Eagles Quarter-By-Quarter Review
First quarter
Scoring drives
EAGLES – 45-yard field goal by David Akers. Eight plays, 26 yards, 4:00 elapsed. Eagles 3, Packers 0.
What happened
Neither quarterback started out very sharp, but Kevin Kolb did (help) drive the Eagles into range for Akers’ field goal. Kolb didn’t get the chance to make a play on third-and-21, however, as Michael Vick was in the game for his fourth play. Vick gained 13 yards on a run, and his presence was felt very early on.
The Eagles got the ball for the field goal drive thanks to an interception by Joselio Hanson. Aaron Rodgers tried to force the ball into tight coverage, and it was tipped by Quintin Mikell, deflected off Stewart Bradley and wound up in the arms of Hanson.
Rodgers heated up on the Packers’ drive after the field goal, marching down the field with some sharp throws. Juqua Parker had two sacks, including one that ended the quarter.
The Kevin Kolb era began with a 1-for-3 showing for 5 yards passing.
Analysis
Early jitters were more of a surprise with Rodgers than with Kolb. But Andy Reid wasn’t afraid to use the running game – to the tune of six carries for 36 yards compared to just three pass attempts. Parker was at the forefront of the Eagles’ pressure, which threw Rodgers off his rhythm for most of the quarter. Vick’s heavy involvement was something forecast, but perhaps not to this degree.
Second quarter
Scoring drives
PACKERS – 49-yard field goal by Mason Crosby. Ten plays, 43 yards, 5:31 elapsed. Packers 3, Eagles 3.
PACKERS – 6-yard touchdown from Aaron Rodgers to Donald Driver. Eleven plays, 76 yards, 5:33 elapsed. Packers 10, Eagles 3.
PACKERS – 56-yard field goal by Mason Crosby. Seven plays, 39 yards, 41 seconds. Packers 13, Eagles 3.
What happened
The Packers got on the scoreboard, finishing their drive that started in the first with Crosby’s field goal. Then, in a gruesome injury, fullback Leonard Weaver injured his left leg. Weaver’s left leg bent the wrong way, and he had to be helped off the field while in tears. It was later revealed that Weaver likely had torn the ACL in the knee and would be lost for the season. An MRI on Monday is expected to confirm that diagnosis.
Later in that drive, it looked like Kevin Kolb threw an interception to Charles Woodson, but Andy Reid challenged it and won, as Woodson did not control the ball while going to the ground.
The Eagles’ defense forced a punt, and Michael Vick continued to see serious time with the first team. Kolb went down hard on a sack to end the Birds’ drive, and he got some attention from the training staff on the sideline. It looked as if they were checking to see if Kolb had a concussion. He left the game after a short final drive of the half, as the team said he did have a concussion.
Jamaal Jackson left with a right arm injury that turned out to be a torn biceps. Like with Weaver, the Eagles will await an MRI to confirm. Mike McGlynn replaced Jackson on Sunday.
Ryan Grant started running all over the Eagles, ripping off runs of 13, 8 and 18 yards before appearing to injure his knee. Shortly after, Stewart Bradley left – looking dazed and confused from a collision with teammate Ernie Sims. He returned a few plays later but was absent again on the final defensive series of the half. Omar Gaither replaced him, as Bradley did not return after that.
Aaron Rodgers started to find a rhythm and led the Packers to a TD drive, capped by a 6-yard completion to Donald Driver to make it 10-3 Packers. Kolb could not match his counterpart, and Rodgers led the Packers on another scoring drive that ended with a 56-yard field goal.
Analysis
Wow. Take a deep breath. The Eagles lost two key offensive starters to injuries, with the Weaver one looking downright devastating. The fullback’s leg bent the wrong way, and it was not surprising to find out that he had torn his ACL.
Jackson’s injury forced McGlynn into action, and the team’s choice to make Max Jean-Gilles and Reggie Wells inactive could really come back to bite it if either Nick Cole or Todd Herremans goes down in the second half.
Aside from injuries, the biggest deal was the involvement (and possible over involvement) of Vick. Kolb was never able to develop a rhythm, shuttling in and out of the game. He finished the half 5-for-10 for 24 yards, while Rodgers was 16-for-22 for 129 yards and a touchdown. It turns out those were the final stats for Kolb, as he was diagnosed with a concussion and did not return.
