rivals split in the
regular season, with the Giants winning a Week 10
game, 36-31, and the Eagles winning in Week 14, 20-14
. ...
Eagles-Giants scouting report
Philadelphia Inquirer
Divisional-Round Breakdown: Eagles at Giants
CNN
Philadelphia paper breaks down Eagles/Giants
advantages by position
NJ.com
Snow and sleet forecast for Eagles-Giants game
The Associated Press
The NFC semifinal between the Philadelphia Eagles and New
York Giants on Sunday probably will be played in near-freezing ...
Weather may play a factor in Sunday's Eagles/Giants game
The Star-Ledger - NJ.com
Eagles, Giants prepare for third meeting of season
National Post
Eagles, Giants business is booming
6abc.com
