>> Today, the Eagles -- not many
people give them a chance.
How do you feel about that?
>> Well, and I think they're
using that for their motivation.
I mean, that's what they've been
talking about, you know, "We
come in here, and no one thinks
we can win, so that makes us
loose."
>> As far as the Rams are
concerned, you hear so much
about their offensive firepower,
how many points they scored, but
they can play on both sides of
the ball now.
>> Well, you know, that's the
thing that has gotten them this
last week or so.
But I think that this guy is the
guy that makes everything run,
Kurt Warner.
And we know that, you know, he
has the injured ribs.
And I was talking to Mike Martz
before the game, and he says
that there's a couple ways to
take the pressure off him.
One is your offensive line has
to block, and, two, he says, "I
got to get the ball in
number 28's hand," meaning
Marshall Faulk.
He said, "We have to get the
ball to him."
So I think they're gonna run a
little more today.
>> Short kickoff handled by
Brian Mitchell, but good
coverage by the Rams.
Here's the Eagle lineup.
That's the offensive line --
Thomas, Welbourn, Fraley,
Mayberry, and Runyan.
Wide receivers are James Thrash
and Todd Pinkston.
Duce Staley, Cecil Martin the
runners.
Chad Lewis is the tight end.
And the quarterback, the guy who
you've got to stop -- and that's
very difficult -- is
Donovan McNabb.
Deflected, as the Ram defense
did so many times last week
against Green Bay.
Let's look at the defense of the
Rams.
Up front, Wistrom, Zgonina,
Brian Young, and Chidi Ahanotu.
The linebackers.
Tommy Polley and Don Davis
outside, London Fletcher in the
middle, team's leading tackler.
Dexter McCleon and
Aeneas Williams the cornerbacks.
Adam Archuleta.
Correll Buckhalter is the deep
back.
And McNabb fakes the hand-off.
Dropped the ball, and the Rams
have it.
Brian Young recovered the
fumble.
The first turnover, the first
break, and it happened very
quickly.
>> Yeah, and just like last
week -- You look at
Donovan McNabb.
The ball just came out.
He wasn't hit before the ball
came out, and it just went to
the ground.
Second big play.
The first play, the Rams tip it.
This play, you see
Leonard Little is getting there,
but Donovan McNabb dropped the
ball before Little got there.
You see, right there, he was --
>> Yep.
>> He had it up.
He was bringing it down to his
waist, and the ball just came
right out.
>> Little was gonna get there.
He got around Jon Runyan.
And McNabb felt the pressure.
So, the Rams get the turnover.
First and 10 at the 21.
>> This is an area where the
Eagles don't blitz a lot, once
they get in the red zone.
>> Four wide receivers.
And Warner gives to Faulk.
Faulk crosses the 20, to about
the 18.
Let's look at the Rams' offense.
By the way, before we get to
that, congratulations to the
New England Patriots, who beat
Pittsburgh, 24-17.
That's a final.
So, the Patriots will be in
New Orleans to face the winner
of this game.
Who would have thought?
>> Yeah, what a season for
Bill Belichick and his team.
Started off 0-2.
Drew Bledsoe goes down.
It looks like their season was
over.
Brady comes in, does a great
job.
Bledsoe has to come in today and
play.
And Cinderella story.
>> Warner hits Ernie Conwell.
And here now is the St. Louis
offensive line.
Pace to the Pro Bowl,
Tom Nutten. McCollum.
Timmerman to the Pro Bowl.
Rod Jones starts at
right tackle.
The wide receivers -- Torry Holt
and Isaac Bruce.
Conwell, Hodgins,
Marshall Faulk, that number 28
that you've got to find out
where he is.
Kurt Warner.
There's the head coach,
Mike Martz.
Nobody more creative.
>> The Eagles use three safeties
when the Rams go to two
tight ends.
>> Faulk squirts through a
little opening.
>> That extra safety didn't help
them, though, did it?
That's the thing they like to do
is -- when you load up for your
run by going two tight ends --
And you see the Rams have the
two tight ends over here on this
side, their power side.
And they run it right at the
power side.
They take out one corner.
They take out Bobby Taylor.
They play with the third safety
to give them an extra run player
in there.
The Rams ran right at it and
beat them.
>> The Rams are at the Eagle 9.
First and goal.
After the fumble by McNabb on
the Eagles' first offensive
series.
Here's Faulk.
To the 5 and across.
About the 4 1/2.
>> Yeah, I was telling you
earlier, Pat, I was down on the
field, talking to Mike Martz
before the game.
And he says, "I just have to get
the ball in 28's hands."
He said, "That's what this game
is gonna be about today."
And he told us the other day --
he said that running the
football is going to be a bigger
part of what he's doing than
normal.
Last week -- remember, against
the Packers? -- he wanted to
come out, four wide receivers,
open them up, throw the ball all
over the lot.
Today, I think he wants to be a
little more conservative and
more running game.
>> Conwell, the tight end, is in
the backfield.
Here's Warner.
Left alone for a touchdown,
Rams, Isaac Bruce.
The Rams break on top just like
that.
>> Well, they said they were
gonna try Troy Vincent.
Now, they didn't think they were
gonna get the ball down here.
But that's what this is.
They come on a blitz and they
get Isaac Bruce out here on
Troy Vincent.
And you see Bruce had him by two
or three steps.
One of the things they said
early, "You know, we know
Troy Vincent has that groin
pull.
We're going to go after them
early."
But they didn't expect to be on
the 3- or 5-yard line when they
did it.
>> Wilkins for the extra point.
Which is good.
And the Rams have it 7-0.
Here's the touchdown.
>> Let's watch Troy Vincent
here, Pat.
We know that his left groin is
pulled.
And he gets caught up there.
But you see, right there, when
he has to go to burst to get to
Isaac Bruce, he really didn't
have a burst there.
Look at this.
In the last four games,
48 possessions, 1 TD allowed.
Today, 1 possession, 1 TD
allowed.
I'll tell you the other thing --
the Rams have forced 9 turnovers
in the last 4-plus quarters.
I mean, they're not only playing
great defense, but they're
getting the turnovers.
>> Wilkins' kick goes to
Douglas.
Gets outside the 20, to maybe
the 22.
7-0, Rams.
>> You know, the Rams have
Leonard Little in there as
defensive end on first down.
He's normally the pass rusher.
You can see he's not a big man.
>> Yep.
>> But he has very good speed
and quickness.
And he'll be going against
Jon Runyan.
And I think they'll give him
help on early downs.
>> Three wide receivers.
That's Duce Staley, who's
knocked down after a couple.
>> Yeah, that's the other thing
that they saw.
I mean, Jon Runyan is like
6'7", 330, 340 pounds.
And I saw Leonard Little last
night in the hotel.
I know he doesn't weigh more
than 230 pounds.
So, they see that matchup and
they tried to run right at it.
But it only got them a couple of
yards.
And it took Leonard Little out
of there.
Did you see that?
>> Limping out.
>> I think they saw him in
there, on first down and said,
"If they want to do that on
first down, we're gonna run
right at them."
>> Second and 8.
Here's McNabb.
And McNabb slides up just short
of the 35.
>> Let's just watch here and
see.
Here's Leonard Little right
here.
And you'll see what happened to
him on that first-down play.
Look right there.
His right leg got caught
underneath his own guy,
Jeff Zgonina.
>> And when you get caught under
Jeff Zgonina, oftentimes, you're
gonna be hurt.
>> Yeah, you got a whole bunch
of bone and a whole bunch of
muscle on you.
>> First down, Eagles.
Buckhalter is the deep back
again.
McNabb fakes to him.
Again, the pass deflected.
Intended for Chad Lewis.
Aeneas Williams knocked it down.
>> I was just gonna say, Pat,
the way Aeneas Williams is
playing now and the way
Aeneas Williams played last
week, I don't know that I would
throw the ball anywhere near his
area.
And you can see right here --
here's Chad Lewis.
Aeneas Williams just playing
zone, but he plays zone so well.
And all you do is get in your
zone and then react to the ball.
And he sees the ball, sees the
quarterback, and reacts, I
think, better than anyone.
>> So totally under control.
Second and 10.
Buckhalter. This is Buckhalter.
Picked up a few.
To about the 37.
>> Well, the Eagles are starting
to get some mixture here, you
know, and that's what they want
to do.
Here's Hugh Douglas and their
defense.
You can see him firing them up.
You know, that's okay.
And Hugh Douglas has been fired
up since last Saturday, after
they beat the Chicago Bears in
Chicago.
And we saw him the other day.
And he was ready to play the
game yesterday.
Only thing is -- you can't play
the game in hotel lobbies.
>> Three-wide-receiver setup.
Lewis backs off the line and
comes in motion.
Duce Staley.
Staley still on his feet.
Staley into Ram territory, to
the 41.
Stopped by Kim Herring.
>> And you can see that the
Eagles are starting to settle
down a little now.
I mean, they got a McNabb run,
and then you see they get the
ball out here.
Here comes Runyan pulling.
You get the tight end.
You get a good lead.
Duce Staley makes the burst.
Duce Staley is very strong in
that hip area.
Now, they said that they had to
tackle.
Watch Dexter McCleon there.
He misses Duce Staley.
Duce Staley -- if you're gonna
tackle with your hand or arms
like that, Duce Staley will run
through your tackles all day.
>> And now it's Buckhalter.
And he gets the hand-off.
And he's tackled as he crosses
the 40 by Kim Herring, the
safetyman.
>> Yep, that's that eighth man
up.
You know, the one thing that
people think you can do is --
The Rams play that cover 2.
They keep both safeties deep,
that you can run against them.
But every once in a while,
they'll bring that eighth man
up.
And they bring Kim Herring up.
And he's the safety.
And you see him right in there.
He becomes the extra man.
So, instead of playing four
defensive linemen, three
linebackers, you, in essence,
have four defensive linemen and
four linebackers.
>> Two-tight-end setup.
McNabb.
Incomplete.
There's a flag on the play.
Buckhalter the intended target.
[ Whistles blowing ]
>> Yep, we see that
Leonard Little is okay.
He's back in there.
And he's a big part of this Ram
defense and the pass rush.
>> Offside -- 91, defense, lined
up in the neutral zone.
>> He is a big part, isn't he?
>> Yeah. And let's see what
Jon Runyan did to him.
We talked about Jon Runyan being
so big and so strong and so
tough.
And watch.
I mean, if he nails you and he
gets you in that first one, the
next thing Jon Runyan tries to
do is take a quarter out of you.
I had a tackle named Bob Brown.
In fact, Bob Brown played for
the Eagles at one time.
And he used to say, "Early in
the game, I want to get a guy in
a hit that he doesn't come back
until the next quarter."
That's what Jon Runyan just did
to Leonard Little.
>> He gave him a little
something to think about, didn't
he?
I think he gave him about 4, 5,
or 6 things to think about when
he was down there.
>> Here's McNabb.
And he's gonna go.
McNabb, first down,
Philadelphia.
He's tripped up by Ahanotu.
>> This is kind of the
Philadelphia Eagle offense you
expected, isn't it?
I think he's trying to throw a
screen pass out here to his
left.
You see -- Yes, in fact,
Duce Staley is going out there.
And that's not bad by McNabb.
Once you know that your screen
pass is to the left and you have
no receiver out there, then you
might as well just run the ball.
You see, here, Pinkston is just
running his guy off.
