Philadelphia Eagles Regular Season Review

The Eagles (9-6-1) Finished the NFL 2008 Regular Season as an NFC Wild Card

With good fortune and another strong December, the Eagles catapulted themselves into the NFL 2008.

The Eagles (9-6-1) destroyed the Cowboys at home by a final of 44-6 while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the Raiders and Chicago Bears lost to the Texans earlier the day. The Eagles win combined with the 31-24 losses by both the Bucs and Bears gave the Eagles the NFC's final playoff spot. The Eagles had started the day as the most unlikely of the remaining NFC teams to qualify for the playoffs.

With a 5-5-1 record and their backs against the wall, the Eagles won 4 of their last 5 games to earn their 7th trip to the playoffs in the last 9 years. This is nothing new for the Eagles, who have historically been strong down the stretch, engineering one of the most successful teams in the NFL in the second half of the season since 2000.

In November and December, the Eagles are 2nd in the NFL in overall winning percentage (.691 52-23-1 record) and road winning percentage (.713 28-11-1) since 2000. In the same span, the Eagles have the best November - December record against division rivals in the NFC East sporting a 25-10 record.

The Eagles offense has been one of the most prolific in the NFL, ranking among the league's best in many of the important offensive categories.

The Eagles scored a team record 416 points in 2008, surpassing the previous record of 415 points set in 2002. With 26.0 points per game, the Eagles were the NFL's 6th-leading scorer averaging 26 points a game. The Eagles were especially good at scoring at the end of the first half, putting up 50 points in the final 2 minutes, which was the 2nd-best total in the NFL. Philadelphia's 38 opening-drive points in 2008 were the 2nd highest total during Andy Reid's tenure as head coach. Since 2000, the Eagles are 37-9 when scoring points on their opening drive. The offense was also very opportunistic in 2008, capitalizing on 29 takeaways to score 115 points, which tied for the 3rd-highest total in the NFL. The Eagles averaged 4.0 points per takeaway in 2008.

A strong aerial assault this season.

The Eagles set a team record in 2008 with 362 completions, surpassing their record of 350 set in 2007. With 244.4 passing yards per game, the Eagles finished the 2008 season as the 6th-ranked passing offense in the NFL. They also registered 52 "big plays" passing, which was 5th-most in the NFL.

WR DeSean Jackson is an exciting playmaker who made an immediate impact as a WR and punt returner after being selected in the 2nd round of the 2008 draft. Desean Jackson led the team in receptions(62) and receiving yards(916), while also finishing 2nd in the NFL among rookies in both categories. Jackson also added ~100 yards rushing on 17 attempts.

An elite running back and one of the NFL's toughest and most electrifying players, RB Brian Westbrook battled through injuries in 2008, but still managed to play at a high level, scoring 14 TDs in 14 games and leading the team with 1,338 scrimmage yards. Westbrook finished tied for the 4th most TDs in the NFL.

Donovan McNabb set single-season team records in completions (345) and yards (3,916). Over his last 21 starts, McNabb has engineered a 14-7-1 record. McNabb finished 7th in passing yards.

One of the aspects of McNabb's game that has made him such a successful quarterback is his ability to limit interceptions, while never shying away from making the big play. During the course of his career, McNabb has one of the best TD/INT ratios (2.16 194 TDs / 90 INTs) in NFL history, as well as one of the lowest INT pcts. Through the years, McNabb has consistently been one of the highest rated QBs in the red zone, boasting a 94.9 QB rtg., which is 5th-best in the NFL among active QBs with over 300 attempts. Since 2000, McNabb has engineered 385 drives into opponents red zones, averaging 5.0 points per trip, while only turning the ball over 5.0% of the time. Since 2007, McNabb has thrown 30 TDs and 4 INTs in the red zone.

One of the most reliable kickers in the NFL, David Akers is the Eagles all-time leading scorer, becoming the 40th NFL kicker to surpass the 1,000-point mark in his career, and tying Bobby Walston (9) for the most consecutive seasons leading the Eagles in scoring. Akers rediscovered his touch from beyond 40 yards this season and finished as the NFL's 2nd-leading scorer. Akers set Eagles team records in 2008 with 144 points and 33 FGs. Finished 2nd in the NFL and 1st in the NFC with 144 points. After struggling from beyond 40 yards in 2007, Akers hit 8 of 10 FGs from 40-49 yards in 2008. Akers also connected on 15 straight field goals during the 2008 season, which tied for the 2nd-longest streak in his career.

