The Eagles proved that they are prime-time ready again as they rolled over the New York Giants last night on Monday Night Football. The Birds improved to 5-2 and increased thier lead over New York to 2 games in the East. The Giants are now under .500 at 3-4. Two weeks in a row, the Eagles got it done with Donovan McNabb, not through the air, but on the ground. McNabb only completed 14-of-30 passes for 137 yards and zero touchdowns. He was sacked only twice, but rushed 7 times for 111 yards. As a team, the Birds gained 299 rushing yards with Duce Staley leading the way with 126 yards on 24 carries. It was Staley's second week in a row with over 100 yards on the ground. It was also McNabb's second 100-yard rushing game on the season. The other happened two weeks ago at Jacksonville, in which the Jaguars won 28-25. The Eagles became the first team this year in the NFL to have 2 100-yard rushers in one game. They also were the first NFL team to have 100 yards rushing in the 1st quarter. They rushed for 116 yards on 12 carries. The last time the Eagles had 2 100-yard rushers in 1 game was back on October 8, 1985, when Charlie Garner and Ricky atters turned the trick against the Washington Redskins.

The Eagles defense also came to play. They held Tiki Barber to 79 yards on 15 carries. If you take away his one big run of 31 yards in the 2nd quarter to help setup the Giants only scoring drive of the game, he would only have 48 yards on the day. On that day play, Hugh Douglas and Carlos Emmons both misread the play opening a huge crease on the left side. They also held QB Kerry Collins in check most of the game. Collins completed 20-of-34 passes for 251 yards. Half of those yards occured in the fourth quarter as the Giants continued to fight it out to no prevail. The most impressive drive ended in utter diaster as Collins completed a short pass to running back Charles Stackhouse. It appeared that Stackhouse had a lane and an easy touchdown. As he was diving into the endzone, safety Blaine Bishop came out from nowhere and stripped the ball from the running back. The ball went out-of-bounds in the endzone for a touchback and Eagles possession. The Giants next drive also died in strange fashion. Andy Reid challenged a 13-yard reception on a 3rd-and-10 play by Ron Dixon. Replays seemed to show Dixon had caught the ball, but Bishop knocked it loose as they fell to the ground. After a review, the officials agreed with the Eagles that the ball was knocked out before Dixon gained full possession. Result was a forth down and the Giants had to punt.

The game was far from over still, and it took another special play by Donovan McNabb on Monday night to put the New York Giants away once and for all. Just like last year at the Meadowlands on another Monday night game, the score read 9-3 Giants. It took a clutch 18-yard catch by James Thrash for the go ahead touchdown. The Eagles led 10-9 with under 2 minutes left in the game. The Eagles defense caused a Kerry Collins fumble only a couple of plays later to put the icing on the Eagles first victory in 9 tries against the Giants. This year, the score was the same at 9-3, but this time in the Eagles favor. It was not Donovan's arm that sealed the victory, but his happy feet. The situation on the scoreboard was 3rd-and-11 from the Giants' 40-yard line. Donovan McNabb went back to pass and was rushed by Kenny Holmes and Cornelius Griffin. He shook free of Holmes' tackle and headed up the field behind a convoy of Eagle blockers. He rampaged through a wide-open left side with John Wellbourn and Todd Pinkston picking up key blocks. He flew into the endzone and the resulting touchdown and successful 2-point conversion with a McNabb pass to Chad Lewis increased the lead to 17-3. The result broke the Giants spirits and securely put the Birds into first place.

Andy Reid said it best. "Great vision, and you saw the acceleration there. That's a big man running. He put it into high gear and took it in." McNabb said after the game, "To come out here and and get a big win from these guys is a great thing for us." For the Giants, it was thier fourth loss of the year. Too much Eagles defense and a big rushing day proved too much this time for the Giants to compete. Though the score was close till the 4th quarter, the Eagles controlled the clock and the game. Two big NFC opponents in two straight weeks. Two big important wins too. The Eagles might have trouble against the AFC teams during the regular season, but have taken care of the most important business. The Eagles reign supreme against the teams from the NFC, the teams that lead to the road of the Super Bowl. They have the Niners and Rams later this year. We will see what transpires. But for now, the dream is still alive.