But they were trying to throw
the ball to Duce Staley,
number 22.
>> McNabb is so big and strong.
You don't realize how big he is.
And he's also fast, to add to
that.
He's a heck of a threat.
Here comes the reverse.
Nothing happening.
It's James Thrash.
Lost yardage on the end around,
the reverse.
>> And that's what speed and no
loafing does for a defense.
You know, Lovie Smith wanted --
He doesn't care about big guys,
but he wanted fast guys.
And when you have fast guys, you
can play a reverse.
Watch this.
Everyone starts to the right.
Now the ball comes back.
Watch all these blue jerseys
come back, too.
There's 1, 2, 3, 4.
You see?
And that's the thing.
And then, after they get there,
Lovie Smith teaches them to
crawl.
So, you run and then, after you
run, you learn to crawl.
>> But, in any case, you learn
to get there.
>> What you learn is -- don't
loaf, because he counts them
all.
>> Here's McNabb looking and
firing.
And he's got a man open.
And he missed it.
It was Na Brown, and he was all
by his lonesome at the 5.
>> And look at the protection
that he had.
I mean, this front five is doing
their job.
Here's Little and Runyan here.
And that's the closest guy.
I mean, Donovan McNabb --
Sometimes, you feel a
quarterback has too much time.
You see Na Brown.
That's just that cover 2.
He gets open in that area.
Donovan McNabb doesn't get the
ball up.
>> If that one gets there, we
have a tie.
>> Right. And that was a
combination of him having too
much time and his receiver being
too open.
>> Here comes the blitz.
Screen pass to Staley.
And they run this well.
Not well enough.
And here comes the field-goal
team...
>> That got them into field-goal
range.
>> ...led by Akers.
I was watching yesterday at
practice, and Akers hit one --
There's the screen pass.
Excuse me.
>> Yeah, that was the same
pass -- it was a screen pass to
the left to Duce Staley -- that
Donovan McNabb ran on.
>> This one's 46 yards.
Akers hit one from 68 yesterday.
>> From what?
>> 68 yards out. Holy moly.
>> Why would you even try one?
>> Well, that was practice.
That one's good enough from 46.
Akers, who just hit the 46-yard
field goal, set to kick it off
to Yo Murphy.
Good kick.
A yard deep in the end zone.
Murphy brings it out.
And he could be gone.
Akers chased him down and
brought him down.
That's a pretty athletic play.
>> Yeah, if you can kick one
68 yards and you can tackle
Yo Murphy...
>> And here's Warner back to
throw.
Screen pass.
Incomplete.
Intended for Marshall Faulk.
Now let's look at the Eagle
defense.
Hugh Douglas, Grasmanis, Simon,
and Whiting up front.
Mike Caldwell, Trotter in the
Pro Bowl, Carlos Emmons the
three behind them.
Bobby Taylor, Brian Dawkins,
Damon Moore, and Troy Vincent
playing with that groin problem.
A very key member of that
secondary.
>> Yeah, and he's right out
here.
You think, at some point,
they're going to test him deep.
>> Warner up the middle.
Isaac Bruce, short gain.
>> You know, that was one of the
things when we talked to
Mike Martz the other day -- And
he knew about Troy Vincent.
And the tough thing about a
groin pull is -- you think
you're okay, but you don't know
until someone really makes you
stretch it.
And Mike Martz thought, early in
the game, he was going to try
and stretch Troy Vincent's
groin by throwing deep on him.
Now, of course, they had that --
You know, they got that fumble
early, so the field position
didn't allow that.
But the field position here does
allow that.
>> Three-wide-receiver setup.
The Eagles showing blitz.
And then they back out of it.
[ Whistles blowing ]
But here comes one linebacker.
Flag on the play.
>> One thing about
Troy Vincent -- I was just
watching.
I think they were going to
challenge him on that play.
>> 5 yards. Still second.
Correction -- still third down.
>> And he was giving a pretty
big cushion over there.
Troy Vincent is not only a good
player, but he's a very bright
player.
And he knows what he can do and
he knows what he can't do.
And he's gonna put himself in a
position, you know, to have a
chance to do well.
>> 80% of Troy Vincent is better
than 100% of a lot of guys.
>> You see how loose he is out
here?
>> Warner back to throw.
Up the middle.
And wide open is Az Hakim.
And Warner hit him on the
button.
>> And that was the one they
were gonna try on Troy Vincent.
The Eagles just came on a
four-man rush.
You're gonna see Az Hakim is out
here.
Here's Troy Vincent here.
He's gonna come up and run an
in.
You see Az Hakim comes off the
ball so quickly.
I mean, he has great speed.
He gets him pushed.
And you see Troy Vincent kept
going with that push.
You see, I mean, he took about
three steps after Az Hakim made
his cut.
Troy Vincent took about three
more steps deep.
>> And Warner laid that ball
right in the basket.
Here comes the blitz.
And the fake.
And Faulk fires through the
hole.
They took advantage of the
blitz.
Stopped by Damon Moore.
>> And that's a heck of a
pretty-looking play when that
works, because what it is --
it's going to be a draw here,
but before he hands on the draw,
he's gonna fake a pass.
You see, he's gonna come back
and fake and then hand on the
draw.
They have three things that they
do with that.
They throw, they fake -- Watch
the pump.
You see, he just pumps it.
Then he hands it to him.
The other thing that he'll do
is -- he'll pump it, he'll fake
the hand-off, and then he'll
take the third step and throw
it.
That's a pretty good series for
this Rams.
>> At the Eagle 25.
Warner drops.
And throws.
And open is Torry Holt.
>> Yep, they're working on
Troy Vincent now.
The Rams are looking sharp on
this drive.
In these last two plays, they've
taken advantage of Troy Vincent
and his injured groin.
>> And this time, they run Faulk
at him.
Torry Holt.
From Warner.
>> One thing you know that --
You know, Kurt Warner can't take
a lot of hits today.
And I'll say this -- he hasn't.
But Orlando Pace is the best
offensive lineman on this Ram
team and maybe the best
offensive tackle in football.
You see he's blocking
Hugh Douglas there.
He has a little help from
Hodgins.
He comes off here.
He has great balance.
And you see he's just standing
right there when he gets it.
>> And as happens so many times,
it's somebody from the other
side -- either his own man or
somebody gets knocked into him.
>> And that's exactly what it
is.
It's from the middle and the
other side.
And, you know, he's watching the
man he's blocking.
In that case, it was
Hugh Douglas.
And Kurt Warner's looking there
knowing that Orlando Pace is
very, very important to what he
has to do today, because
Orlando Pace is the guy blocking
the Eagles' best pass rusher,
Hugh Douglas.
>> Here's Warner back.
Outside to Faulk.
Picked up a couple.
Bobby Taylor faced him.
>> One thing we know --
Orlando Pace is out of there.
So, Rod Jones had been starting
at right tackle for Ryan Tucker.
So, with Pace out, they brought
Ryan Tucker in now, who's
number 50, their normal
right tackle, right here, took
Rod Jones, who was starting at
right tackle, and moved him over
to left tackle.
Rod Jones, number 60, right
there, is a big, big, big man.
He weighs about 350 to
360 pounds.
>> About.
>> He's bigger than Orlando Pace
is.
>> He's one of those "about"
boys.
Here's Warner.
In the end zone.
Conwell the target.
Incomplete. Fourth and 5.
And we'll see Wilkins.
>> I think someone's helmet just
got knocked off.
How did that happen?
>> You didn't see the coin toss,
but the honorary captains for
the Eagles and for the Rams --
For the Rams, it was
Eric Dickerson and
Jackie Slater.
And for the Eagles, it was
Harold Carmichael and our
friend, Tom Brookshier.
>> That's a pretty good group of
men and ex-great players.
>> Let's go down to Ron Pitts.
>> Guys, injury report on
Orlando Pace.
Sprained right MCL.
He just walked off the field,
headed into the locker room.
They're gonna try to re-tape
him, maybe take some x-rays.
His return, right now, is
probable.
Pat.
>> I'll tell you -- he looked
pretty good walking.
And he was kind of going in
there by himself.
I saw him last night.
You know, we're staying at the
same hotel the Rams did.
And they have a snack.
And it was about -- I don't
know.
9:00 or 10:00.
And Orlando Pace was down there.
And I was like, "What are you
having?"
And he said he's having a
burger.
I said, "What else?"
He said, "I got to eat some
spaghetti for carbohydrates.
I need those carbos for today."
>> That was an adequate snack
that he had.
>> Yeah, it was a big old -- I
mean, if you weigh 330 pounds
and you're a big old tackle, you
don't necessarily think that he
has to carbo-load before a game,
would you?
>> Well, if you're going to get
that big, you got to feed it.
>> No, no. I know you have to.
But, I mean, you always think of
carbo load like marathon runners
or someone like that, not big
old tackles.
>> I don't think we'll see
Orlando Pace as a marathon
runner.
>> [ Laughing ] No.
>> Brian Mitchell is stopped and
hit down just outside the 20.
Rams' special teams have done
their job.
10-3, they lead.
>> You know, I'll tell you who
else has done their job is the
Ram offensive line, because
Kurt Warner is banged up, and
the Ram offensive line hasn't
let that defense get to him yet.
>> Let's go down to Ron Pitts.
>> Well, guys, some injuries on
both sides of the football.
James Thrash -- he hurt his
knee.
They taped him back up.
He's gonna try to go.
But if he can't go, look for
Freddie Mitchell to come in the
game.
Pat.
>> Hand-off.
The fake inside.
Winds up in the arms of
Duce Staley, who gets across the
25, maybe 26.
Short pass from McNabb.
>> I was gonna say -- on that
last, I think that's only the
second pass he's completed,
because up until then, the only
pass he completed was that
screen pass.
But he's had a couple of things.
I think that he's a little
antsy, you know, and I think
that part of it -- he has to let
this game calm down.
I think the other part of it, he
has to let everything slow down
for him, 'cause I think he's
going too quickly right now.
>> Buckhalter, the deep back.
The hand-off is to Buckhalter.
He's taken down behind the line.
Jeff Zgonina!
10-3, the Rams lead the Eagles.
>> There's a look at a guy that
wants to go home, is
Marshall Faulk.
He's from New Orleans.
>> Yep.
>> In fact, he worked there at
the dome.
He was telling, before the game,
he sold popcorn and peanuts and
those types of things.
And then he'd sell them for
about a half and watch the game
the second half.
>> Here's McNabb back in the
pocket.
Caught. Complete.
Chad Lewis, first down.
>> Look at those guys rally to
the ball.
You talk about pursuit and gang
tackling.
Look at this first quarter.
The rushing yards -- the Eagles
have 37, over 25.
Total yards -- the Eagles only
have 39 yards.
They're just getting their
passing starting right now, I
think.
The big thing is that one
turnover, because you take that
early turnover, and that led
right to 7 points for the Rams.
And, so, since that first drive
and that first turnover, the
Eagles have been fighting an
uphill battle.
Listen to this crowd.
[ Crowd cheering ]
>> McNabb fakes. Drops.
Steps up.
Fires outside to Buckhalter.
Too low. Incomplete.
>> That's the thing.
McNabb is getting his guys.
I mean, that's what his -- You
know, when he starts to run like
that, that buys time.
And then when you have more time
than your receivers have time to
get open, the defense loses
guys.