But this season, it's about the defense.

Defensively, the Eagles were strong and balanced in 2008, as they were among the league leaders against both the run and pass. With just 274.3 yards allowed per game, the Eagles finished as the NFL's 3rd-ranked defense. They also finished in the top 5 against both the run (3rd) and the pass (4th).

Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, who is widely considered one of the premier defensive minds in the NFL, has put together a balanced unit that has excelled over the years. Johnson's ability to bring pressure from anywhere on the field has given opposing offenses all kinds of trouble. Since 2000, his units rank near the top of the NFL in many of the most important defensive categories.

The Eagles did a great job at bringing pressure from all angles in 2008. Altogether, 16 different players notched a sack, which is the 2nd-highest total in the NFL. Each defensive position produced at least 1 sack (Defensive ends 30.0; Safeties 6.0; Linebackers 5.5; Defensive tackles 4.5; Cornerbacks 2.0). The Eagles finished the 2008 season with 48 sacks good enough for 3rd overall in the NFL.

A staple of the Eagles defense over the years has been its ability to get off the field on 3rd down. In 2008, they continued that success, as the Eagles defense held opponents to a 26.9 coversion pct. in the team's 9 wins. The Eagles finished among the NFL leaders in 3rd-and-short defense, as well as 3rd-down defense overall, holding opponents to a 32.2% conversion rate. The Eagles have also stressed the importance of winning the battle on 1st down in order to force opponents into 3rd-and-long situations. In 2008, the Eagles were among the league leaders in terms of yards allowed on 1st down. They were especially strong against 1st-down running plays.

A 2nd-year player out of Nebraska, MLB Stewart Bradley emerged in 2008 as a defensive leader and one of the team's most productive players. He was 2nd on the team with 151 tackles and tied for the team lead with 9 TFLs.

"Bradley is just overall [improving]," said head coach Andy Reid. "His overall knowledge of the position and the calls and those type of things. You see him being able to play downhill. You see him being able to play sideline-to-sideline. You see him in the pass game. Every week he gets a little bit better and I'm watching that take place this year here as the season goes on."

FS Brian Dawkins is back to his old tricks of disrupting opposing offenses and making game-changing plays. A vocal leader on the field and a quiet-mannered man off of it, he continues to be a force against the run and the pass, and was voted to the NFC Pro Bowl squad for the 7th time in his career. Brian Dawkins led the Eagles with 6 forced fumbles.

Dawkins led a defense that allowed the fewest points (40) in December as the Eagles won three of four games to clinch the final playoff spot in the NFC. Dawkins had 36 tackles, one sack, two passes defensed and forced two fumbles which were both returned for touchdowns. During the month, the Eagles allowed an NFC-low 238.5 yards per game.

In Week 17 against Dallas, in a game that would decide the final playoff team, Dawkins had nine tackles, a sack and two forced fumbles. Both forced fumbles were returned for touchdowns (CHRIS CLEMONS, 73 yards and JOSELIO HANSON, 96 yards) as the Eagles became the first team in NFL history to have two fumble-return touchdowns of at least 70 yards in the same quarter.

A two-time Super Bowl Champion and one of the premier playmaking defensive backs in recent NFL history, CB Asante Samuel was a key addition to the Eagles secondary in 2008. He led the team with 4 INTs and 21 KDs, and always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Samuel's playmaking abilities earned him his 2nd straight invitation to the Pro Bowl.

The Eagles were only charged with 74 penalties in 2008, which was the 4th-lowest total in the NFL. It was also the fewest penalties ever assessed against the Eagles in a 16-game season.

Andy Reid is one of the most successful head coaches in recent NFL history. During his tenure, Reid has earned NFL coach of the year honors twice (2000, 2002); Compiled the best win total (105); and playoff victory total (8) in team history. Reid has captured five division titles, four trips to the NFC Championship game, and a Super Bowl appearance (2004). Since Reid was hired as head coach in 1999, no other franchise has earned more divisional playoff round appearances (6) than the Philadelphia Eagles. Among coaches with 100 games under their belt, Reid's .606 winning pct. is 16th best in NFL history and 3rd best among active coaches.

Philadelphia Eagles (9-6-1) NFL 2008 Regular Season

 

NFL 2008 Game 1: Philadelphia Eagles 38, Saint Louis Rams 3

The Eagles opened the NFL 2008 Season at home defeating the Rams, 38-3. On the opening drive, Eagles QB Donovan McNabb connected early with rookie WR DeSean Jackson for a 47-yard pass and finished the drive with a short pass to RB Brian Westbrook for a 1-yard touchdown.

