Vick-sensational!!
Washington (CBS)—Who made a mistake? The Eagles' answered their former quarterback, Donovan McNabb, with an emphatic, historic stomping Monday night in a 59-28 victory over the Washington Redskins.
The victory places the Eagles in a first-place tie in the NFC East at 6-3 with the New York Giants, who visit Lincoln Financial Field Sunday night.
In a rematch with McNabb, it was Michael Vick who grabbed the national spotlight, leading the Eagles to a Monday-night record for points scored in a game. Vick also became the first player in NFL history to throw for more than 300 yards, pass for four touchdowns, run for two touchdowns and rush for over 50 yards in a game.
As a team, the Eagles' incredible output produced a few NFL records. The Eagles made history in becoming the first road team in NFL history with the largest lead (28-0) after the first quarter. The Eagles' 45-14 halftime lead also made them the first road team to score 45 points in a half.
The 59 points was the second-highest in Eagles' history (behind the 64 points the Eagles scored against a team called the Cincinnati Reds in 1934). The Eagles' 592 yards of total offense was a single-game team record for total yards—and it seemed through the first two quarters that anything they wanted to do offensively they did.
By the midway point of the third quarter, large gaps of vacant seats began opening at FedEx Field. Boos starting raining down on McNabb and the 'Skins from the hometown crowd, along with the heavy drizzle.
"We have a short week and my mind is on New York right now, but I will enjoy this for at least a minute," Eagles' coach Andy Reid said. "There was the want-to with the guys and getting after it."
There was a pre-game skirmish involving a scrum of players, many pointing the finger at Washington defensive back LaRon Landry as one of the prime instigators—and some of that carried over to the heightened emotional tone of the game. Landry. along with teammate DeAngelo Hall, supposedly taunted the Eagles' DeSean Jackson with "night, night," and that Jackson would "go to sleep," in reference to the terrible hit and subsequent concussion Jackson suffered Oct. 17th against the Atlanta Falcons.
That sparked some pre-game jostling between the two teams, and stirred a particularly boisterous Eagles' locker room before they took the field. A point had to be made.
At the eye of their storm was Vick. He completed 20 of 28 for 333 yards and four touchdowns, including the 88-yard strike on the first play to open the game to Jackson. He rushed for 80 yards on just eight carries, and amassed 413 yards of total offense. He finished with an amazing 150.7 quarterback rating.
In the first quarter alone, the Eagles amassed 284 yards of total offense, with 10 of their first 15 plays going for 11 yards or more. The Redskins, however, struggled mightily, without getting a first down and were held to 23 total yards of offense. It also featured a number of McNabb overthrows and underthrows--terribly missing open receivers.
Vick completed his first 10 passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns, the first coming on the initial play of the game, when Vick hit Jackson—in stride—with a perfect pass down the middle of the field for a touchdown.
It was just the beginning.
The Eagles needed just five plays to make it 14-0, when Vick sliced into the end zone from seven yards out. Then Vick's 11-yard shuttle pass to LeSean McCoy made it 21-0 with still 5:02 left in the quarter. The final conversion of the quarter came when Jerome Harrison slid and ducked through the very shoddy-tackling Redskins' defense to make it 28-0 with 1:34 left in the first quarter.
What began so brilliantly became a little scary when the Redskins finally responded after Vick's third TD pass of the half was hauled in by Jeremy Macklin for a 48-yard score.
McNabb, with his new five-year, $78-million contract extension signed before the game, directed the 'Skins to consecutive scores. But then McNabb threw his 10th interception of the season (and second of the game, against nine touchdown passes this season), with 5:06 left in the half.
"I'm embarrassed; with everything that snowballed, I'm just embarrassed," McNabb said. "At this point, I'm angry. The contract is great. At this time, I'm looking to move on and watching the film of this game."
