| | McNabb fails to get Eagles over hump
Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA -- Donovan McNabb had no room to run and
nowhere to pass.
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I played poorly. There were opportunities to make plays, and I didn't make them. ” |
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— Donovan McNabb |
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers completely shut down McNabb and
Philadelphia's offense Sunday, beating the Eagles 27-10 to advance
to the Super Bowl.
McNabb, playing his second game since returning from a broken
right ankle that sidelined him for two months, had his worst game
of the season at the most inopportune time -- the NFC championship
game.
"I played poorly,'' McNabb said. "There were opportunities to
make plays, and I didn't make them.''
The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback completed 26 of 49 for 243
yards, lost two fumbles and threw a costly interception that was
returned 92 yards for a clinching touchdown by Ronde Barber late in
the fourth quarter.
Constantly harassed by Tampa Bay's top-ranked defense, McNabb
made several ill-advised throws, missed open receivers and couldn't
scramble free.
He hardly looked like the MVP candidate he was before hurting
his ankle in the 10th game of the season.
"You put all the pressure on yourself,'' McNabb said. "Any
time a quarterback plays poorly, it makes it harder for everybody
else.''
After the Bucs took a 17-10 lead on a 9-yard touchdown pass from
Brad Johnson to Keyshawn Johnson late in the second quarter, the
Eagles couldn't generate any offense.
Their next four possessions went fumble, fumble, punt, punt.
"It's my responsibility for us to perform better,'' Eagles
coach Andy Reid said. "I didn't do a good job putting us in better
position.''
McNabb drove the Eagles into field-goal range to Tampa Bay's 24
late in the first half, but he lost the ball when Simeon Rice hit
his arm, and the Bucs ran out the clock.
On Philadelphia's first possession of the third quarter, McNabb
drove the Eagles to Tampa Bay's 48, but again he lost the ball when
Barber hit his arm.
A 6-yard punt by Tom Tupa then gave the Eagles the ball at their
own 36, but they went three-and-out. Again, the defense held the
Bucs. But after getting one first down, the Eagles punted again.
"There were so many opportunities to make plays,'' McNabb said.
"Being the leader, I have to make them.''
Trailing 20-10 in the fourth quarter, the Eagles finally moved
the ball, going 73 yards to Tampa Bay's 10. But Barber intercepted
McNabb's pass to Antonio Freeman, and ran it 92 yards untouched
into the end zone to put the game away.
Barber ran up to the line of scrimmage, faked a blitz, slid back
into coverage and stepped in front of Freeman to make the pick.
"He baited us,'' Freeman said. "He made a great, great,
game-deciding play.''
Though he hadn't played since Nov. 17, McNabb didn't show any
effects of his injury in last week's 20-6 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. He completed 20 of 30 passes for 247 yards and one TD.
McNabb also ran 24 yards, including a 19-yard gain on the second
play from scrimmage that helped keep Atlanta's defense off-balance
most of the game.
But the Bucs took away McNabb's running lanes, their defensive
line generated a lot of pressure on him, and their secondary shut
down Freeman, and starting receivers Todd Pinkston and James
Thrash.
After Duce Staley ran 20 yards for a TD on Philadelphia's second
offensive play, the Eagles managed just one field goal.
"We came out, set the tempo early and from then on, we did
absolutely nothing,'' Freeman said.
Philadelphia went 5-1 after McNabb went down, finished 12-4 and
earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. But they couldn't beat
the Bucs for the third straight year in the playoffs, failing to
reach the Super Bowl for the first time in 22 years.
The Eagles went to the NFC title game last season, losing 29-24
to the St. Louis Rams. Philadelphia, which entered that game as
12-point underdogs, led 17-13 at halftime, and had the ball at its
own 48 with a chance to take the lead in the final two minutes. But
McNabb was intercepted by Aeneas Williams to stop the drive.
"This hurts more, but there's nothing we can do right now,''
McNabb said.
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