Philadelphia Eagles take NFC East lead with 27-17 victory over the New York Giants
A week after Michael Vick put on one of the greatest individual performances in NFL history, the Philadelphia Eagles proved they aren’t just a one-man show. LeSean McCoy ran for 111 yards including a 50-yard touchdown run, and the defence forced five turnovers
on route to a 27-17 victory over the New York Giants.
Vick went 24 for 38 with 258 yards, and he had 34 rushing yards on 11 carries with a rushing touchdown.
"We knew this game wasn't going to be like the last game," Vick said. "We knew we would have to deal with adversity. It's all about fighting and hanging in there when you have to."
The Giants took a 17-16 lead early in the fourth quarter on a five-yard touchdown pass to Derek Hagan, but it wasn’t enough to beat Eagles.
With 4:34 remaining in the fourth quarter the Eagles were facing fourth-and-one on the 50 yard line. Vick bobbled the snap, but managed to pitch the ball out to McCoy who pushed outside, and out ran the Giants’ defence for a 50-yard touchdown.
It put the Eagles ahead by five, and Philadelphia converted a two-point conversion to take a 24-17 lead.
"We usually go with a sneak," McCoy said. "We showed that formation and they bought it."
It was a gutsy call that almost backfired. Replays showed that defensive end Osi Umenyiora was only an inch or two away from getting a finger on the ball as Vick pitched it out to McCoy.
The Giants had a chance to tie it up, but Eli Manning fumbled the ball after running for a first down on 4th-and-6 with 2:51 left in the game. Manning dove head first and the ball came loose when he hit the ground. Because no defender touched
Manning, the fumble counted. Darryl Tapp recovered the ball for Philadelphia. New York challenged the play, but lost.
"You're trying to get as much as yardage as you can get," Manning said. "You come to the point where you can't slow down, and you want to get down as fast as you can. I knew no one hit me. I hoped there was an arm or a leg that touched me."
Manning finished the game 20 for 33 with 147 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Asante Samuel had two interceptions for the Eagles and Stewart Bradley had one while Trevor Laws and Brandon Graham both forced fumbles.
"Defence played well enough for us to win," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "Our careless disregard for the ball, again, cost us a game."
New York will host the Jacksonville Jaguars next Sunday while Philadelphia will travel to Chicago to take on the Bears.
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