Week 14 Eagles @ Giants Live Blog, First Half

Well, it may be a 1:00 game, but most of the country is getting this game. And I, for one, am hoping that the Eagles make a statement. We will be getting underway at 1, until then, enjoy Tony Siragusa telling you how loud the crowd is and how cold it is in New York.

Thanks for spatting out that Westbrook stat that we already knew. 2 rushing TDs, 2 receiving TDs, and 100 yards. Oh my, chance of snow and 25-35 mph winds.

Eagles to kick it off to the Gmen and we are underway in New York. The kickoff is taken to the 28. Jacobs gets 7 on the 1st down carry. Neutral zone infraction on the Eagles and the Giants have their first first down of the game. 1st and 10, Jacobs gets 3 on the carry up the middle. The wind is apparently blowing from left to right.

Oh boy, a 5-yard penalty followed by a face mask. Not a good start. From the Eagle 37 on 1st down is a pass from Manning to Boss and gets 5. End around to Manningham and he gets dropped for a loss of 12! That one did NOT fool the Eagles. 3rd and 17 for the Gmen. Manning to throw and it's caught by Sinorice Moss for a gain of 13. 4th and 4 and are they going for it? Yes they are. 4th and 4, Manning from the gun, throws and it's broken up by Sheldon Brown!

1st and 10 and McNabb finds Smith for 9. 2nd and 1 and Westbrook is stuffed in the backfield for a loss of 5 and just like that it's 3rd and 6. McNabb from the shot gun, scrambles, and he throws it at the feet of Kevin Curtis. 3 and out for the Birds.

Rocca's punt sails out of bounds at the 33 and that's where Eli will come back onto the field.

Andy Reid: Okay, next short yardage play, CHUCK IT DEEP!! Mmmm.....Chuck, Beef Chuck? (Via SSR)

That's disgustingly funny. 1st down and Jacobs gets a couple. 2nd down and 8 and Manning throws incomplete. 3rd down and the pass is caught by Hixon but he gets dropped at the line of scrimmage. The punt is taken to the 29 by Jackson and that's where the Eagles will take over.

Update: New Orleans 7, Atlanta 0.

Keep it up Saints. The Eagles need you this week. Here comes McNabb. 1st and 10 and McNabb finds Westbrook over the middle for a pick up of 7. McNabb hands to Westbrook up the middle and he gets just enough for a first down. 1st down and 10 and McNabb end around to Jackson who gets trapped in the backfield and but somehow manages to get back to within 2 yards of the line of scrimmage. Jackson is down, though, and that's not good.

Jackson looks all right and he's back on the field. McNabb scrambles on 2nd down and picks up a couple before stepping out of bounds. 3rd and 10 for the Eagles. McNabb somehow gets it off to Smith but it only gets 4 and the Eagles will punt again.

Here's Rocca's punt that's fielded by Hixon who gets hit and BOBBLES THE BALL, but somehow how he catches it back and and gets 4 on the return.

1st and 10 for the Giants and Ward picks up 9 on the carry. 2nd and 1 for the Giants and Manning's pitches to Ward who loses a yard. Here's Bradshaw on 3rd down and he doesn't get the first! Great defense by the Eagles. Jackson takes the punt to the 38 and that's where the Eagles will take over.

False start on the Eagles and it's 1st and 15. Hand-off to Westbrook up the middle who gets the penalty back. 2nd and 10. McNabb going deep on 2nd and 10 and OH, WHAT A CATCH BY CURTIS! All the way to the Giant 30! 1st and 10 and Westbrook on the carry gets gobbled up by Antonio Pierce for a loss of 1. 2nd and 11 and McNabb fakes to Westbrook and throws it behind Jackson and it's 3rd and long.

3rd and 11, but that will now be 3rd and 6 as Robinson encroached. McNabb tosses to Jackson and he gets dropped in the backfield. The Giants are getting too much penetration for those plays to work. Timeout Giants.

51-yarder from Akers into the wind...IT'S UP, AND IT'S GOOD! AKERS INTO THE WIND HITS HIS LONGEST OF THE SEASON! 3-0 Eagles.

David Akers isn't washed up after all! (Via SSR)

I'm not in touch with every Eagles fan, but I can guarantee you, not many thought he would make that. Who knew his first 50 yarder of the year would come in a game against 50 mile per hour winds in a stadium he traditionally sucks at. Akers is not good in Giants Stadium, historically.

That's the end of the 1st quarter, 3-0 Eagles over the New York Football Giants.

Update: Detroit 3, Minnesota 0.

Manning on 1st down is going deep for Hixon AND HE DROPPED IT! That was a surefire touchdown if he makes the catch. Timeout Philadelphia. Gain of 5 by Jacobs and the Eagles are now out of timeouts. Not good. Here's hoping Andy Reid slipped the refs a little extra dough before the game...

Manning fires high for Toomer but there's a defensive holding on the Eagles giving the Giants a first down. I guess no extra dough was slipped to the refs looking at that one.