Late in the second quarter, Eagles WR Hank Baskett had a 90-yard reception from QB Donovan McNabb to give them a 21-0 halftime lead.

The Eagles scored 17 points in the second half for the game's final 38-3 margin.

NFL 2008 Game 2: Dallas Cowboys 41, Philadelphia Eagles 37

NFL 2008 Game 3: Philadelphia Eagles 15, Pittsburgh Steelers 6

The Philadelphia Eagles improved to 2-1 with the 15-6 victory at home over the Steelers.

Philadelphia was driving deep into Pittsburgh territory on the first possession of the game when LB James Farrior hit Eagles RB Tony Hunt, forcing a fumble at the Pittsburgh 20-yard line. The Steelers offense proceeded to march 61 yards in 12 plays and K Jeff Reed kicked a 37-yard field goal to give the Steelers the early 3-0 advantage.

Philadelphia answered right back on their ensuing drive by covering 85 yards in 13 plays when QB Donovan McNabb connected with RB Correll Buckhalter on a swing pass that Buckhalter converted into a 20-yard touchdown reception and a 7-3 Eagles advantage.

K David Akers kicked a 31-yard field goal on the Eagles' next offensive possession to increase Philadelphia's lead to 10-3 before the Steelers responded again following another takeaway. McFadden posted his second interception in as many weeks when he picked off McNabb, which led to Reed's second field goal, this time from 53 yards, to cut the Eagles lead to 10-6 at the half.

Pittsburgh appeared poised to take the lead back early in the second half when Steelers S Troy Polamalu recorded his third interception of the season when he picked off backup QB Kevin Kolb, who subbed briefly for one series, at the Eagles' 49-yard line, but Pittsburgh could not take advantage of the turnover.

The two teams then traded possessions for much of second half until Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was penalized for intentional grounding in the end zone, resulting in a safety for the Eagles, with eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Akers would add his second 31-yard field goal of the afternoon late in the contest to give the Eagles the 15-6 victory.

The Steelers offense was held in check by a swarming Eagles defense. Roethlisberger finished the contest 13-of-25 for 131 yards while throwing his first interception of the season. RB Willie Parker was limited to just 20 yards on 13 carries (1.5 avg.), as the Steelers amassed only 180 yards of total offense.

NFL 2008 Game 4: Chicago Bears 24, Philadelphia Eagles 20

The Eagles fell to the Bears in Chicago on Sunday night 24-20 in a game they played without two-time Pro Bowl running back Brian Westbrook, who was sidelined with an ankle injury. In the previous three games, Westbrook had rushed for 161 yards and three touchdowns and caught 10 passes for 83 yards and two more scores. Eight-year veteran Correll Buckhalter started in Westbrook's place against the Bears and rushed 16 times for 66 yards and a touchdown.

The Bears wasted no time as they drove 59 yards on three plays, capped by a 19-yard touchdown pass from QB Kyle Orton to TE Greg Olsen on their first possession. It was the first of three TD passes for Bears QB Kyle Orton in the first-half.

The Chicago Bears rushed for 78 yards on 26 attempts as Bears Rookie Matt Forté rushed for 43 yards on 19 carries

The Chicago Bears defense made a critical goal-line stand in the fourth quarter of their victory over the Eagles. Leading 24-20 with just under six minutes to play in the contest, the Bears defense was faced with first and goal on the 4-yard line. After a three-yard gain by Correll Buckhalter on first down, Chicago's defense stuffed the Eagles on three consecutive run plays to keep Philadelphia from scoring.

NFL 2008 Game 5: Washington Redskins 23, Philadelphia Eagles 17

NFL 2008 Game 6: Philadelphia Eagles 40, San Francisco 49ers 26

@ San Francisco, October 12, 2008

The Philadelphia Eagles forced three turnovers during a 23-point fourth quarter in a 40-26 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. CB Donald Strickland returned a blocked field goal 41 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the first half and the momentum carried into the third quarter when the 49ers scored ten points to take a 26-17 lead.

After the Eagles rallied back to take a 27-26 lead with 7:38 left to play, the 49ers next three drives ended up in turnovers that set up scores for Philadelphia.