Third quarter
Scoring drive
PACKERS – 3-yard run by John Kuhn. Ten plays, 62 yards, 4:53 elapsed. Packers 20, Eagles 3.
EAGLES – 12-yard run by LeSean McCoy. Nine plays, 60 yards, 4:12 elapsed. Packers 20, Eagles 10.
PACKERS – 32-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers to Greg Jennings. Four plays, 51 yards, 2:28 elapsed.
What happened
It got ugly very quickly. The news out of halftime on the injury front was very bad for the Eagles, as Kevin Kolb and Stewart Bradley were both ruled out for the rest of the game with concussions.
Trailing 13-3, the Eagles handed the reins of the offense to Michael Vick. Eldra Buckley fumbled on the team’s first drive of the half, and the Packers made the Eagles pay. Aaron Rodgers led Green Bay on a 62-yard drive that ended in a John Kuhn touchdown to give the Packers a 20-3 lead.
With Vick at the helm, though, the Eagles showed some life. He threw for 29 yards and ran for 5 more as the Eagles went 60 yards for a touchdown by LeSean McCoy. The Eagles’ starting tailback broke through a big hole in the middle of the banged-up offensive line 12 yards to pay dirt.
Jason Peters left the game with a knee sprain, and he was replaced by King Dunlap. Peters returned soon after.
It didn’t take long for the Packers to answer. A big return gave Green Bay excellent field position, and Rodgers soon found Greg Jennings for a 32-yard bomb to make it 27-10.
Vick and the Birds went three-and-out on the next drive.
Analysis
Losing is bad enough, but losing this many key players is a tough blow for the Eagles. That showed in the third quarter, as things snowballed with a turnover, defensive ineptitude and just general struggles. Rodgers and the Packers illustrated why they were a popular Super Bowl pick, slicing up the Eagles defense on the two third-quarter scoring drives.
Vick wasn’t bad, but he couldn’t lead the Birds back into the game. One thing that will be dissected after the game is the Eagles’ offensive line. Losing Peters and Jackson hurt, and it was worse because the team made Max Jean-Gilles and Reggie Wells inactive.
Fourth quarter
Scoring drives
EAGLES – 17-yard pass from Michael Vick to Jeremy Maclin. Nine plays, 79 yards, 3:30 elapsed. Packers 27, Eagles 17.
EAGLES – 24-yard field goal by David Akers. Nine plays, 45 yards, 3:31 elapsed. Packers 27, Eagles 20.
What happened
The Michael Vick Show found the end zone to cut the Packers’ substantial lead to 27-17. Taking over at his own 21-yard line, Vick was 6-for-8 for 82 yards, methodically moving the Eagles down the field with the poise of a veteran. His final pass was a 17-yarder to Jeremy Maclin, which rejuvenated a team that looked dead after the long TD to Greg Jennings in the third.
On the next defensive series, Eagles rookie safety Nate Allen picked off Aaron Rodgers to give his team a chance to make it a game.
A screen pass to LeSean McCoy on third-and-9 was the play of the Eagles’ next drive, as Todd Herremans made an excellent block to spring the second-year running back. Vick couldn’t get the Birds into the end zone, and they settled for a 24-yard David Akers field goal to make it a one-score game.
The Eagles’ defense – a throwback to the Jim Johnson groups of the mid-2000s – bent but didn’t break, forcing the Packers to punt the ball back to Vick and the offense.
With a chance to lead the Eagles on a game-tying drive, Vick was let down at times by his offensive line and couldn’t make a miracle happen. Andy Reid had used all of his timeouts before the drive, so when Vick was stopped on fourth-and-1 just inside the two-minute warning, it was over.
Analysis
Too little, too late. Vick was showing off his old self for the majority of the quarter, rushing all over the place and finding open receivers. He did make a few mistakes – including a chance to sprint into the end zone – and it wound up costing the Eagles a chance at tying the game.
The offensive line play, which was solid for much of the second half, hurt Vick late as he was sacked on a key play on the final drive and couldn’t get enough push on the fourth-and-1.
Will there be a QB controversy? Andy Reid said no, as long as Kevin Kolb is healthy. But here are the final numbers: Kolb – 5-for-10 for 24 yards, Vick – 16-for-24 for 175 yards passing and 103 yards rushing.
Comments