Eagles clinch NFC East
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – The Philadelphia Eagles won a fourth consecutive NFC East title by making Eli Manning look very much like a rookie. Brian Westbrook scored two touchdowns and the Eagles’ defense made life miserable for Manning and frustrating for Giants linebacker Barrett Green in a 27-6 victory over New Yor Sunday.
The Eagles (10-1) scored 20 second-half points and limited the Giants (5-6) to 47 yards in the final half in reaching the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year. The Eagles are the third team since the 16-game schedule began in 1978 to win a division title by its 11th game, joining the Bears in 1985 and the 49ers in 1997. Chicago won the Super Bowl after the 1985 season.
The Eagles have reached the conference final the past three years, but they lost the title game each time .
David Akers kicked field goals of 47 and 42 yards early in the second half to give Philadelphia a 13-7 lead, then Westbrook iced the game with a 1-yard touchdown run and a 34-yard touchdown pass play on a screen pass.
Donovan McNabb, who was 18-of-27 for 244 yards, also scored on a 1-yard run for the Eagles.
Steve Christie kicked field goals of 22 and 31 yards for the Giants, who dominated the first half, but then came up empty in the second.
Manning finished 6-of-21 for 148 yards and two critical interceptions. He was also sacked five times and had trouble figuring where the Eagles were coming from.
The interception that really hurt came in the second quarter with New York trailing 7-6. After Osi Umenyiora recovered a fumble by McNabb at the Giants 45, Manning and Jamaar Taylor combined on a 52-yard pass to the Eagles 3.
With first-and-goal, Manning threw a fade pattern to Jeremy Shockey and the pass was intercepted by Quintin Mikell, a horrible rookie mistake.
The second half belonged to the Eagles. A 24-yard pass to a quiet Terrell Owens – four catches for 61 yards – set up Akers’ 47-yard field goal.
Manning, under heavy pressure, was intercepted by Brian Dawkins three plays later, setting up the second field goal.
Westbrook stretched the lead with his touchdowns, with the 1-yarder set up by Jevon Kearse’s blocked punt.
Then came an ugly play near the New York bench in the fourth quarter.
Manning was hit running out of bounds by Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter and the officials threw a flag for a late hit. Several Giants surrounded Trotter and Green shoved the palm of his hand into Trotter’s facemask.