Eagles Stun Giants on Game’s Final Play

NY Times ^ | 12/19/2010 | John Branch

[Kid Shelleen]

The best quarterback for most of the game was Eli Manning. In the end, it was Michael Vick, and the Philadelphia Eagles who stunned the Giants to take tenuous control of the N.F.C. East with two games remaining.. Vick led a furious rally to erase a 21-point fourth-quarter deficit, pulling the Eagles into a tie with 76 seconds left in the game. Then, with overtime seemingly inevitable, DeSean Jackson returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown on the last play of the game

[Conservative Tsunami]

No one like The Prevent; Except cowardly coaches.

[dirtboy]

I have never seen an onsides kick like that one. Akers did a full leg swing like he was kicking it downfield and sent it all of twelve yards in a slow lob. That probably fooled the front blocking line of the Giants - it had to have taken a lot of practices to perfect.

[He Rides A White Horse]

On paper they have four 20-game winners and win 110 games and the World Series.

Yes CT, that's how it should pan out.

They need to swing the bat much better than they did last season to accomplish that goal.

[Conservative Tsunami]

The most sickening game I’ve had the displeasure of watching in my whole, entire life. Barf.

It was sickening.

This was worse than Santa showing up on Christmas morning and removing the toys as you're playing with them.

Santa was a beddy-beddy bad man today.

[EDINVA]

Back in ‘83 on a MNF, the ‘Skins were up 31-0 going into the half. I dozed off, woke up for the last few seconds to see them lose 32-31.

[Conservative Tsunami]

To Akers' credit, even IF the Giants were prepared for an onsides kick, it was dunked-to-perfection. You're right. He even contorted his body and feigned the motion of a normal kick as he did it.

He did his part, but the Eagle still had to drive 60 odd yards to score (which they did in what - 46 seconds??)

[dirtboy]

As John Madden once noted, the only thing the prevent does is prevent you from winning.

[dirtboy]

It was an all-around meltdown for the Giants. The Eagles had basically one path to win in regulation - including the game-ending punt return - and the Giants offered it to them.

[He Rides A White Horse]

No one like The Prevent; Except cowardly coaches.

To me, I feel that you should stick with what you've been successful with. Too often I've seen coaches toss away the playbook and go with the prevent.

There is a time and place for it, but it is overused.

[He Rides A White Horse]

As John Madden once noted, the only thing the prevent does is prevent you from winning.

So true.

[Conservative Tsunami]

That's how it should pan out...They need to swing the bat much better than they did last season to accomplish that goal.

Losing Werth will hurt, but a few of the guys had off-years or were dinged-up. They might pick up the slack.

As it is they still have a better lineup than the SF Giants...and now with better pitching. Runs shouldn't be as much an issue with this all-star staff.

[NittanyLion]

On paper they have four 20-game winners and win 110 games and the World Series.

I saw an article stating that the stats predict the starters will go 75-40. Suppose (conservatively) that the Phils hold a 25-22 record in the remaining games where the bullpen earns a W/L, and it's hard to imagine a scenario where the Phils win less than 100 games. Barring injury, of course.

[Conservative Tsunami]

Back in ‘83 on a MNF, the ‘Skins were up 31-0 going into the half. I dozed off, woke up for the last few seconds to see them lose 32-31.

THAT'S a major league choke. Theismann QBing??

[He Rides A White Horse]

Heck he wants a dog.

Setting aside whether he is sorry or not, getting a dog would be a serious lapse in judgement.

[Conservative Tsunami]

Brutal meltdown. Every area. Can you imagine? The Eagle never even had to go for it on a 4th down. NO goal line stands. NO tackling inside the 10 yardline. Odd game (for a ton of reasons.)

Btw, DeSean even fumbled that punt! Of course the punt was a line drive right to him and the coverage was scattered. Did anyone touch him?

[dirtboy]

I was amazed the punter didn't just kick it out of bounds - how hard can that be? Even if he just shanked it 20 yards, it would have been better for the Giants.

But in the end, the Giant's contain of Vick just plain broke down. He had 130 yards rushing. 130 yards - mostly when it counted.

[Conservative Tsunami]

I's hard to imagine a scenario where the Phils win less than 100 games. Barring injury, of course.

It'd be shocking if the Phils don't win 100, don't romp in the NL East, and struggle at all. Even if they lose just one of that Front Four.

75 games seems about right from the starters. If they have a competent closer, they won't need to score any more than 4 runs per game.

[He Rides A White Horse]

Losing Werth will hurt, but a few of the guys had off-years or were dinged-up. They might pick up the slack.

In a scenario with Werth leaving, I think a predetermined decision was made to start Domenic Brown in right field.

You are right, they were pretty banged up.

Ryan Howard needs to find a way to resist those pitches down and away. Every pitcher in the league has his number on that one.

[Conservative Tsunami]

I was amazed the punter didn't just kick it out of bounds - how hard can that be? Even if he just shanked it 20 yards, it would have been better for the Giants.

THANK YOU! (wth was the coaching staff thinkin'???)

I don't think there was any contain after the G-Men went up 31-10. They shifted strategery into a modified Prevent then screwed up assignments. As one poster suggested, Vick had no shadow.

Last 4 touches. 4 TDs. Ugh.

[Alberta's Child]

The announcer seemed pretty certain that the punter was instructed to kick the ball out of bounds. Based on the coach's reaction, I'd say that was probably true.

It would also explain why the punt coverage was so effed-up, since nobody on the Giants would have been expecting to have the punt fielded by the Eagles.