S Quintin Mikell intercepted a QB J.T. O'Sullivan pass and returned it to the San Francisco seven-yard line to set up a short field goal. On the next series, Eagles DE Trent Cole forced a fumble on a sack of O'Sullivan, allowing Philadelphia to recover at the San Francisco 20-yard line to set up another short field goal for a 33-26 lead with 1:10 left. San Francisco got past midfield on the next drive when O'Sullivan connected with WR Josh Morgan on a 25-yard gain, but two plays later with 48 seconds to play, O'Sullivan was picked off by DE Juqua Parker, who returned it 55 yards for a score to seal the 40-26 win.

Philadelphia QB Donovan McNabb threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns while RB Correll Buckhalter, playing in place of an injured Brian Westbrook, had 93 yards rushing and 85 yards receiving.

Philadelphia took a 7-6 first quarter lead and then added ten points in the second quarter for a 17-6 lead. PK Joe Nedney hit a 53-yard field goal with 34 seconds to play, but Philadelphia moved to the San Francisco 36-yard line with one second remaining on the clock before halftime.

The Eagles sent PK David Akers on to the field to attempt a 54-yard field goal. DE Ray McDonald blocked the kick, and Strickland scooped up the loose ball and ran 41 yards for the score to make it a 17-16 game at the half.

NFL 2008 Game 7: Philadelphia Eagles 27, Atlanta Falcons 14

The Falcons fell to the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-14, at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Falcons spent much of the first half keeping McNabb and the Eagles high-flying offense on the ground. Atlanta didn't allow a first quarter point for the fifth time this season and picked up two sacks, a forced fumble and a turnover in the first 30 minutes.

But McNabb rebounded toward the end of the second quarter and got Pro Bowler Brian Westbrook involved in the offense late to send the Falcons back to Atlanta with a 27-14 defeat. The Pro Bowl quarterback threw for 253 yards and rushed for a touchdown in the game.

The Falcons rattled McNabb in the early going, holding the Eagles to a 33-percent success rate on third down and coming away with a pair of sacks -- one from upstart defensive end Jamaal Anderson -- in the first half. Rookie linebacker Curtis Lofton would later force a fumble.

Ryan gave the Falcons an early lead with 8:56 remaining in the first half when he threaded a pass between two Eagles defenders and into the hands of Roddy White. White scampered toward the end zone for a 55-yard score and a 7-0 lead.

But Philadelphia responded with 20 unanswered points, including scoring drives of 60, 70 and 69 yards. Twice McNabb scrambled for key first downs. The Falcons did not record a sack in the second half. McNabb turned from prolific passer to game-manager as the afternoon progressed, finding openings in the Falcons zone defense for short to medium gains and handing the ball off to Westbrook. The All-Pro rushed for 63 yards on 10 carries in the first half and finished with 22 carries for 167 yards. He also had six catches for 42 yards, one of six Eagles receivers with two or more catches.

The Falcons run game sputtered and suffered from untimely penalties. Starting left tackle Sam Baker missed the game with a hip injury and was replaced by Todd Weiner. Weiner would leave with an injury and was replaced by Quinn Ojinnaka. Michael Turner rushed for 58 yards on 17 carries.

Ryan threw for 277 yards in his seventh career start but also had a pair of interceptions. The defense held the Eagles after the first turnover but Ryan's second mistake came in the end zone, eliminating a redzone scoring chance.

The Falcons would get another shot, however. A late goal-line stand held the Eagles to a field goal and kept it a two-possesion game with 7:57 remaining. Ryan led a no-huddle offense into the red zone on the next series and found White with a second touchdown with less than four minutes to play.

Trailing 20-14, the Falcons defense stepped up with a key three-and-out but an odd turn of events kept the Falcons offense from getting a shot at the win.

Return man Adam Jennings decided at the last second not to field the punt after the Eagles' three-and-out drive. Officials ruled Jennings touched the ball and the muffed punt was recovered by the Eagles. The Falcons did not have a timeout left and, by rule, could not challenge the play.

Three plays later Westbrook rushed over the left side for a 39-yard, game-clinching touchdown.

NFL 2008 Game 8: Philadelphia Eagles 26, Seattle Seahawks 7

At home the Seahawks struck first, but could not manage another score and fell to the Philadelphia Eagles 26-7.

After forcing an Eagles three-and-out to start the game, Seneca Wallace connected with Koren Robinson for a club-record 90-yard touchdown on Seattle's first play from scrimmage. Seattle's defense held the Eagles to just 81 total yards in the first quarter and Donovan McNabb to 3-of-13 passing.