Jacobs breaks one to the outside and gets to midfield! Gain of 23. 1st and 10 and Manning fires incomplete for Hedgecock.

And why are we being given an update of the Colts-Bengals game? Eli isn't watching, you know. 2nd down and it's A FUMBLE BY WARD BUT THE GIANTS FALL ON IT! Oh man, so close. That pass on 3rd down is caught by Hixon for 13 yards and a first. Jacobs to the outside on 1st down and he gets a couple. Eagles are offside and it's now 2nd and 3. The handoff is to Jacobs and Gocong penetrates through the line and brings him down in the backfield! Big loss and it's now 3rd and 6. Manning from the gun, rolls out, and it's caught by Toomer but he was out of bounds! And on will come John Carney to attempt a 42-yarder and IT'S BLOCKED BY TRENT COLE! The ball rolls to the 10 where it is downed. Still 3-0 Eagles.

Andy Reid: If I get rid of the timeouts I don't want, will I get an extra one in the 2nd half? (Via SSR)

No, however, he did bet his friend that if he wasted all his timeouts, his friend would buy him a free pizza. Party time at the Reid household, tonight!

Westbrook gets 3 on first down. 2nd and 10 and Westbrook loses those 3 yards. 3rd down is a screen to Westbrook that only gets 4. And on will come Rocca to punt it way. Hixon from the 18 goes sideways back and forth berore being dropped at the 15 for a loss of 3 on the return.

1st down and Manning again fires an incompletion. Not a good day for thus far for Manning the Younger. 2nd down and Jacobs gets 4. 3rd and 6 and Eli Manning fired in between to Eagles defenders and no Giant was in sight of that past. Manning must be thinking, "Hmmm...if I can fit the ball in between those defenders, I'll win a free taco....". Congrats, Eli.

A bomming punt is fielded by Jackson who takes it all the way to the 40 but an illegal block in the back will pin the Eagles deep.

Westbrook up the middle from his own 23 picks up 3. 2nd down and 7 and McNabb fires incomplete to Jackson. 3rd and 7, McNabb finds Kevin Curtis who gets 10 and a first down! From the 36, Westbrook takes the carry and he gets a couple. 2nd and 8, Westbrook bounces to the left and picks up 9 and a 1st down.

McNabb under pressure on 1st down finds Lorenzo Booker for a yard. 2nd and 9 and McNabb fires to Curtis incomplete and that should have been pass interference. 3rd and 9, McNabb finds Smith at the line who gets hit there, but he stays on his feet and trots down the sideline for a first down! Injury timeout as Curtis is slow to get up.

Hey look, actual offense from the Eagles. (SSR)

Amazing, isn't it?

Updates:
New Orleans 13, Atlanta 7
Detroit 6, Minnesota 3.

1st and 10 and another short pass to Smith and another great job by the tight end to pick up the 1st down! 2-minute warning in New York.

Update: Tennessee 7, Cleveland 6

1st and 1o from the Giant 30 and McNabb HANDS TO WESTBROOK WHO BREAKS FREE AT THE LINE AND NO ONE WILL COME CLOSE TO CATCHING HIM AS HE RACES INTO THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN EAGLES! The extra point is good and the Eagles lead the Giants, 10-0.

HUZZAH!

Moss on the kickoff return to the 36. Goose thinks he's spotted McNabb holding his ribs. 1st and 10 and Moss bursts into Eagles territory. Manning fires incomplete on 1st down. and it's 2nd down and 10. Someone jumped, and it's the Eagles. 2nd and 5, now and this is uncharacteristic for the Eagles this year.

Update: Atlanta 14, New Orleans 14.

Ward picks up a couple. Timeout New York as we learn it's been over 4 years since the Giants were shut out in the first half. 3rd and 3 and Manning overthrows Toomer and are those boo birds I hear?

4th and 3 and it looks like the Gmen are going for it from the Eagle 42. Manning fires and it's DROPPED BY SMITH!

Eagles take over at their own 42 with no timeouts and 1:02 to go. Westbrook up the middle gets eleven. Defensive delay of game on the Giants. Wow, don't see that too often. 1st and 5 from the Giant 42. McNabb throws incomplete and it's 2nd down. McNabb to Westbrook and he catches it for 8. The Eagles hurry to the line and spike it with 27 seconds left. From the Giant 34, McNabb fires incomplete but finally there's a pass interference flag! The Giants were getting away with that all day before that.

Westbrook up the middle to the 21 and the Eagles quickly spike it with 11 seconds left! 3rd and 5 from the 21, McNabb to Greg Lewis along the sidelines and it gets 7 with that many seconds left.

Akers from 32-yards out AND IT'S BLOCKED! RECOVERED BY DOCKERY! EAGLES TRYING TO CHASE HIM DOWN BUT THEY CAN'T GET HIM AND HE TAKES IT INTO THE ENDZONE AS TIME EXPIRES! TOUCHDOWN GIANTS! The extra point is good and it's 10-7 Eagles.

And that's the end of the 1st half. The Eagles lead the Giants 10-7. I will see you in the 2nd half thread.