Eagles 14, Giants 10 (Late Punt Return Takes Focus off McNabb as McAwful)

ESPN ^ | Oct. 20, 2003 | ESPN

[litany_of_lies]

Box Score:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=231019019

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Twenty-five years ago the Philadelphia Eagles stunned the New York Giants with "The Fumble."

Now they have "The Punt Return" to rub in the Giants' faces.

Brian Westbrook scored on an 84-yard punt return with 1:16 to play, leading the Eagles to a 14-10 victory over the Giants on Sunday.

Until the return, the Giants' defense dominated the game between the two struggling NFC East powers. It had limited Donovan McNabb and the Eagles (3-3) to 134 total yards and one second-half first down.

All the Giants (2-4) needed to do to ice the game was have Jeff Feagles get off a punt and then rely on the defense to protect the lead, which New York took on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Kerry Collins to Jeremy Shockey in the third quarter.

But once again, New York was done in by its special teams. In the playoffs last year against San Francisco, the Giants had botched snaps on field goals and earlier this season against Dallas they blew a squib kick.

Feagles got off a wobbly punt that Westbrook caught, eluding a tackle by Giants special teams gunner David Tyree. Westbrook, who also scored on a 6-yard run in the first quarter, was beyond anyone within seconds. He outran Feagles to the sideline in front of the Giants' bench and then tiptoed along the sidelined to get past a last-ditch tackle by Marcellus Rivers before scoring.

The crowd of more than 78,000 was initially stunned and then they started booing.

Collins got New York to the Eagles 44-yard line with a quick 20-yard pass to Amani Toomer, but Philadelphia didn't allow another first down. Bobby Taylor broke up a fourth-down pass to Shockey, sending New York to another excruciating loss.

It was much like the feeling 25 years ago when quarterback Joe Piscarik fumbled as the Giants were running out the clock. Herman Edwards picked up the ball to give Philadelphia an unexpected win.

This win puts the Eagles back in the division chase and leaves the Giants desperate after a third straight close loss.

Brett Conway added a 39-yard field goal for the Giants, who trailed 7-3 at the half.

Collins set up the Giants' touchdown with an 11-yard third-down scramble that got the ball the Eagles 12.

Turnovers and mistakes have hurt both teams this season, and this game was no different.

The Eagles took a 7-3 lead following a first half that was as hard to watch.

Westbrook gave Philadelphia the lead by capping a 10-play, 89-yard drive with a 6-yard TD run. The big gainer was a 41-yard pass interference penalty against Ralph Brown, who was starting at cornerback for the injured Will Peterson.

Conway got New York on the board with a 39-yard field goal into the wind that just cleared the crossbar. Cornerback Will Allen set up the score by intercepting a third-down pass by McNabb at the Eagles 29.

McNabb finished 9-of-23 for 64 yards.

The half also saw the Eagles lose a fumble on the game's opening possession and the Giants botch a reverse and lose 20 yards.

Also late in the first quarter, Giants guard Rich Seubert broke his right leg.

[Fresh Wind]

Yep. Rush put a jinx on McNabb. No doubt about it. It's all Rush's fault!