McNabb proceeded to connect on 25 of his next 30 attempts in the game including two touchdown passes in the final 6:33 of the first half. First, McNabb hooked up with Reggie Brown on a 22-yard pass-and-catch to tie the game 7-7. With 1:26, McNabb found reserve offensive lineman Todd Herremans on a 1-yard touchdown for a 14-7 halftime lead.

Unable to sustain an offensive drive in the second half, Seattle surrendered four David Akers field goals - two each in the third and fourth quarters.

Following Seattle's opening touchdown, the Eagles defense forced the Seahawks punted on their next 11 drives.

NFL 2008 Game 9: New York Giants 36, Philadelphia Eagles 31

In an exciting back-and-forth game in Philadelphia, the Giants held off the Eagles, 36-31. The Giants dominated the game statistically, outgaining the Eagles, 401-300, including 219-106 on the ground, and owning sizeable advantages in first downs (26-17) and time of possession (39:10-20:50).

The game's key moments were three replay challenges, all of which went the Giants' way, and Chase Blackburn's tackle of Brian Westbrook on fourth-and-one with 1:47 remaining that effectively clinched the game.

Eli Manning threw touchdown passes to Plaxico Burress and Kevin Boss, Brandon Jacobs ran for two more scores and John Carney kicked field goals of 27, 26 and 28 yards for the Giants.

For Philadelphia, rookie DeSean Jackson scored on a nine-yard run, Donovan McNabb threw touchdown passes of 10 yards to Jason Avant, seven yards Hank Baskett and two yards to Kevin Curtis, and David Akers kicked a 29-yard field goal.

The game turned in the Giants' favor with 6:18 remaining in the third quarter and the visitors trailing, 24-20, following an Eagles touchdown on the opening possession of the second half. The Giants had moved from their own 31 to the Philadelphia 20, where they faced a third-and-10. Manning completed a 17-yard pass to Boss that appeared to give the Giants a first-and-goal at the three. But Manning was penalized for an illegal forward pass, because an official ruled he had released the ball beyond the line of scrimmage. The infraction would have pushed the Giants back and forced them to attempt a field goal.

But Coughlin, with his coaches upstairs and Manning urging him on, challenged the call. After review, referee Terry McAulay said Manning's back foot was behind the line of scrimmage and upheld the completion. Two plays later, Jacobs scored a touchdown on a three-yard run that gave the Giants a lead they would never relinquish at 27-24.

The Giants took their three-point lead into the fourth quarter. Carney's 28-yard field goal with 13:28 remaining in the game increased the Giants' lead to 30-24. But the Giants were unable to score from in close, this time after having a first-and-goal at the seven.

After the defense forced Philly into a three-and-out, the Giants' offense again went to work and thanks to two unsuccessful Eagles challenges, took their lead.

Jacobs' second touchdown on a three-yard run extended the Giants' advantage to 36-24 with 9:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion try failed. It was Jacobs' ninth rushing touchdown of the season.

The Giants drove 40 yards in five plays following Domenik Hixon's 43-yard punt return -- which would have been a 73-yard touchdown if Michael Johnson hadn't been penalized for holding.

On the first play of the drive, Bradshaw ran for 23 yards. After a loss of two yards and a defensive offside penalty, things got weird as Philadelphia coach Andy Reid lost replay challenges on consecutive plays -- including Jacobs' touchdown.

First, Jacobs ran six yards up the middle to the three before fumbling. The officials said he was down by contact. Reid challenged, but after review, McAulay said Jacobs' elbow was down before he fumbled and upheld the call on the field.

On the next play, Jacobs' run was ruled a touchdown. But he again lost the ball, this time very close to the goal line. Reid again challenged, saying Jacobs fumbled before reaching the end zone. McAulay again upheld the call on the field and the touchdown stood.

But on the two-point conversion try, Manning's pass to Burress sailed incomplete.

The Eagles responded with a 10-play, 71-yard drive that ended with McNabb's touchdown pass to Curtis, which pulled the Eagles to within 36-31 with 5:30 remaining in the game. On fourth-and-goal from the two, McNabb moved right, then fired a strike to Curtis, who found an opening in the back of the end zone.