But you have to get them the
ball.
That's the second or third time
where McNabb had a guy and
didn't get him the ball.
>> But he looks like he's in, as
you say, a little bit of a
hurry.
Remember, he had Na Brown, down
at the 5, wide open?
>> That would have been a big
one.
>> Yep.
Second and 10.
Three-wide-receiver setup.
>> Rams in their nickel defense.
>> To Staley.
Good tackle by Dre' Bly to end
Staley from getting a first.
>> That was a good read by
Donovan McNabb.
Aeneas Williams was on the slot
here.
And he's gonna -- You're gonna
see him coming.
He's gonna be in the slot.
He comes on a blitz.
McNabb is trying to throw to
this side.
And he brings it down.
You see him.
Here he comes right here.
You see him trying to throw
right now, the quick one.
Then he had to bring it down.
Then he brought it back up and
got it out there.
Good awareness by McNabb.
>> Third and about 2.
McNabb goes deep.
Juggled and dropped by
James Thrash.
He had it, then had another shot
at it, and dropped it.
>> Yep, here he is right out
here.
And you see he gets the step
right there.
The ball is a little short, but
it's right in his hands.
Earlier, McNabb missed a couple
of throws.
That time, McNabb makes a heck
of a throw, and James Thrash
can't hold on to it.
>> Dre' Bly is back deep.
Sean Landeta.
Good kick by Landeta.
Back at the 12.
Fair catch.
Here's Warner dropping.
And what a throw by Warner to
Ernie Conwell.
>> Yeah, they caught them in
that defense we were talking
about.
They had the two tight ends.
We're gonna see Conwell right
here.
You go play pass left, and he's
gonna throw to his tight end,
Ernie Conwell, to the right.
That's the defense that the
Eagles only have one corner in
there.
They play three safeties.
And they went to work on that
extra safety and to Conwell.
That's a heck of a throw.
>> Oh, boy.
>> Kurt Warner has made some
very good throws early in this
game.
>> He shows no effects.
>> And he hasn't taken a lot of
hits.
That's the big thing.
>> Faulk.
Almost broke away from
Damon Moore's last-ditch tackle.
>> Yeah, don't you feel that
thing where they say that big
players or great players make
big plays in big games?
Don't you feel that that's the
definition of Marshall Faulk?
Watch the hole here.
He sees this, and now that's all
he's -- He has the patience to
here.
Then he has the burst right
through it.
Then he's always looking beyond.
He's not looking at the tackler
that's right there.
He's looking at the next level
of tacklers.
>> 21-yard pickup.
No backs.
Warner up the middle to Bruce.
And he dives for the first down.
>> Yeah, see what they did?
Remember the last time they
played -- We did that game.
It was the first game of the
season.
They never did get their
protection down.
But today, the Rams have come
out, and they've calmed that
defense down.
Look at the pass distribution.
6 for 6 -- the wide receivers.
2 for 3 to the tight end.
1 for 2 to the running backs.
So Kurt Warner, Mike Martz, this
offense -- they do spread the
ball around.
>> Oh, yeah.
And they will pick you to
pieces.
>> But don't you feel that this
group right here has kind of
gotten control of this group?
>> Without Orlando Pace.
Here's the hand-off to Faulk.
Here comes the blitz.
Ooh!
And that was Brian Dawkins.
>> Yep. One of the --
>> One of the best blitzers.
>> One of the best blitzers.
One of the best safeties.
I think Brian Dawkins is the
best free safety in all of
football.
And you're gonna see him right
here.
And the thing that he does is --
when he gets there, he knows how
to tackle.
You know, as Troy Vincent was
telling us, he learned from
Brian Dawkins that you don't go
to a spot.
You go to the guy's front leg.
That's exactly what he did.
But the other thing he did is --
he timed it well.
He saw that he wasn't in the
picture and then he came in, and
just as the ball was snapped --
boom! -- he was right at the
line of scrimmage.
>> Three-wide-receiver setup.
Warner back to throw.
And throws up the middle.
Incomplete.
Crowd's yelling for a flag.
Az Hakim the target. No flag.
>> That's the other thing
Brian Dawkins does.
I mean, Brian Dawkins just
doesn't blitz.
I mean, if you come in the
middle, you're gonna have a
collision with Brian Dawkins.
That's exactly what's happened
here.
You watch Az Hakim.
You see that window in there?
That's a pretty short window.
And Kurt Warner usually doesn't
do that.
Kurt Warner kind of led Az Hakim
right into Brian Dawkins.
>> Jeff Wilkins will give it a
go from 53 yards out.
From 53.
That's gonna...
hit the upright and bounce away.
It was long enough, but bad
luck.
The Rams 10, the Eagles 3.
The best field position for the
Eagles -- at their own 43.
The best starting spot they've
had.
McNabb appears to be changing
things.
Buckhalter.
Stopped, finally, by
Dexter McCleon.
Buckhalter all the way to the 25
of the Rams.
>> Watch this shot here.
And you're going to see, just
before the ball was snapped -- I
guess you're not gonna.
But Donovan McNabb hit the left
side of his body, and I think
that was the audible.
Sometimes, you go "check with
me."
And you get up to the line of
scrimmage.
You look at the defense.
You're either gonna run right or
left.
That time, Donovan McNabb hit
his left thigh, and they ran to
the left.
>> 31 yards for Buckhalter and
the Eagles.
Here's Buckhalter again.
Fighting for yardage down to
about the 22.
Stopped by Tommy Polley.
>> Watch this last play, Pat.
Here's what I'm talking about.
See McNabb here?
He just pats that left side, and
that's the audible to run the
ball to the left.
And then he takes it and he just
hands it out there, and they
just split that thing.
And they have something going
now.
>> Yes, they do.
>> You know, that's one thing
that you may be able to do
against the Rams, is to run
right at them.
>> Well, they're not a big front
four.
And now they go with the dime
package.
>> 'Cause the Eagles have four
wide receivers.
>> McNabb.
Staley will get an Eagle first
down at the Ram -- Just outside
the 15.
Stopped by London Fletcher.
>> Buckhalter is a good change
of pace and probably -- Just as
a pure runner, is probably a
better pure runner than
Duce Staley.
But when it comes to running the
ball, catching the ball, picking
up the blitz, and all those
types of things, Duce Staley is
the guy that they want in there.
But the combination of the two
is pretty effective.
>> Staley a fine receiver.
In fact, he led the team in
receptions.
McNabb.
At the 1 to Chad Lewis.
>> I'll tell you -- and he had
time there.
Chad Lewis is the tight end
right here.
And you're gonna see him.
He gets by Tommy Polley right
there, makes the swim move.
Starts to the out, then comes
back underneath.
And McNabb just throws it a
little behind him.
But McNabb -- Watch his eyes
here.
He's watching Chad Lewis all the
way.
And then he has the pass
protection -- that and the
Rams -- There's way too much
time for Donovan McNabb.
It's exactly the amount of time
that he needs to make those
kinds of plays.
>> First and goal at the 1.
Staley is the deep back.
And Staley puts it into the
end zone for Philadelphia.
>> And you notice the thing that
it did besides give the
Philadelphia Eagles 6 points?
It really quieted this crowd.
They were talking about the dome
and playing in the dome.
The biggest thing about playing
in the dome is the noise when
you're the visiting team.
But I'll tell you -- with
blocking like that, it doesn't
make any difference how much
noise they make or don't make.
>> The Eagles, in fact, have
only played one game in a dome
under Andy Reid, and that was in
New Orleans.
>> They sure quieted this dome
down, didn't they?
>> Didn't they?
>> And they got it all started
with the running game.
>> Akers ties it up. It's 10-10.
Akers approaches.
A bounding kickoff.
Bounces to Yo Murphy.
Murphy almost broke an earlier
one.
This one comes out to the 34.
Warner pulls it down.
And he's gonna take off...
and get down.
>> I'm watching this game.
I think the thing that has
changed the tide here for the
Philadelphia Eagles is
Brian Dawkins.
I mean, on that last series, he
made a couple plays.
I mean, he comes on a blitz and
he gets there.
And then he makes that
third-down hit on Az Hakim.
And that kind of gave --
Brian Dawkins is right here.
But that kind of gave this whole
Eagle team -- You could feel
he's the guy that gave them that
lift.
>> Warner fires.
Pass complete to Isaac Bruce.
Troy Vincent said it hit the
turf.
Isaac Bruce says it didn't.
>> Yeah, Rashard Cook was coming
on a blitz on the same side, and
that's one of those hot reads.
You're gonna see him come from
right here.
He comes on a blitz.
So, what you want to do on that
hot read, when you have a free
guy coming, you want to throw to
the area that he vacated.
And Kurt Warner put it to
Isaac Bruce right in the area
that was vacated by Cook.
>> First and 10.
10-10 tie.
Marshall Faulk.
In the backfield, caught.
Breaks away.
And he could go.
Faulk to the 25.
Damon Moore.
Boy, you talk about, who does
that remind you of?
Marcus Allen in one Super Bowl,
right?
>> Yep. That same thing, where
you start one way -- Look at
them.
The Eagles get penetration on
that side.
There's nowhere for
Marshall Faulk to go.
Look at all the white jerseys.
So, he said, "If they're all
over there, there can't be a lot
of them back over here, so
that's where I'm gonna go."
We were talking about how
Brian Dawkins kind of changed
things for the Eagles.
You get the feeling that
Marshall Faulk is saying, "I
want to answer what
Brian Dawkins did."
>> And he's a good man to
answer.
>> He's a great man.
I mean, take the quarterbacks
out of football -- and I said
this last week -- he's the best
player in football.
>> There he is again.
About 4 up the middle.
>> And we talked about
Troy Vincent.
And, here, you see the problems
that he's having with that
left-groin pull.
I mean, he has trouble with
coverage and he has trouble here
just getting off a block.
I mean, part of it was, you
know, Isaac Bruce just staying
with him.
We were saying how great
Marshall Faulk is.
Just watch his feet and his
legs.
And very powerful legs and very,
very quick feet, and that's a
pretty good combination.
>> Yes, it is.
Quickly outside.
Warner threw it behind
Isaac Bruce.
>> Troy Vincent is saying, "I've
had enough of this."
I mean, they've taken advantage
of him and the pass and they've
hit some things on him.
They got a touchdown on him.
They threw an in on him.
They just ran right by him.
And now they were gonna try and
take advantage of him out here,
and he said, "Well, that's about
enough of that," although that
ball had gone through Bruce's
hands...
>> It was behind him a bit.
>> ...before Vincent got there.
>> Third and 6.
Faulk's the deep back.
Warner drops.
Incomplete.
No flag.
Intended for Az Hakim.
>> And Kurt Warner's running
down to talk to the official.
Look at him right there.
Kurt Warner ran all the way down
to the 10-yard line.
I don't know exactly how he saw
that, but he can see a lot.
But he'd got thrown down on that
one.
>> Things happened so fast
early, John, I'm not sure we
identified Gerry Austin as the
referee.
>> I'm surprised you even got to
that in the first half, the way
this thing's going.
You did well doing that.
>> Wilkins from 39 yards out.
That one puts the Rams ahead.
>> You watch down here.
And I think this is what
Kurt Warner was complaining
about.
You see Al Harris right there on
Az Hakim.
Kurt Warner saw him grab him as
the ball was in the air.
Now, we know that once the ball
is in the air, you can't touch
the receiver.
