Posted on 12/06/2004 9:03:15 AM PST by Libertarian4Bush
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Donovan McNabb usually puts up these numbers playing video games.
McNabb threw a career-high five touchdown passes in the first half and finished with a team-record 464 yards passing, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a 47-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Brian Westbrook had 11 catches for 156 yards and three TDs and Terrell Owens caught eight passes for 161 yards and one score. McNabb set a team record by completing his first 14 passes and finished 32-of-43.
"Statistically, it felt like playing a video game," McNabb said. "We were clicking on all cylinders. We spread the ball around. Everyone contributed. We sent that message out that week in and week out we come ready to play."
Meanwhile, Brett Favre threw two interceptions that led to Philadelphia's first two scores. His streak of games with a TD pass was snapped at 37, second in NFL history to Johnny Unitas' 47 straight.
The four-time NFC East champion Eagles (11-1) matched the best start in team history. They have won nine games by a double-digit margin and hold a two-game lead over Atlanta for first place in the conference.
Since losing to Pittsburgh 27-3 last month, the Eagles have won four in a row by at least 20 points, outscoring their opponents 151-50.
"I don't think there's any defense that can stop us," Westbrook said. "We can only stop ourselves with penalties and mistakes."
The Packers (7-5) snapped a six-game winning streak, but remained tied with Minnesota for first place in the NFC North.
"We can throw this one in the recycle bin," Favre said. "We didn't play very well. We didn't give much of an effort."
A rematch of a thrilling playoff game 11 months ago, this one never lived up to its hype. The Eagles scored four TDs in the second quarter, led 35-3 at halftime and rested most of their starters with 8:18 left.
The Packers were 72 seconds away from going to the NFC championship game last January, before the Eagles converted a fourth-and-26, tied the game in regulation and won in overtime. Philadelphia then lost the NFC title game for the third straight year, while Green Bay fired its defensive coordinator and agonized over the loss throughout the offseason.
For one quarter, this game was competitive.
McNabb lost a fumble inside Green Bay's 25 on Philadelphia's opening possession, but Favre was intercepted by Brian Dawkins on the ensuing drive.
Three plays later, McNabb and Owens connected on a 41-yard catch-and-run TD. Owens caught the ball at the 26, streaked down the left sideline, broke one tackle and leaped into the end zone for his 14th touchdown, breaking the team's single-season record.
"I just thank God for Donovan. It's special. I can't put into words what he means to me," Owens said.
Favre drove the Packers to Philadelphia's 15 early in the second quarter, but was intercepted by Sheldon Brown at the 7. McNabb then led the Eagles 93 yards, tossing a 9-yard pass to Westbrook for a 14-0 lead.
McNabb threw a 41-yard TD pass to Westbrook on Philadelphia's next drive, giving the Eagles a 21-0 lead. McNabb executed a perfect play-fake to fullback Josh Parry, who has no carries this season, and hit a wide-open Westbrook in the flat.
McNabb's 6-yard pass to L.J. Smith gave the Eagles a 28-0 lead, and his 12-yard toss to Westbrook made it 35-0 in the second quarter.
David Akers kicked four field goals in the second half.
Packers backup quarterback Craig Nall threw TD passes of 1 yard to William Henderson and 17 yards to Javon Walker in the fourth quarter.
Favre finished 14-of-29 for 131 yards. Running back Ahman Green wasn't a factor in his first game after sitting out with bruised ribs last week.
Eagles coach Andy Reid broke Greasy Neale's franchise record with his 67th win in his sixth season in Philadelphia.
"We're certainly not as bad as we looked," Packers coach Mike Sherman said. "We're a lot better than we played."
Game notes The 1949 Eagles finished 11-1, before winning the NFL championship. They started 11-1 in 1980, finished 12-4 and lost the Super Bowl. ... Green Bay hasn't won in Philadelphia since 1962, losing seven straight. ... McNabb has a career-high 28 TDs passes this season. ... Owens became the first Eagles player to reach 1,000 yards receiving since Irving Fryar in 1997. He broke the team record with his seventh 100-yard game. ... Favre's record streak of starts moved to 220, counting playoffs, and is almost 100 more than Ron Jaworski's previous NFL quarterback mark of 123. ... Favre has thrown seven picks in his last five games
I am a Packer fan but I think that whoever fails to lose the NFC North should donate their playoff birth to another team from another division.
Don't ask, don't tell, Terrell.
The year of the Eagles. :-)
should be interesting. wild-card week in the NFC might see two teams that don't belong in the playoffs going on the road against two legitimate teams.
You must be an Eagles fan, making a classy comment like that.
Will they go four in a row?
McNabb looks good now, but wait until the playoff pressure is on. Something will happen. It always does.
Donovan McNabb is overrated.
they've put asterisks next to records for less; why should his consecutive starts streak be any different? oh right, because he's (swoon) brett favre.
I seem to remember a certain conservative talk show host being VILLIFIED for the same addiction... the same talk show host who, ironically, dragged McNabb into racial nonsense he wants no part of.
plenty of cognitive dissonance for everyone to share in FReeperland, eh?
I just bet you've got some breast cancer jabs to toss at Brett Favre, too, because you're class, real class.
Owl_Eagle
”Guns Before Butter.”
So, are you insinuating that Brett Farve is addicted to painkillers? Or are you just the typical Classy Eagles Fan?
But McNabb looks like a real QB now.
IIRC something did happen in last years playoffs to McNabb.
His receivers keep dropping his passes.
T.O. makes all his QBs look good, even a average scrub like Garcia.
To choke again in the NFC Championship game.
not exactly an insinuation. of course, the media didn't write anything heroic when limbaugh needed help.
I heard his cousin's dog died ths week, and was kinda worried about the ghost's impact on the game. Brett Favre. What a joke. Chuck it up to Dawkins again why don'tcha? You're a GUNSLINGER!
You find an article from 8 tears ago (1996) and think it is even relevent to this years?
What next? Gonna poke fun of him because of family tragedies? Let's make some Breast Cancer jokes about his wife now - that'll be fun! Don't be shy, I'm sure you can find some good ones to share!
You Eagles fans. People like you make it that much more enjoyable when the Eagles get smacked down in the NFC Championships...
Perception is everything.
When RushL said in Sept 2003 McNabb was overrated by the Philly press, he was just that.
McNabb had a QB rating of around 48, below then Bear QB Kordell Stewart, 2nd worst in the NFL.
Owl_Eagle
”Guns Before Butter.”
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