The Giants then came up a yard short of a first down and had to punt. Philly took possession at its own 14 with 3:14 remaining and a chance to win the game. On third-and-three from the 43 they gave the ball to their terrific back, Brian Westbrook. He gained two yards, setting up a fourth-and-one. Again they handed the ball to Westbrook. But Chase Blackburn came charging through the line and stopped Westbrook for no gain. The Eagles never again saw the ball.

Baskett's touchdown with 11:24 remaining in the third quarter gave the Eagles the lead for the second time at 24-20. Akers' 29-yard field goal on the final play of the second quarter lifted the Eagles to within 20-17 at halftime. McNabb threw an incomplete pass to Curtis before Akers added three points to the Eagles' total as time expired.

Carney's second field goal, a 26-yarder with 1:49 remaining in the second quarter, increased the Giants' lead to 20-14. The score was set up by Sam extensive action because Corey Webster suffered a groin injury, returned the ball 21 yards to the Eagles' 14-yard line.

Avant's touchdown pulled the Eagles to within 17-14 with 4:01 remaining in the second quarter.

Philadelphia gained possession when Chris Cocong's smashing hit on Jacobs jarred loose the ball, which was recovered at the Giants' 44-yard line by defensive tackle Mike Patterson, who had earlier intercepted a Mannin g pass.

Boss made a terrific diving catch of a Manning pass on the first play of the second quarter to give the Giants a 17-7 lead. The touchdown successfully concluded the Giants' second 10-play, 80-yard drive of the early going. This series included Manning passes of 20, 10 and 10 yards to Toomer -- the latter to the doorstep of the end zone -- and 14 yards to Ward.

Manning's 17-yard touchdown pass to Burress on a third-and-nine play tied the score at 7-7 with 8:21 remaining in the first quarter. A Giants takeaway on the ensuing kickoff led to Carney's 27-yard field goal and a 10-7 Giants lead.

Bradshaw forced a Quintin Demps fumble that was recovered by Blackburn and returned 12 yards to the Philadelphia 13-yard line. But after two runs gained four yards, Madison Hedgecock couldn't secure Manning's third-down pass and Carney came on to kick the field goal with 6:45 remaining in the first quarter.

The Eagles took a 7-0 lead just 1:42 into the game when the rookie wide receiver Jackson scored on a 10-yard run. Jackson lined up as a quarterback in the shotgun, took the snap from center and sprinted around right end. From the three-yard line, he dove and stretched his arms over the goal line just inside the pylon.

Philadelphia had to travel just 12 yards for the score after Patterson intercepted Manning's second pass -- on the game's third snap. Manning's throw hit Patterson's hands and helmet before the defender secured it and ran 21 yards to the nine, where he was tackled by Jacobs. The Eagles scored two plays later.

NFL 2008 Game 10: Philadelphia Eagles 13, Cincinnati Bengals 13 (OT-TIE)

The Bengals and Eagles battled 75 minutes to the first NFL tie since 2002. So rare are ties in the NFL players on both teams admitted not realizing that the game would not extend beyond 75 minutes of play.

The Bengals had the best of things in overtime field position and had a chance to win with :07 remaining in the extra period, but Shayne Graham's 47-yard field goal try sailed wide right.

The Bengals led 13-3 when Graham kicked a 41-yard FG early in the third quarter, but the Eagles immediately struck back with a two-play TD drive, and Philadelphia tied the score at 13 on David Akers' 27-yard FG with 5:18 left in the fourth quarter.

The Bengals had a plus-three edge in turnover differential, but were outgained 391- 282 on the day. The Bengals defense held the Eagles to three-for-18 on third downs, and the Eagles limited the Bengals to four-for-20 on third downs.

Brian Westbrook ran for 60 yards on 14 carries. Donovan McNabb completed 28 of his 58 pass attempts for 339 yards and 1 touchdown. Unfortunately, McNabb also threw 3 interceptions in the game.

The Bengals record moved to 1-8-1, and the Eagles headed home at 5-4-1.

NFL 2008 Game 11: Baltimore Ravens 36, Philadelphia Eagles 7

The Ravens rebounded from their road loss to the Giants by defeating the Eagles 36-7 at home. After a scoreless first quarter, Matt Stover kicked a 44-yard field goal, followed by rookie QB Joe Flacco 1-yard TD pass to TE Daniel Wilcox. The Eagles closed out the half with safety Quintin Demps returning a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.