And it looked like Al Harris,
who's the nickel back for the
Eagles, was all over Az Hakim.
That's where Kurt Warner -- But
you never -- Have you ever
seen -- In your life, have you
ever seen a quarterback win
something like that?
>> Never. Never.
>> You know, with instant
replay, you don't know.
I mean, he probably thought that
the Raiders won that game up in
New England when the fumble
occurred.
>> I thought so.
In the snow, you mean.
>> And then, lo and behold...
Look. See?
Here, you can see the ball is in
the air.
Here's Al Harris.
You can see his hands on
Az Hakim.
So, in any league, that's
pass interference.
And, again, that is the picture
that Kurt Warner was looking at.
>> Maybe that's one of those
things they rule -- 'cause I
don't think he was gonna get to
the ball, anyway -- uncatchable?
>> Yeah, but had he not done
that, you don't know where he
would be.
That was always my argument.
>> I'm just trying to give them
an excuse.
>> No, but I'm going way back as
a coach, I used to argue, "Well,
how do you know that he wouldn't
have gotten there had that guy
not done that?"
>> As a coach, you argued?
>> [ Chuckles ] All the time.
>> That's Brian Mitchell.
And there is a flag on the play.
>> And when the Eagles came out
today, the two most excited
players, you know, just looking
at, were Brian Dawkins and
Brian Mitchell.
I mean, they were -- I mean, the
whole team was fired up --
>> Tripping -- 56 of the kicking
team.
10 yards. First down.
>> What do you think?
Hugh Douglas had run out of gas?
>> To be fired up?
>> Yeah.
>> Well, he's too big.
Here's McNabb.
Now James Thrash comes down with
it, so now they have.
>> The Eagles just completed
their first pass to a
wide receiver.
Although, Thrash should have had
that one before.
>> Yeah.
>> Here, you'll see Thrash.
He's the outside guy, right
here, coming on the in and gives
that good last push.
James Thrash has good speed.
He was a track man.
To give that last push like
you're going up before you make
your final cut to go in.
>> First and 10.
Just over 3 minutes left in the
first half.
McNabb back.
Outside, Chad Lewis.
Spinning around at the 40.
Chad Lewis an ex-Ram.
>> We were talking about the hot
receivers, and that was one for
the Eagles.
The Rams came on a blitz, so
McNabb read the blitz and knew
that he had to get that ball out
of there, so he got it out to
Chad Lewis.
Look at their pass
distribution -- 1 completion to
a wide receiver, 3 to the
tight end, 4 to the
running backs.
>> Second and 8.
Buckhalter gets just a couple.
>> It looked like he had a hole
there.
Runyan took his guy out, because
he ran up the field.
It looked like he could have
stayed out there.
Watch right here is where I
think the hole is -- right
there.
I mean, I don't know why he just
didn't go there.
Doesn't that look pretty good?
Because, you know, the defensive
guy runs up the field, and
Jon Runyan just rode him out.
>> Right-ankle problem for
Correll Buckhalter.
>> Yeah, and when that happens,
you just tape right over the
shoes.
There's no time to take the shoe
and the sock and that off.
>> There's where it happened.
[ Crowd cheering ]
Third down and 6.
>> Listen to this crowd.
This is when it's always the
toughest -- third down.
>> McNabb back. Throws.
Chad Lewis to the 25.
Eagle first down.
>> Don't you feel that McNabb
has calmed down now?
>> Oh, yeah.
>> We talked about that he was a
little hyper, that he was a
little speeded up.
And now I think he's slowed
down, and he's getting in a
rhythm.
And he's had pretty good pass
protection.
Watch Leonard Little coming out
here on this side against
Jon Runyan.
Jon Runyan is just too big and
strong for Little.
Little, you know, can't use his
quickness, 'cause Runyan doesn't
let him.
>> After that pancake earlier
that we showed you, he's slowed
down a little bit.
>> Leonard Little might not come
back until the second half after
that one.
The pitch is back to Buckhalter.
To the 20 and across.
>> That's why you need that
quick tape job, 'cause he had to
go back in there.
Although, he's still limping.
And we just saw him on the
sideline, where they were taping
right over his show -- right
over his shoe, I mean.
And you can see that this is a
load here to the left.
You see all of the blockers.
That's that old student-body
play.
Remember, USC used to do that
years ago.
Student body right, student body
left.
That was a student body left
right there.
>> Buckhalter hopping around.
>> Yeah, as I said, they tried
the tape job over the shoe.
That didn't work, so they're
going to have to try something
else at halftime.
>> Yeah.
>> Duce Staley will probably
finish out the half.
And we'll see if Buckhalter will
be back for the second half.
>> The hand-off is to Staley.
And he's close to first-down
yardage.
Brian Young made the stop, but
Staley came close.
They may have to measure.
>> You know, one thing the
Eagles have done a pretty good
job today -- and they usually do
a bad job of it -- is using
time-outs.
I mean, at least they have
time-outs left now at the end of
the half.
And, sometimes, it seems like
you watch Eagle games, and they
burn all three of their
time-outs in the first quarter.
>> Why do you think that is?
>> Well, I talked to Andy Reid
about it yesterday, and he said
one of the reasons is their
communication, that they seem to
get down in the red zone, and
McNabb's helmet receiver goes
out.
You know, and you give that
thing when you point to your
helmet -- "Can't hear, can't
hear, can't hear."
Then time runs out.
Then you have to take a
time-out.
But you have to keep your
time-outs in groups for these
types of situations -- the end
of the half and then, more
importantly, at the end of the
game.
>> Staley was about, oh,
18 inches short, so it's
fourth and about that distance
for a first down.
But they only have one time-out
now.
>> Well, they just used.
They had two time-outs left.
They just used one.
>> Two-tight-end setup.
Third down, I beg your pardon.
Third down.
McNabb.
Pass is caught on the sideline
by Thrash.
And that will take care of all
the speculation about what down
it is.
>> That was a pretty gutsy play,
though, because you get
third and real short, and
instead of just pounding it in
there -- That's what you think
they're gonna do.
They fake the pound in there.
But look at the effect that it
has on that Ram defense.
It brings all those linebackers,
it brings everyone up there.
And then he has an isolation out
here -- James Thrash against
Aeneas Williams.
And Thrash really did turn
Aeneas Williams.
>> You didn't see that very
often.
>> Everyone else was caught up
at the line of scrimmage with
the fake of the run.
Aeneas Williams and James Thrash
were man-to-man.
>> First and goal at the 7.
Here's McNabb.
Incomplete.
Intended for Chad Lewis.
>> That was a good throw,
because on first down, what you
want to do is not only throw it
to your guy, but throw it away
from the defender.
And you're gonna see Kim Herring
is on the outside.
You see -- And he throws it
where either his guy is going to
catch the ball or it's going to
be incomplete.
There was no way that
Kim Herring was gonna get a hand
on that ball.
>> Here is where McNabb becomes
so dangerous, because he might
just take off with it if he
can't come up with somebody.
>> I think that's anytime the
Eagles have the ball.
[ Whistles blowing ]
>> There was early movement.
Gerry Austin the referee.
>> And they had called a bootleg
on that play.
>> False start -- 72, offense.
5 yards. It's still second down.
>> Tra Thomas jumped.
>> Yeah, and that's not very
smart, because the play was
going away.
You see, it's a fake.
See McNabb still has the ball
there.
It was a bootleg to the right.
Tra Thomas is the off, or left,
tackle, and there was nothing
that he had to do that was that
important to make him jump.
>> Second and goal.
>> Look at McNabb.
Instead of getting mad and
saying, "What the heck's going
on?", he just gives that great,
big smile.
>> 13-10, the Rams lead, but the
Eagles -- What do you think this
means?
>> That means that everyone has
to suck it up, because we only
got a couple of seconds here to
play and a couple of downs to
play to keep them out in this
half.
We're down to 50 seconds.
>> And the Eagles are out of
time-outs.
Here's McNabb.
Touchdown!
End-zone shot to Todd Pinkston.
That's a heck of a throw and a
heck of a catch to go with it.
>> That was a great throw.
And I think maybe the thing that
Bill Kollar was calling was
blitz, and everyone has to get
there, because they come on a
blitz.
And when you come on a blitz,
what happens?
You're man-to-man out there.
Pinkston gets right by
Dexter McCleon.
And then, as you said, that was
a heck of a throw by
Donovan McNabb just to get rid
of that ball against that blitz,
recognize man-on-man coverage,
and find his guy, Todd Pinkston
out there.
>> Who made one heck of a catch,
as I said.
The extra point is good.
And the Eagles lead the Rams,
17-13.
>> Donovan McNabb knows what he
just did.
And that was the thing -- They
had the time-out.
They called that play.
That was Donovan McNabb's
reaction.
There's Todd Pinkston's
reaction.
And you wonder what
Dexter McCleon's reaction was,
'cause, again, that was against
the blitz.
>> Yep.
>> So Donovan McNabb had to get
rid of that ball and then he had
to find the guy to get rid of it
to and he did it perfectly.
Mike Martz doesn't get too much
involved in the defense, and
he's probably asking, "What the
heck just happened?"
You know, when you play the
Eagles, aren't they the kind of
team that you know is an all-day
sucker, that they're gonna be
there all day no matter what you
do?
>> And if you let them hang
around, they're gonna come back
and scrap and fight and they're
gonna be, all of a sudden -- You
don't realize it.
They're back in the game.
>> Yeah, I mean, they start off
the game, and, you know,
Donovan McNabb fumbles.
And then the Rams go in and
score.
And they took on that onslaught
and then they just kind of
calmed down.
And now they're starting to get
things going their way.
>> Akers set to kick it off.
We have 46 seconds left.
The Rams have all of their
time-outs left.
Trung Canidate is back deep.
And he can really run.
>> He didn't play back there at
all last week.
>> No.
>> It was Dre' Bly.
>> Bounces.
And Canidate goes down.
Warner fires.
Pass is caught by Isaac Bruce.
>> Look at this.
The Eagles -- they've outscored
their opponents, 144-72, in the
second quarter.
And, you know, McNabb has thrown
30 touchdowns this year, and
over half of them -- 16 of
them -- have been in that
second quarter.
So when you play the Eagles,
beware of that second quarter.
>> Here's Warner back to throw.
Pass caught. This is Az Hakim.
28 seconds left on the clock.
>> Yeah, and the Rams do have
two time-outs.
And the big thing about that,
with the two time-outs, is --
you can still throw the ball
inside and then take a time-out.
When you don't have any
time-outs, you have to get the
ball to the outside or you have
to get it up and spike it, and
time will run out on you.
So, playing with two time-outs
here, the Rams have plenty of
time to at least get in
field-goal range.
>> 17-13, the Eagles lead.
Warner back.
Going for a bundle.
Knocked away.
Almost intercepted by Al Harris.
In fact, it should have been
intercepted by Al Harris.
>> You know, the Eagles -- Watch
this.
They're playing a 3-3.
See the three linebackers here.
And now they all come.
And this is only the second time
they've done that.
In the first game they played,
in the first game of the season,
they used a lot of that 3-3-5.
That was just the second time
that they've done it today.
And Al Harris was right there to
get that ball.
>> 21 seconds left.
>> Al Harris -- if you pick like
the best third corner or best
nickel back in football, it
could be Al Harris.
>> Warner hums it outside to
Faulk.