McNabb's second interception led to Vick's second rushing touchdown of the half, a six-yard delayed draw with 3:34 remaining in the second quarter. By then, Vick completed 12-for-16, for 238 yards and he led all rushers with 66 yards on six carries, which resulted in 304 of the Eagles' 394 total yards.
The Eagles went into the half with 425 yards of total offense. The Birds had 18 first downs to Washington's four, while Vick concluded the half going 14-for-18, for 264 yards. The Redskins, meanwhile, went 0-for-6 on third-down conversions. For the game, Washington went 0-for-10 on third-down conversations.
It just makes you wonder who should have received the contract extension. After Monday night, the calls for the Eagles to secure Vick will only grow louder.
Eagles Notes: The Eagles scored 59 points on eight touchdowns, the second-most in team history (64 points and 10 touchdowns on 11/6/34 vs. Cincinnati Reds), and racked up a team-record 592 yards of total offense (260 rushing, 332 passing). They surpassed the previous record of 583 set on 9/18/05 vs. SF … Philadelphia scored touchdowns on each of their first five possessions of the game, en route to 28 first-quarter points and 45 first-half points, setting team records in both categories. It also tied the most points ever allowed by the Redskins in a half.
Quarterback Michael Vick became the first player in NFL history with 300 passing yards, 50 rushing yards, four passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a game. He amassed a career-high six total touchdowns (four passing, two rushing), including an 88-yard bomb to WR DeSean Jackson on the first play from scrimmage—the longest of his career and the 10th longest pass in team history … He also became the first player in NFL history to have three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in the first half of a game … Vick set career highs in quarterback rating (150.7) and total offense (413), while passing Steve Young (4,239) to become the NFL's second-leading rusher among quarterbacks. He trails only Randall Cunningham (4,928) for the NFL record … Vick scored two rushing touchdowns in a game for the fifth time of his career, and his 333 passing yards was his second-highest output … Vick's passer rating has exceeded 90 in all six of his games this season, and he has attempted 182 consecutive passes without throwing an interception, which is the longest streak of his career.
Cornerback Dimitri Patterson started his second-career game and secured his second and third interceptions of the season, including a 40-yard touchdown return, the first of his career … S Kurt Coleman notched his first-career theft in his first-career start, becoming the second Eagle to do so this season (S Nate Allen on opening day) … The Eagles now have at least one interception in 12 consecutive contests, their longest streak since going 16 straight from 11/6/88 to 11/5/89 . … WR DeSean Jackson's 88-yard touchdown reception on the first play from scrimmage was the longest of his career and the longest opening play in team history … Jackson now has five touchdowns against the Redskins in six career games, each covering 35 or more yards. (68-yard punt return, 67-yard rush, 57-yard reception, 35-yard reception, 88-yard reception). Jackson tied Bosh Pritchard (975) on the team's all-time punt return yardage list.
Kicker David Akers played in his 181st game as an Eagle, passing Harold Carmichael for second on the team's all-time list. He trails Brian Dawkins (183) for the team record … Akers has now made ten field goals in a row … Akers booted three touchbacks and now has 14 in his last four games and a career-high 18 so far this season … Akers also moved past Jerry Rice (1,256) and into 28th place on the NFL's all-time scoring list.
Running back LeSean McCoy scored his first-career receiving touchdown on an 11-yard shovel pass. He has set career highs in all major receiving categories this season … RB Jerome Harrison scored a 50-yard rushing touchdown, his first as an Eagle, and posted his fifth-career 100-yard game … WR Jason Avant caught his first touchdown of the season … The Eagles 260 rushing yards was their most since generating 295 on 10/28/02 vs. NYG. … DT Trevor Laws registered his third sack of the season, and DE Juqua Parker picked up his fifth, extending Philadelphia's streak to 28 consecutive games with at least one sack, which is the longest in the NFL and the longest by an Eagles team since amassing a 30-game streak from 9/14/03 to 12/27/04.
Reported by: Joseph Santoliquito