After a tightly contested first half, the Ravens scored 26 unanswered points to turn this game into a laugher. LB Jameel McClain blocked a punt that resulted in a safety. Stover nailed a 42-yard field goal. Flacco completed a 53-yard TD pass to WR Mark Clayton. Safety Ed Reed set an NFL record with a 108-yard interception return for a touchdown. Fullback Le'Ron McClain scored on a 1-yard TD run.

NFL 2008 Game 12: Philadelphia Eagles 48, Arizona Cardinals 20

The Eagles defeated the Cardinals 48 to 20 in a Thanksgiving night showdown. The Eagles scored 21 straight to start the game, primarily off a pair of Kurt Warner interceptions. The Eagles never looked back as they improved to 6-5-1 and kept their playoff hopes alive.

The Eagles took the opening kickoff and moved 70 yards in 12 plays as Brian Westbrook scored the first of his 4 TDs (2 rushing / 2 receiving) on a 5-yard pass from Donovan McNabb.

On the 5th play of the next drive Joselio Hanson intercepted a Kurt Warner pass and returned it to the Cardinals 41 yard line. The Eagles relied on Westbrook for five straight runs to score their TD from a yard out.

On the next Cardinals drive Quintin Mikell picked off Kurt Warner. The Eagles were not able to yield any points off that possesion.

The Eagles extended their lead to 21-0 midway thru the 2nd quarter on a 2-yard McNabb to Westbrook pass. The Cardinals finally scored late in the first half on a 1-yard Warner TD pass to Larry Fitzgerald but David Akers' FG in the closing seconds gave the Eagles a 24-7 lead at halftime.

Westbrook opened the 2nd half scoring with a 9-yard TD run.

A muffed Eagles punt led to a Cardinals TD drive which culminated in a 6-yard pass from Kurt Warner to Steve Breaston to make the score 34-13. But the Eagles responded with an Akers FG.

Early in the 4th quarter, the Cardinals cut the Eagles lead to 14 points with a 7-yard Warner to Fitzgerald connection and got the ball right back with 12:46 to play after holding the Eagles to 3-and-out series.

However, the Eagles secured their victory when Anquan Boldin fumbled the ball after a reception and the Eagles took over at the Cardinals 19 yard line. Five plays later, McNabb connected with DeSean Jackson for a 5-yard TD pass to extend their lead to 41-20.

Five minutes later, an 8-yard TD pass from McNabb to Jason Avant provided the game's final points as the Eagles defeated the Cardinals 48 - 20.

NFL 2008 Game 13: Philadelphia Eagles 20, New York Giants 14

The Philadelphia Eagles headed north up the New Jersey Turnpike to take on their NFC East Division rival at Giants Stadium. The Giants had won seven consecutive games, including six in a row against teams with winning records, and were undefeated at home and in the division.

The key to the Eagles 24-20 victory was their defense which held the NFL's highest-scoring team without a TD on offense until there was only 15 seconds remaining in the game. The Eagles limited the NFL's number one rushing team to 88 yards, about 72 less than their per-game average. The Giants were second in the NFL in average time of possession, but owned the ball for just 25:06. The Giants had season-low totals of 211 yards and 14 first downs. They converted only three of 11 third down opportunities and went zero-for-three on fourth down. Manning completed less than half of his passes (13 of 27, 48.1 percent) for the first time this year, though at least three of his throws were dropped.

The game's first series was a snapshot of the entire game.

The Giants moved from their 28-yard line to the Philadelphia 31, but Manning's fourth-down pass to Domenik Hixon fell short.

Akers scored the only points of the first quarter on a 51-yard field goal as time expired. Before the kick, Philadelphia drove 29 yards in five plays, the longest a 32-yard pass from McNabb to Kevin Curtis. That gave the Eagles a first down on the Giants 30. DeSean Jackson lost seven yards on a third-down end around and Akers came on to kick the field goal.

In the second quarter, the Giants had the 21-mile-per-hour wind at their backs. On the first play of the quarter, Manning threw deep down the middle to Hixon, who dropped the ball. The series ended with Trent Cole blocking John Carney's 47-yard field goal attempt.

The Eagles increased their lead to 10-0 on Brian Westbrook's 30-yard touchdown run with 1:52 remaining in the second quarter. On a first down immediately after the two-minute warning, Westbrook took a handoff, slipped past the line of scrimmage and found himself in the open with no Giants defender near him.

It took a tremendous special teams play for the Giants to avoid their first scoreless regular season first half in four years. Akers lined up for a 32-yard field goal that would have given the Eagles a 13-0 lead at the break. But Tuck jumped high to block the kick. The ball caromed into the backfield, where it was picked up by Dockery, who sprinted 71 yards for the Giants' first points as time expired in the half.