Caldwell made the stop.
And the clock continues to run.
They better take a time-out, but
they're too far away for
Wilkins.
>> That's what I think --
they're too far away.
And they just want to -- If
anyone was gonna take a
time-out, it would be the
Eagles...
>> They don't have any.
>> ...and try and block the
punt.
And they don't have any.
>> But the Rams do take a
time-out, their second.
Just to talk it over, I guess.
>> Well, you wanted to run the
clock down as long as you can,
because you don't want the
Eagles to get another play.
>> Well, they got it down to
4 seconds, so that much has been
successful.
>> And then it looks like
they're keeping their offense in
there.
The thing you have to watch out
with 4 seconds left on the
clock -- that there is an
automatic time-out at change of
possession.
So, if they were to blow the
whistle -- I mean, say the Rams
run a play.
You better take longer than
4 seconds, even though the
Eagles don't have a time-out.
Bringing up -- If they don't
make it on first down, time of
possession -- change of
possession means time-out.
>> So it would give the Eagles
one more play.
>> If they don't take 4 seconds.
>> Well, here's Warner.
Hit just as he got it.
And an offensive lineman ran...
[ Whistles blowing ]
The offensive center came up
with it.
And then they scrambled down.
First of all, it was
Adam Timmerman who picked it up,
and Tom Nutten wound up with it.
And the half runs out.
Akers to kick off.
Yo Murphy standing back at the
goal line.
>> And I'm sure that when the
Rams went in, you know, because
what the Eagles did to them in
that second quarter, I'm sure
that that's gonna act as a
wake-up call.
>> Akers lined the kickoff.
A yard deep in the end zone,
Yo Murphy's gonna bring it out.
And, again, he's got some room.
The ball's loose!
The Rams pick it out of the air.
Nick Sorensen got the fumble
recovery.
It came flying out of there.
Let's see what happened.
>> Watch as Yo Murphy gets hit
here.
He should put the ball in the
outside arm.
He keeps it in the inside arm.
It's punched out.
And Nick Sorensen is going to be
right there and catch the
bounce.
The ball bounces out here.
And watch.
There's Sorensen right there and
picks it off.
>> It bounced off the helmet of
Rashard Cook to knock it loose.
>> You know, that's why I think
coaches are always saying you
have to be alert.
You have to be aware.
And Sorensen was aware on that
play.
>> First and 10 at their own 33
for the Rams.
Conwell moved around.
This is Marshall Faulk.
Faulk.
Picks up good yardage.
Let's go down to Ron Pitts.
>> Well, guys, I talked to
Mike Martz at halftime.
He's upset about two things.
Number one, he said, "When we
get down in the red zone, we
have to get touchdowns, not
field goals."
The next thing he said, "We're
running the football okay."
But you know Mike Martz.
He wants to throw the ball.
He wants to see better
production on third down.
And, you know, before the Rams
came out of the locker room,
they said one important thing --
if we want to get to
New Orleans, we have got to have
a championship second half."
Pat.
>> Second and 5.
And, again, it's Faulk.
Nobody can pick a hole better
than Marshall Faulk.
And he is just a joy to watch.
>> You know, if you look at
these first-half possessions,
though, they've only been
stopped on downs one time.
First time they had the ball,
remember, that was that
touchdown.
That was after the McNabb
fumble.
Then they scored a field goal.
Then they missed a field goal.
Then they scored another
field goal.
And then they were stopped on
downs.
>> Faulk got up just a little
bit slowly after that last
carry.
First and 10.
Three wide receivers.
Faulk again.
Crosses midfield into Eagle
territory.
>> You know, talking to
Mike Martz the other day, he
said he knew that he wanted to
run the ball more, and I think
part of it was because of
Marshall Faulk and I think part
of it is Kurt Warner is really
beaten up.
But he said, "I hate to run on
first and 10," because, you
know, that's when you get that
eight-man front.
That's when you get all those
things.
And he likes to run when you
expect him to pass, because you
always know that he wants to
pass when you expect him to run.
Faulk again.
Near first-down yardage.
He was also saying that, about
five games ago, he said to
Marshall Faulk, "Hey, we've been
alternating.
We've been doing this.
You got to carry the load from
here on in."
And we're gonna get you the ball
30 times a game."
>> Yeah, he tried to keep him
fresh in the beginning and
middle of the season.
That's why Trung Canidate played
so much more.
And Trung Canidate, in the
offense, didn't play at all last
week.
And it doesn't look like he's
playing at all this week.
This is Marshall Faulk's game.
>> Third and inches for a first.
And it's Faulk again.
Hit hard, but he got the
first down.
>> 'Cause, you know, all the
things that Marshall Faulk is --
he's also very powerful.
I mean, he can go out and play
wide receiver like a
wide receiver.
He can run inside.
He can run outside.
And right here, watch how he
finishes that run off.
There's the hit.
Then he takes two more steps,
and those two steps which got
him the first down.
>> He knows how to use the
blocks and he's strong enough to
make yardage after he's hit.
5 plays, 5 carries by Faulk.
6 carries by Faulk.
Second and long, so a passing
down now.
The Rams move, as they do a lot
of.
And now there's motion.
>> And the Eagles are in that
3-3 nickel.
>> And Faulk cuts away from one
tackler.
Gets down to about the 40.
That's gonna bring up a
third down.
Brian Dawkins made the stop.
>> You know, this is very unlike
Mike Martz.
>> It goes against what he
thinks.
>> And since he's been calling
plays, you wonder how many times
he's called this many runs at
the start of a half for a game.
>> Corey Simon is the Eagle
who's still on one knee.
>> Corey Simon is very important
for this defense now.
We already know that their big
run-stopping tackle,
Hollis Thomas, is out.
>> Number 90.
>> You're gonna see him right
there.
See he's coming -- Oh, he just
takes a heck of a hit right
there.
He just got buckled.
>> I think that was Timmerman
that hit him.
>> It was.
It was Adam Timmerman, the right
guard.
And didn't look like he saw
Timmerman coming, did he?
>> At first, it looked like it
was his wrist.
Now it looks like it might be
stunned.
Pass complete from Warner to
Torry Holt.
Inside the 20.
>> I'll tell you -- the big
thing is, Pat -- they got that
three-man line I was talking
about and then they got a blitz
from the left side.
Watch this overload here, and
the pressure's going to come
from this side.
Pick them up, pick them up, pick
them up.
The last two don't get there.
There were two free, coming from
his back side, and he knew that
he had to get the ball out of
there.
And he got the ball out of there
quickly, like, right now, and
pretty deep, with two guys
coming free from the back side.
>> Rams' ball, first and 10, at
the Eagle 19.
>> Sometimes, you get guys free
and you still get completions.
>> Faulk hit behind the line by
Paul Grasmanis.
>> Well, they finally figured
that one out.
>> Yep.
>> That's that draw play, where
Kurt Warner's gonna come out and
he's gonna fake the pass.
See, he's gonna fake the pump
here, like it's a pass, then
he's gonna give the delayed
draw.
Grasmanis went for it a couple
times, didn't go for it that
time.
He said, "The heck with that."
He said, "When he shows that
pump, until Marshall Faulk
passes the quarterback, I'm just
gonna run right to
Marshall Faulk."
>> Simon is back, number 90.
Second down, 14.
He lofts it.
Deflected by the Eagles.
Good play by Bobby Taylor.
He tried to drop it in there,
and Taylor reacted.
>> Yeah, here, pretty good
protection.
He steps up here.
In fact, he could have just
taken off and run with the ball.
But here's where he's gonna go.
He doesn't run.
And you see Bobby Taylor knocks
it up in the air.
And you see what Troy Vincent
did?
He went to get the receiver.
So, Bobby Taylor went for the
ball, and when the ball was in
the air, Troy Vincent knocked
the intended receiver out of
bounds.
Two good plays by both corners.
>> Third down. 17-13, the score.
The Eagles leading.
They're showing blitz.
And Warner drops it outside.
Good play on the outside by
Troy Vincent, who brought down
Marshall Faulk.
And here comes the Ram
field-goal team.
That's a good play by Vincent.
>> Blitz from the back side.
And you see Warner feels that.
He has to get the ball off.
He gets it off to Faulk.
Now, when you get that ball out
there short, someone has to make
a tackle, and that someone was
Troy Vincent.
Troy Vincent looks a lot better
this second half than he did the
first half, huh?
>> That's the first time he's
really been challenged.
>> The first half, he looked
like he was still trying stuff
out.
>> Wilkins' field goal is good.
They've just put some tape on
Marshall Faulk's left wrist and
then they put an elbow pad on
his right arm.
So, if you carry the ball eight
times in a row, touch it nine
times in a row, you're gonna get
some pain.
>> It's pro football, and in pro
football, they hit.
And in the championship games,
they really, really hit.
>> This is Brian Mitchell.
The all-time record holder,
record setter.
Flag on the play, as Mitchell
crosses the 30, about the 33.
But there's a flag back inside
the 20.
It'll be holding against
Philadelphia.
>> And the thing is -- you --
>> Holding -- 43 of the return
team during the runback.
10 yards. First down.
>> The dome crowd is loud.
And Philadelphia has the ball.
It's gonna be difficult for them
to hear.
>> And you just think of what we
have going on here, that the
winner goes to the Super Bowl.
>> McNabb.
A lot of time.
All the time in the world.
He finally throws it away.
>> Yeah, that's one of those
things that he had too much
time, didn't he?
And that's good defense, because
that means that there was no one
open.
I mean, he had no lane to run
the ball in and he had no place
to pass it.
Watch here.
You can just see the time that
he has.
Looking, looking, looking,
looking.
He's trying to throw.
There was good coverage
downfield.
He moves to his right a little.
Still has no one to throw to, so
he throws it away.
>> There was simply no one
there.
Second and 10.
McNabb.
Drops it behind Cecil Martin.
It'll be third and 10.
The Ram defense rising to the
occasion.
Three wide receivers this time.
They back out.
And McNabb retreats.
Dumps it, on the screen pass, to
Duce Staley.
And Staley gets across the 20,
the 23.
Not enough for a first.
>> That's because, you know, the
crowd was into this, and this is
one of those things that you
didn't want to force something
downfield.
And that's the play that
Andy Reid called.
And I know what he's thinking --
"Our defense is playing well.
Let's just be safe here, be
cautious, don't do anything dumb
down in this area.
The worst thing we can do is
punt to them."
And that's what they're doing.
>> Landeta back to punt.
Another good kick.
Dre' Bly will have a chance to
go with this one.
And he's tripped up. Good play.
>> Let's watch Dameane Douglas
here.
You know, he's the gunner.
Usually, they have two guys out
there on him.
Here, there's only Butler on
him, Jerametrius Butler.
And you see Butler was holding
him, blocking him, grabbing him,
and Dameane Douglas just worked
right through everything and
made not a good tackle -- that
was a great tackle.
>> First and 10, Rams.
Warner back to throw.
Has a man open.
Isaac Bruce.
>> You know, this is the way
that Mike Martz works and the
way Kurt Warner works is --
After Marshall Faulk had the
last thing, he's going to go to
another thing.
You see, here's blocking on the
left side.
They know that they have to keep
Hugh Douglas out of there.
They put Jeff Robinson, the
tight end, and he's helping
Orlando Pace.
>> Again, congratulations to the
New England Patriots, Bob Kraft,
and Bill Belichick, and that
group.
