Now it’s official, there will be no repeat performance for the NFC Champions. Champions one year, last place finishers the next. The Philadelphia Eagles lost 26-23 in OT, thus sealing their January plans for the golf courses in the sunny south USA. The Eagles are officially eliminated from any post-season play. And their record of 5-8 also assures the Eagles of their first non-winning season since 1999. This loss did feel different. They were not blown away. They were not embarrassed. And they did not give up. The Eagles fought tooth and nail to the bitter end. Until the Giants Osi Umenyiora knocked the ball away from Mike McMahon’s hand as he was flushed from the pocket. Three running plays later and it was Jay Feely time. The Giants kicker did not flub this FG as he did in Seattle a few weeks ago. Feely turned off the lights to the Linc at 11:05 into overtime, thus sending the Eagles home for an early vacation.

The game began with some fireworks on both sides as both teams scored touchdowns on their first possessions. New York took the opening kickoff and Eli Manning completed 4 huge first down passes of 7, 10, 28 and lastly a 7-yard pass to Tiki Barber to the Eagles 7-yard line on third-and-6. Two plays later, Manning hit Barber out of the backfield for a 7-0 lead. The Eagles responded just 4 plays later. First, Eagles QB Mike McMahon hit LJ Smith for 22 yards to the Giants 45-yard line. Then rookie Ryan Moats swept by everybody on an end around to the left for a 40-yard TD run; score 7-7. Ryan Moats showed why the Birds drafted him in the third round as he rushed 11 times for 114 rushing yards and 2 TD’s. That is a 10.4 yds/carry average. On the other hand, Tiki Barber also rushed for over 100 yards. But it took him 32 carries to accomplish his total with only a 3.9-yard average. The Giants passing game to Jeremy Shockley did in the Eagles most of the game as he caught 10 passes for 107 yards. Tiki added another 71 passing yards and he finished with a combined total of 195 yards.

It looked as though the Giants were going to walk away with an easy win as they built a 17-7 lead in the 2nd quarter with less than 5 minutes left in the half. McMahon refused to give up and led the team for another quick strike on a 3:06 drive of 6 plays and 80 yards. Moats added his second rushing TD on play six, when he scampered for 18 yards. Three plays and out went the Giants. Reno Mahe ran back a really nice punt for 28 yards out to their own 49-yard line. Mahe continued the drive with a run of 9 yards on first down. Then on 2nd-and-1, he caught a short pass and gained another 12 yards to the Giants 30-yard line. The drive stalled with just 21 seconds left and Akers was successful from 42 yards to tie the score at 17-17 at halftime. The Eagles defense played much better in the second half, allowing only 2 FG’s of 21 and 27 yards. New York held a 23-17 lead through 10:39 left in the game.

The Philadelphia Eagles fought back again as McMahon drove the Eagles on a 10-play 50-yard drive in which Akers added another 3 points on a 36-yard FG. With only 1:52 left, Akers came to the rescue and was successful this time from 50 yards out, tying the game at 23-23. Akers did miss a 49-yarder however in the third quarter, which would have given the Eagles a victory during regulation. It was not meant to be as the Giants big break on the sack of McMahon in OT gave the ball back to New York in excellent scoring position. The Giants are now in the driver’s seat at 9-4 after beating Dallas last week and Philly this week. Next week, Dallas travels to Washington, while the Giants host the Chiefs. And now the Eagles are destined for a last place finish.