Westbrook's second touchdown increased the Eagles' lead to 17-7 with 13:38 remaining in the third quarter. On third-and-11 from the Giants' 40, Westbrook looped from left to right, caught Donovan McNabb's pass at the 35 and easily outran linebacker Antonio Pierce to the end zone.

Aker's 34-yard field goal made it 20-7 with 2:09 remaining.

The Giants then put together their best drive of the day, moving 70 yards in six plays and ending with Johnson's touchdown.

Philadelphia's Brian Westbrook gained 203 yards from scrimmage -- 131 on 33 rushing attempts and 72 on six catches. He scored both of Philadelphia's touchdowns on a 30-yard run in the second quarter and a 40-yard reception in fourth. David Akers also kicked field goals of 51 and 34 yards for the Eagles, who improved to 7-5-1.

The game ended a tumultuous week for the Giants in which wide receiver Plaxico Burress was suspended and placed on the reserve/nonfootball injury list after he was wounded in an accidental shooting. Giants Linebacker Antonio Pierce has also been involved in the investigation.

NFL 2008 Game 14: Philadelphia Eagles 30, Cleveland Browns 10

On Monday night in Philadelphia, the Eagles defeated the Browns rather easily by a 30-10 score. The Eagles got off to a quick start as Eagles QB Donovan McNabb connected with WR Kevin Curtis on a 14- yard touchdown pass. The Browns responded with a drive capped by K Phil Dawson's 27-yard field goal and reduced the Eagles lead, 7-3.

Philadelphia responded with a 24-yard field goal by K David Akers and DB Asante Samuel intercepted a Ken Dorsey pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown and a 17-3 halftime lead.

The Eagles added a pair of 34-yard field goals by Akers and McNabb added a 10-yard touchdown pass to WR Greg Lewis in the 4th quarter to open a 30-3 lead.

Late in the 4th quarter, Browns DB Brandon McDonald intercepted a pass by Eagles QB Kevin Kolb and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown and the 30-10 final.

Donovan McNabb completed 26 of his 35 pass attempts for 290 yards and 2 touchdowns versus 1 interception. Brian Westbrook added 53 yards rushing on 16 carries and Buckhalter lead the Eagles rushing attact with 55 yards on 6 carries. The Eagles dominated on time of possession 37:55 to 22:05 and first downs 21 to 11. The Eagles compiled 418 total net yards while the Browns were limited to 196 yards.

NFL 2008 Game 15: Washington Redskins 10, Philadelphia Eagles 3

The Philadelphia Eagles fell to the Washington Redskins 10-3 on the road.

Donovan McNabb led the Eagles with 230 yards on 26-of-46 passes with no touchdowns and no interceptions. Brian Westbrook combined for 116 total yards (45 rushing; 71 receiving) to lead the team in both rushing and receiving yardage.

After a scoreless first quarter, Washington got on the board first with a 33-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead into halftime.

A McNabb fumble on Philadelphia's first offensive possession of the second half led to a Redskins touchdown on the next series when Clinton Portis plowed ahead five plays later for a 10-0 Washington lead.

On the next possession, David Akers was able to provide three points for Philadelphia on a 22-yarder to make the score 10-3.

Neither team would score for the remainder of the game and the Redskins defense was able to hold the Eagles in check to earn the 10-3 victory.

NFL 2008 Game 16: Philadelphia Eagles 44, Dallas Cowboys 6

In the game that would decide the final NFC's playoff team, the Eagles (9-6-1) defeated the Cowboys at home by a final of 44-6. The win combined with 31-24 losses by both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Raiders and Chicago Bears to the Texans gave the Eagles the NFC Wild Card berth.

Donovan McNabb passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third. McNabb also connected on 12-of-21 passes for 175 yards. The Eagles defense scored twice and David Akers kicked three field goals, including a 50-yarder.

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo passed for 183 yards but fumbled twice and was intercepted once in the loss as the Cowboys imploded.

Pro Bowl Safety Brian Dawkins forced 2 fumbles on consecutive possessions against the Cowboys, both of which were returned for touchdowns. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the first time in NFL history that a team had two fumble return touchdowns of 70-or-more yards in the same quarter. Dawkins also had nine tackles and a sack.

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Philadelphia Eagles Regular Season Review - NFL 2008