They'll be in New Orleans to
face the winner of this game.
And it's 17-16, Eagles.
>> I'm sure they're all watching
now to find out who they're
gonna play.
>> Warner gives to Faulk.
No gain. Grasmanis.
>> Remember, we saw
Marshall Faulk getting his wrist
taped up.
We'll go back to the series
before, and you'll see the play
that he got hurt on, as he just
goes to protect the ball, and
Grasmanis' helmet comes in.
And he's going to put his helmet
right on the ball, but he puts
it right on Marshall Faulk's
left wrist.
Paul Grasmanis has been making
some plays in the second half,
hasn't he?
>> He's played well.
>> They lost Hollis Thomas.
We talked about that.
And Grasmanis has taken his
place and holding up.
>> On second and 10, the blitz
comes.
But Bruce beats it.
And Warner finds him.
>> Well, you know, the whole
thing about Kurt Warner and his
ribs and "how is he?" and
everything -- if his ribs are
bothering him, he can't make
that throw.
He can't get rid of the ball
that quickly.
There is nothing bothering him
right now.
Watch this.
He's gonna throw it right
through the defender's arms.
And you see Jeremiah Trotter had
both hands up there, like a
goalpost, and Kurt Warner threw
it right between his hands.
>> And right to Isaac Bruce.
>> And when Kurt Warner is hot
and in rhythm, he's the most
accurate quarterback in the
league.
>> The Rams take a time-out.
First and 10, Rams.
Here comes the blitz.
Warner back to throw it.
They picked it up pretty well.
The pass is caught.
Isaac Bruce.
>> Yeah, Isaac Bruce is putting
on a clinic right now, and so is
Kurt Warner.
And so is this offensive team,
in picking up the blitzes.
They know, coming into this
game, that the Eagles are gonna
blitz, and if you're gonna be
successful throwing the ball,
you have to pick up the blitz.
And they're doing it right now.
>> And you got to throw it
quickly.
>> Watch this.
They keep Ernie Conwell in,
their tight end on the left
side, to help block
Hugh Douglas.
They've been blocking him with
Orlando Pace and with the
tight end and Orlando Pace.
And that one was just with the
tight end.
Ernie Conwell doing a heck of a
job at pass protection.
>> He goes about 270.
Warner, pump fake, going deep.
Incomplete in the end zone.
No flag. Isaac Bruce the target.
Double covered.
>> Yeah, Damon Moore, the
safety, played that very well.
You're gonna see him.
He's gonna come into the
picture.
He's right here.
He doesn't go for that pump at
all.
He just takes that angle away
where the receiver is going.
See, he knows that he has a
defender underneath.
He knows that he has Isaac Bruce
going deep.
And he just goes right for the
angle that Kurt Warner's going
to throw it.
>> A guy we haven't seen much of
today has come into the Ram
offensive scheme.
That's Ricky Proehl.
So look out for him, number 87.
A guy who knows how to --
>> Proehl's bunched over here.
>> Yep.
And Warner gives straight ahead.
Marshall Faulk stopped by
Trotter.
Good tackle.
>> You know, the thing, when I
was talking to Mike Martz before
the game, and he says, "I got to
get the ball in 28's hand."
You know, that he can run it to
him.
The thing that surprises me
is -- he hasn't been used as a
receiver as much.
In fact, I think he's only
caught three passes for about
3 yards.
So, you know, I mean, he's
getting him his touches, but
I'll tell you one thing -- for
Marshall Faulk, these are
awfully tough touches.
>> He's the lone set back this
time.
The Eagles do not blitz.
The pass is caught up the
middle.
Torry Holt made the reception
inside the 10.
>> You know, the thing that
Kurt Warner does is -- if a
receiver is going to the inside,
he's not gonna let him take that
tough shot.
He is gonna bring him down.
And when he brings that ball
down like that, that means to
his receiver, Torry Holt, "You
better get down," because that's
where Kurt Warner wants to throw
the ball.
He doesn't want to throw it
high.
He doesn't want to lead him in.
He doesn't want to lead him up.
He wants to lead him down.
>> Heck of a catch by
Torry Holt.
Ball a little bit behind him.
He still came up with it.
First and goal at the 9.
Hand-off to Faulk.
To the 6.
>> Marshall Faulk has a little
of that in him.
You know, you wonder when he's
gonna get tired, because he's
come out this second half and
he's really taken the bulk of
their plays.
And, as I said earlier, those
are tough touches that he's
having.
But he looks fresh.
I mean, he still has that
quickness.
He still has that burst.
And you see that they got to
Hugh Douglas there.
He's off the field now.
>> Warner came over, checked
with the bench.
>> I know Mike Martz.
You know, he said -- He told
Ron Pitts at halftime.
He said, "We don't want to get
in that red zone and settle for
3."
>> To the 1.
>> They got some power going
right now.
They just got in behind their
center, Andy McCollum.
It looks like they're not set.
You see the defense was moving
around?
And then they don't get set, and
they just run right at them.
And the Eagle defense wasn't
ready for that play.
>> And Faulk picked the hole.
Ball control this half belongs
to St. Louis.
>> That had to be what
Mike Martz thought about and
talked about at halftime.
>> ...by a big margin.
This is Marshall Faulk.
Touchdown!
The Rams take the lead.
There were no wide receivers on
that play, and Marshall Faulk
finally banged it in.
>> Marshall Faulk is the man
now.
Lookit here.
He's gonna come to the left.
Nutten comes.
He gets a kick-out.
Hodgins gets a lead.
But Marshall Faulk is so
powerful.
>> Yep.
>> I mean, some of it was
blocked, and the ones that they
didn't block, he just took it
and drove his legs.
>> And the helmet, in the
end zone, in somebody's hand.
I think it's Marshall Faulk's.
>> Yeah, he went in, didn't even
bring his hat with him.
Look at that.
It's grabbed off, and he's still
playing.
I mean, he's still working.
>> Trotter took his hat off.
>> Marshall Faulk got those eyes
up there to see that it was a
touchdown, though, didn't he?
>> Go for 2?
Do you think about it?
>> Well, 22-17. You sure do.
A 6-point lead would be two
field goals.
If you get 2, then it would be
you'd need a touchdown.
>> It looks like they're gonna
go for 2.
Kurt Warner just checked back
into the huddle.
>> You know, they got that list
that they look at that tells you
the score and then what you do.
I was one that would always kick
the extra point until it got
down to the fourth quarter.
>> Never liked that list.
1:18 left in the third.
Faulk is the deep back.
Warner back to throw.
Lofts it in the end zone.
Dropped by Conwell.
That was the perfect throw to
Ernie Conwell.
>> Ernie Conwell -- And this is
the thing that they practice all
the time.
You watch the Rams practice, and
they're always practicing
throwing to the tight ends down
there on the goal line.
Ernie Conwell normally very
sure-handed.
A perfect pass by Kurt Warner.
And it goes right through
Ernie Conwell's hands.
>> Can't throw it much better.
>> Those are one of those that
you'll spend the rest of your
life thinking about that and
never be able to explain.
>> 22-17.
>> You know, I'm sure that
Mike Martz and the Rams are
thinking that they're gonna
score a lot more, but the
difference between that play and
not, if they kicked an
extra point, then that would
give them a 6-point lead, and
the Eagles, you know, would go
ahead with a touchdown or
they'll tie them with two
field goals.
Now the situation is -- of
course, they could go ahead of
them with a touchdown, but they
could beat them with two
field goals.
>> With two field goals.
Wilkins' kickoff.
It sails down to Brian Mitchell.
He holds just about every return
record.
But he, today, has been pretty
well stymied.
>> They are -- The Rams are
coming downfield, aren't they?
You look at Donovan McNabb's
passing chart, and you see that
the deep ones that he has
thrown, the red ones, are
incomplete.
And his longest completion was
for 15 yards.
Most of his passes that he's
completed are to the right side
and under 15 yards.
Not much in the middle and not
much to his left.
>> McNabb, first and 10, Eagles.
Pitch back to Staley.
Nothing doing.
>> Yeah, we talked about
Trung Canidate not playing for
Marshall Faulk, but he is
playing on the kickoff coverage.
And Mike Martz says, "Last week,
he was great."
That time, he took on
Cecil Martin, the blocker,
played off him, and made a heck
of a tackle.
And then middle linebackers love
that kind of play from offensive
guys.
>> That was Don Davis who made
the play on that last tackle.
And we haven't heard much from
him.
A loss of a yard.
>> Yeah, we haven't heard much
today from Tommy Polley, either.
Big game last week.
>> Staley.
Cuts it up to about the 28-,
29-yard line.
>> And we haven't heard much
from Correll Buckhalter.
We wonder if -- You know, we saw
him get that ankle just before
halftime.
>> It's been all Staley.
>> Yeah.
>> It's been all Staley.
>> Boy, this is something.
>> And that's the end of the
third quarter.
As we start quarter number 4 in
St. Louis, the Eagles have the
ball, third and 4, at their own
28.
>> You know, Donovan McNabb
hasn't run the ball since the
second series of this game.
>> Only two times all day.
McNabb retreats.
Incomplete.
That's one he should have run.
Chad Lewis got a hand on it but
dropped it.
>> That's one that he should
have run or thrown, because he
still had Chad Lewis.
And I think, that one there, he
had both.
He had the run and he had
Chad Lewis.
He just didn't get it to him.
>> Dre' Bly going back deep.
Fourth and 4. Landeta to punt.
High knuckler.
Bly signals fair catch and makes
it.
A poor kick by Landeta.
>> Just a few plays ago,
cornerback Troy Vincent -- You
know he's been battling that
groin pull.
He reaggravated it trying to
tackle Marshall Faulk.
He has got to sit out.
He is not going back in.
Right now, Al Harris is in the
game for him.
Pat.
>> That is bad news for Eagle
fans.
Troy Vincent one of the key
members of that secondary.
Bobby Taylor moves over to the
left side.
Here's Faulk.
Flag on the play.
Faulk with good yardage, but a
penalty marker down.
>> And it's gonna be holding
against the Rams.
>> Holding -- 84, offense.
10 yards. Repeat first down.
>> Ernie Conwell.
>> And he was on that play side
there.
Jeff Robinson was also in there.
They're trying to get their two
and three tight ends to get
their power.
Here's Ernie Conwell.
You see that right hand right
there.
That's what the official sees.
Then he not only had it up
there, but then he grabbed it.
>> And pulled down.
>> Right. And that happened to
be the same side that
Marshall Faulk was running to.
>> Makes it first and 20.
The Rams lead it by five.
>> Ryan Tucker is in there now
at right tackle.
He's in for Rod Jones, because
Orlando Pace is playing
left tackle.
>> Here's Faulk back to throw.
Stepping into the pocket.
Coming out of the pocket.
And hit from behind by
Darwin Walker just as he let it
go.
>> And those are the shots that
Kurt Warner can't take.
And I think the Rams have done
an excellent job of protecting
him.
Look at there.
7 possessions so far --
2 touchdowns, 3 field goals,
1 missed field goal, and then,
one time, they lost on downs.
But this is the type of thing --
This is the same thing that
happened to Kurt Warner last
week.
It was where he gets hit and
driven into the ground.
And that's where he got the
ribs -- on a play just like
that.
We talked about, before the
game, that he did have a shot to
numb that area today.
>> Second and 20.
He's back to throw it.
Gets it to Torry Holt.
To the 38.
There's Buckhalter, who left,
remember, with that ankle sprain
earlier.
And it looks as if he's not
coming back.
>> Well, until he gets his shoe
on, he's not coming back.
But, you know, it looks like
they're still doing tape jobs.
You know, we saw the one where
they had it on the outside, and
then they took the tape off.
And then they put it on the
inside.
There's Troy Vincent.
You know, we talked to him
yesterday, and he had a lump in
his groin, but he thought he
would be okay to start.
But then the next question is --
you're okay to start, but how
long are you okay to play?
>> On third down, Warner.
Incomplete.
Knocked loose. Incomplete.
He never had possession.
Very nearly -- That's
Torry Holt.
>> Yeah, you see Holt.
And anytime you go to the
inside, right here, Dawkins is
going to be around there.
And you see Brian Dawkins come
up, and he just goes right
around his shoulders.
And the ball comes out.
>> Working on Rod Jones on the
Rams' sideline.
>> Well, that's why Ryan Tucker
was in there.
They're working on whatever it
is that's behind the towel,
below the waist.
>> This is the Rams' first punt.
John Baker gets off a dandy.
Mitchell signals "fair catch."
Here's McNabb back to throw.
And he stumbles.
And down inside the 5, about the
4, as Grant Wistrom came around
the corner.
>> Hey, they've been doing a
good job on Grant Wistrom.
You see Tra Thomas here to block
him.
He goes to the outside.
He just runs right around
Tra Thomas and then he extends.
What an athletic move.
Once he got beyond Tra Thomas,
he just extends his body.
Watch there.
That right hand just goes out
and grabs the top of him.
The left hand grabs his ankle.
>> McNabb is lucky he didn't
fumble, with the ball extended
out of his arm like that.
>> That was a great play by
Wistrom...
>> Yes, it was.
>> ...to be able to extend and
get a hand up and a hand down.
>> Staley to the 10.
Stopped by Tommy Polley.
>> Caught him in a stunt that
time.
Wistrom went to the inside, and
then Polley was able to come
outside.
Donovan McNabb under pressure --
sacked twice, hit four times,
three hurries, no interceptions.
But in the second half, they
just haven't had the ball.
You know, if you can't get that
first down, then you're not
gonna get a lot of plays or a
lot of opportunities.
You can see here, McNabb is
having a tough time hearing the
play.
This is huge in a situation
where they burn time-outs.
>> McNabb, third and 15.
Back to throw.
Steps up. Has time.
And he's gonna take off now.
And doesn't get the first down.
He's tripped up from behind by
Grant Wistrom.
>> All right, that's why you
need athletic defensive ends.
There aren't many defensive ends
that can make that play.
>> Nope.
>> Many defensive ends that can
catch Donovan McNabb from
behind.
Watch Wistrom.
He's gonna come right now.
McNabb has him.
And he's gonna come from behind
right there and catch him.
Two great plays in a row by
Grant Wistrom.
>> Landeta to punt.
Gets another one off the side of
his foot.
Dre' Bly signals "fair catch."
Makes it.
The Rams will have the ball at
their 44.
But there's a flag on the play.
>> Yeah, and it was right at the
line of scrimmage.
It's gonna be against the
Eagles -- illegal man downfield.
>> I would guess they'll decline
this one.
>> Ineligible downfield --
number 88.
That penalty is declined.
First down, St. Louis.
>> This is Faulk.
And there's no gain.
>> Well, Marshall Faulk has been
a big part of this Ram offense
the second half.
The Rams, in the second half --
they've gained 120 yards.
The Eagles have only gained 17.
The Eagles have had
3 possessions, 3 three-and-outs.
>> Guess who made that tackle.
Hugh Douglas.
>> Yep.
>> Been a sort of quiet day for
him.
>> Yeah, he hasn't done a lot.
I mean, the Rams have done a
very good job of run blocking
and a very good job of
protecting Kurt Warner.
>> Second and 9.
Faulk comes out of the
backfield.
And Warner drops.
Pass is caught, on the rebound,
by Ernie Conwell.
Well, he dropped the one right
in his arms.
This one, he got on the rebound,
juggled it, and caught it.
>> Yep. Here he comes.
You see, they have the crossing
pattern.
He's right here.
It's knocked out of his hand,
then knocked out of his own
hand, and then brought back in.
>> That's Caldwell on the
coverage.
>> ...Caldwell, and then the
second one.
And then he finally gets it.
So, I don't know if that makes
up for the 2-point conversion he
dropped or not.
But that one was right in his
hands and too easy, and then he
makes the tough one.
So, these are plays -- when they
happen in a championship game,
as I said earlier, you'll be
talking about these the rest of
your life.
>> Faulk on third and short.
Sets sail.
Marshall Faulk inside the 25, to
the 22.
Stopped by Brian Dawkins.
>> And there's Grant Wistrom's
mother.
And, you know, if you put a
mother on there, she would have
to be on, wouldn't she?
>> Yep.
>> I carry her book all the
time with me, Kathy Wistrom.
Her book is "The ABCs: What I
Learned About Raising Three
All-Americans."
But her son made two big
plays...
>> Outstanding.
>> ...on that last series.
And Marshall Faulk has made a
lot of big plays.
So, those are a couple guys that
will be on the All-Madden Team.
>> Faulk again.
Takes it outside.
Stopped by Carlos Emmons.
>> There's Damon Moore.
They're working on him.
Marshall Faulk just faked him.
I mean, he was coming over to
tackle him, and Marshall just
made a cutback.
And Damon Moore went for it, and
in doing so, I think his foot
just got caught in the ground,
because that was one of those
non-contact injuries, or a great
fake by Marshall Faulk.
>> Faulk has 144 yards -- Or had
144 before that last carry.
>> Well, I think if you're going
to start a team, you probably
have to take him with you when
you go out to start it.
>> That'd be a good starting
spot.
Here's Warner back to throw.
And chucks it out to Faulk.
And Marshall Faulk inside the
10, about the 8.
Rashard Cook brought him down.
>> You know, it's funny.
He's getting up right there.
And before the game, I was
talking to him right down in
that very spot.
And he had a T-shirt on, and it
was all dry.
And we were talking about the
game and all that stuff.
And I was thinking, "You know,
in about 3 or 4 hours, you
aren't going to look or feel
like you look and feel right
now."
And you talk about, you know,
everything that he can see.
I mean, he's looking all the
time and he knows when he can
get some more and he also knows
when it's all over, like right
there.
>> Amazing.
>> He's only caught 4 passes for
13 yards.
>> And that time --
>> But he's been the runner
today.
>> And here he is again.
To the 1.
>> But he still has that
patience and then that burst.
>> And that strength.
>> You know, a lot of people can
have it in the first, the
second, the third, but when you
can have it in the
fourth quarter, when the game is
on the line, that's when you're
getting everything out of your
tank.
>> He still has that core
strength.
>> Look at Marshall Faulk.
He's run 12 times to the left.
He's run 26 -- I mean, 7 times
in the middle, 7 times to the
right.
Made most of his yards to the
left side.
Well, that's pretty good balance
all the way.
>> Second and goal.
Faulk, with the second surge,
might have gotten in.
He was down.
Touchdown has been signaled.
And the Rams move further ahead.
>> I wouldn't be surprised if
this one's challenged, because
when you get at this point and
it's between this and you and
the Super Bowl, you have to
challenge anything, use any tool
you have.
If you have a challenge -- Did
that ball break the plane?
Yep, it looks like it did right
there.
>> Yes, it does, doesn't it?
>> But I still think you use the
challenge.
Watch his -- This is just doing
everything you can to get in
there.
You put your head down.
You drive, you turn, you spin.
You reach over backwards to get
that ball across the plane.
>> Wilkins's extra point is
good.
"I smell Cajun food."
That is available in
New Orleans.
>> I smell Patriots and Rams.
Look at that.
>> Amazing.
>> Yeah, but he's been amazing
all day.
I mean, it's one of those things
that we talked about earlier
that I think Mike Martz probably
told him before the game is, "We
have to win this.
Yeah, this is to go to the
Super Bowl.
And we're gonna put it on your
shoulders today.
Kurt Warner is a little beat up.
And he's not gonna be able to do
some of the things he normally
does.
But we need you today."
And I think they got him today.
>> 6:55 left to play.
The Rams' crowd I guess you have
to give some credit to, because
they made it very difficult for
the Eagles in the second half.
They were loud.
>> And the Ram defense made it
difficult for the Eagles in the
second half.
>> Mitchell.
Brian Mitchell chased by
Wilkins.
And out of bounds.
>> You look at the Rams' offense
and what they did in the regular
season, what they're doing
today.
You can see that their passing
yards are down today, but their
rushing yards are up.
And I think that that's the
difference between the Rams
we've seen during the regular
season and the Rams we're seeing
today.
But I think under the
circumstances, we kind of knew
this coming in.
>> First and 10, Philadelphia.
McNabb back to throw it.
The rush comes.
Leonard Little was there before
he could turn around.
>> Yep, we talked about the
speed of Leonard Little, and it
wasn't evident early in the
game, but it's evident right
now.
Here, he goes on a stunt.
You see Runyan has the outside
guy.
The tackle comes out there.
The guard and the tackle both
take the tackle, and no one
takes Leonard Little.
>> And he's in there in a flash.
Here's McNabb on second down.
Drops it to Staley.
To the 45.
Clock's running.
6 minutes -- just over 6 -- left
to play.
Andy Reid has done a heck of a
job, but, today, with the
injuries, particularly to
Troy Vincent, the Rams have been
too much.
>> And he hasn't gotten anything
going in the second half.
He needs two scores here, so you
have to get this one quickly so
you can start to work on your
next one.
>> Here's McNabb.
Right now, you've got to get a
first down.
Incomplete.
It was low to Chad Lewis.
>> They're gonna have to go for
it on fourth down now.
Again, you wouldn't do that if
you only needed one score, but
the fact that you need two
scores, you have to go for it on
fourth down in this situation.
>> 5:36 left to play.
McNabb having difficulty
hearing, and I'm not surprised
at that.
>> I think he's had difficulty
hearing all day.
That's the advantage of playing
at home and that's why you get
the advantage for having the
best regular-season record.
>> Here's McNabb.
Looking and throwing.
>> Whoa. What a throw.
>> And complete to Chad Lewis.
And that gets them the
first down.
>> I'll tell you -- that was
some kind of throw here.
Good pass protection.
McNabb has time.
Lewis is his tight end, who's
working.
Finds that hole in the zone.
Kind of pushes off number 52,
Tommy Polley.
Gets to the outside.
And McNabb hits him right in
that hole.
>> Here's McNabb.
Drops it out again.
To Staley.
>> Watch Brian Dawkins here,
hanging on the side-- "We got to
believe" is what he's saying.
>> Well, "We got to make
something happen and we could
believe a little bit more.
>> If you get a touchdown here,
believing is gonna be easier.
>> Draw play.
Staley.
Not enough for the first.
>> And, you know, you think of
the finality of this, and it
just makes your hands sweat,
because, you know, I've been
there, been on the sidelines of
these games.
And you know that this is it.
I mean, one of you is gonna go
to the Super Bowl next week.
One of you -- your season is
ended right here, and you have
to live with that feeling in
your gut for six months.
>> Third and 1.
And the Eagles check in with two
tight ends -- Thomason and
Chad Lewis.
McNabb has Staley deep.
>> I wouldn't be surprised if
this is a pass.
>> To Staley, who pounds it for
a first.
>> Yeah, I thought that that
would have been a pretty good
place to go play pass and try
and get that quick score.
Then, if you don't get it, you
could come back and run on
fourth down.
But Andy Reid calls the plays
and he's been calling plays for
a long time.
And, as you just said earlier,
he's an excellent head coach
and, maybe even more than that,
he's a heck of a guy.
>> He was talking about his
apparent girth yesterday, and he
said, "I'm not just a
head coach.
I'm two head coaches."
>> [ Laughs ]
What'd you -- That was a nice --
What'd you call it?
"Apparent girth"?
>> Yes.
You know where -- I'm sure you
do -- where Mike Martz gets his
offensive philosophy from?
>> Well, basically, it was from
Don Coryell, originally, I
think, and then Ernie Zampese.
>> Yeah.
>> I would think that if
Mike Martz has a guru, I would
guess it's Ernie Zampese.
>> McNabb throws.
And --
>> They're saying that's a
catch.
>> The Rams are not saying it
was a catch.
>> Yeah, but the official is the
important guy, and the official
said it was.
That is a catch.
>> Yes, it is.
>> Yep.
>> Gosh, you remember something
like that a couple years ago
here?
>> This is probably going to be
a challenge.
>> Delay of game on the defense,
number 59, kicking the football.
Half the distance to the goal.
First down.
>> London Fletcher kicked the
football.
>> You see and they're trying to
go hurry-up, and London Fletcher
gets in there -- You see what he
did?
A little street move.
Yeah, that's a street move.
You look one way, kick the other
way.
You never look at the guy you're
kicking.
You never look at the object
you're kicking.
You look the other way.
You give a head to the right,
kick to the left.
>> Well, you've got to be pretty
good if you don't miss it.
>> It's an old street move.
And I thought that the Rams
would maybe challenge that.
And, again, they can still
challenge.
You know, in the last 2 minutes,
they can't, but they can now.
>> 3:02 left.
McNabb has the Eagles inside the
Ram 5.
And McNabb drops.
And runs.
Cuts it down.
And McNabb scores.
Donovan McNabb makes it 29-23.
And now what do you do?
>> And now, I think, you just
kick -- I mean, if you get 23, I
think you kick an extra point
here.
Yeah, because they needed two
scores.
I mean, they get a 7, if they
get a -- I mean, they needed 12,
and there's no combination -- 8
and 3 -- that would get you 11.
>> So you'd still be a point
short.
>> Right.
And they needed two touchdowns.
>> Akers is good.
29-24.
>> With 2:50, you kick the ball
away.
Your defense is playing very
well.
The Eagles have all three of
their time-outs.
The Rams don't have any of their
time-outs, and that's why they
couldn't challenge on that last
thing, 'cause they had no
time-outs left.
But the Eagles have all three
time-outs.
Plus, you're gonna get a
time-out at change of
possession.
Plus, you're gonna get a
time-out at the 2-minute
warning.
So, I would say that they have
plenty of time, if their defense
can make a play.
Now, the Rams are going to be in
what we call an onside prevent.
>> Yep.
>> And this is a good situation
to kick the ball away in.
You look at the Rams, you can
see that they got their hands
team in there.
>> Yo Murphy is back deep.
And Akers is set to kick it off.
>> See, here's the hands team.
They're all up there short,
looking for the short kick.
I would just kick it right over
their heads.
>> I think I would, too.
And he does.
A line drive.
Yo Murphy is gonna retreat into
the end zone and down it there.
So, the Rams will have it at
their own 20.
It's first and 10 at their own
20.
Hang on to the ball, if you're
the Rams.
>> And they have to continue to
control the clock, because the
Eagles do have something going
now.
>> And it's Marshall Faulk.
Tackled in the backfield.
And, immediately, they call a
time-out.
Hugh Douglas made the stop.
>> Yeah, this is the thing
that -- You know, Marshall Faulk
still has to have some plays in
him.
They're gonna run with that
power to the left side.
You see Douglas take on the
block there, play off the block,
play off the second block.
And, you know, sometimes, you
think you can run at
Hugh Douglas, but, over the]
years, he's gotten pretty tough
to being run at.
>> There's Jim Johnson, the
architect of the Eagle defense.
Playing with a wounded unit
right now.
>> Yeah, you know, and he hasn't
blitzed as much today as he
normally does, because they're
playing pretty good defense.
I mean, they've kept the Rams --
Other than Marshall Faulk,
they've kept the Ram offense
under pretty good wraps.
>> The winner to play the
New England Patriots next week
in New Orleans, here on FOX.
And here is Warner back to throw
it.
Chased out of the pocket.
Throws back across his body to
Faulk.
Drops it.
So it's incomplete. Third down.
>> I mean, you were talking
about Jim Johnson, the defensive
coordinator.
He's done such a great job with
this Eagle defense all year and
playing with a wounded team.
Troy Vincent is out, and
Damon Moore, who's strong
safety, is also out.
But, see, the pressure here --
that's when you try and get to
Kurt Warner.
You know, you talk about throw
him out of rhythm.
That did.
You see he had the rhythm, and
he had to bring the ball down
and then back up again.
That's the rhythm that they're
talking about that you try and
throw him out of.
>> Here is the pitch back to
Marshall Faulk.
And he is cut down.
A fine tackle by Rashard Cook.
And it brings up a fourth.
The Eagles take a time-out.
>> And this crowd is really
quiet now.
>> Yep.
>> Look at this.
They get the crack, the crack,
the lead by Az Hakim right
there.
But look at all those white
jerseys around Marshall Faulk.
>> It's not over, not by any
means.
Brian Mitchell is standing back
deep.
>> Tell you -- Rashard Cook came
in there, you know, and took
that inside.
You know, you can either contain
or take the inside away.
And you know when you get
Marshall Faulk, you have to go
for something, and he went for
his inside leg.
That was a big, big defensive
play for the Philadelphia Eagles
and a big, big tackle by
Rashard Cook.
>> John Baker back, and
Brian Mitchell deep.
Just got it off.
Very, very close.
And here's Mitchell.
And he scampers out of bounds.
And the Eagles have it in pretty
good shape, at their own 45.
N.D. Kalu came very close to
blocking it.
>> Look at how close this is.
Let's look at it again.
I mean, that is Freddie Mitchell
right there.
>> Whoo!
>> Look at him come.
I mean, that ball looked like it
went under him.
Watch 84, Freddie Mitchell, come
through there.
>> Just barely got out of there.
>> His hands were almost on his
foot.
>> He thought he had it.
Pinkston up top to the left.
And here's McNabb.
The pass is caught.
And out of bounds to
Freddie Mitchell.
Only 2 or 3.
>> That was N.D. Kalu who missed
that, not Freddie Mitchell.
Here's the 5 points, right here,
that we talked about before.
One that hit the goalpost.
And then the 2 points.
And they kind of sit there for
you.
>> Second and 8.
[ Crowd cheering ]
The crowd trying to work up more
noise to make it as difficult as
possible for McNabb, and they're
achieving that, it appears.
McNabb signals, pats his left
side.
And that's where the ball goes.
To Duce Staley.
Whatever happens, it's been a
heck of a battle.
Third down and 7.
>> Expect Chad Lewis --
>> Here comes the blitz.
Here comes the blitz.
And McNabb fires high.
Incomplete.
Intended for Freddie Mitchell.
>> They brought Adam Archuleta
in.
And Duce Staley -- we talked
about the things that
Duce Staley can do.
He can run and he can catch and
he can also block.
And he really picked up
Adam Archuleta.
As a matter of fact, he put him
right on his back.
Well, this can be it.
>> Here's your trip to
New Orleans.
They make the first, the Eagles
stay alive.
They don't, the Rams and the
Patriots.
McNabb drops.
Here comes the blitz again.
McNabb drops away from it.
And throws.
Pass is intercepted by
Aeneas Williams!
He made the big plays last week.
He made them again.
>> He is right there.
He just trailed Freddie Mitchell
and got underneath him and then
made the interception.
Aeneas Williams -- that's why he
studies all those films we
talked about.
Marshall Faulk is going home, if
the Rams go.
He's from New Orleans.
So is Aeneas Williams, from
New Orleans.
Az Hakim is from Los Angeles.
Yep, the Eagles do have one
time-out.
>> Yep.
[ Whistles blowing ]
And they call it.
But that's not quite enough.
>> Donovan McNabb really, really
played well, you know, when he
got things started there.
>> Yeah, he started off a little
shaky.
>> Yep.
Had a good second quarter.
Not so good in the
third quarter.
And then he got it going again
and put a scare in this Ram
team.
>> Did he ever.
>> I still think -- I don't
think they've recovered from the
scare that this Eagle team --
And this Eagle team, you know,
can go with their heads held
high, because any fight that
they've ever been in all year,
they've hung in there.
I mean, they've done what they
had to and they've never been
out of anything.
And a lot of it is because of
that man right there, Andy Reid.
But the Rams -- you could see
them coming all year.
>> Pinkston.
Mike Martz.
>> Mike Martz has that thing up
in your head, you know, just up
above your eyes, when you get
that thing that you'll be glad
when this last whistle blows.
>> Faulk surges ahead.
Crowd wanted a flag.
Not to be.
>> Mike Martz was telling me,
Pat, before the game that he
feels there's more stress in
this game than there is in the
Super Bowl, because this is the
game that gets you to the
Super Bowl.
Then the Super Bowl, you relax
and have fun.
I don't agree with that.
>> You don't?
>> No. I've been in both.
Because you don't want to lose
the Super Bowl.
I mean, getting to the
Super Bowl is nothing.
Getting to the Super Bowl and
 winning the Super Bowl is a
thing.
>> Getting to the Super Bowl is
maybe nothing, but it's -- And
it's a sad day when you walk
away from there if you lose.
>> If you lose, then it becomes
nothing.
>> It becomes nothing, but it's
quite an accomplishment to get
there.
>> You know, the Eagles are
gonna get this ball back,
because there's gonna be a -- In
fact, they're gonna have to punt
here.
There's gonna be a change of
possession.
Remember, the change of
possession is the automatic
time-out.
Aeneas Williams -- look at his
day.
8 tackles, the 1 interception,
which was a big one, could be
the game-ender, and 2 passes
defended.
>> Aeneas Williams spent all
those years with the Cardinals,
where he knew and they knew
there was no hope to get to the
Super Bowl.
There were no thoughts of
Super Bowl.
>> But he said that those were
great years for him, and he
enjoyed those years.
And he said that maybe because
of those years, it lets you
appreciate this a lot more.
>> Well, he certainly -- Last
week and again with that
interception this week, he has
made his contribution.
>> Well, that was his fourth
consecutive playoff game with an
interception, which is a new NFL
record.
So, Aeneas Williams -- this has
been a big year for
Aeneas Williams.
>> And he sort of set the tone
for the other guys.
When Lovie Smith, the defensive
coordinator, came here and
insisted on how hard they work,
all he really had to do was
point his finger at
Aeneas Williams and say, "Work
like he does."
Brian Mitchell.
And Mitchell is swarmed on by
the Rams' coverage.
And now the clock stops with
3 seconds to go.
>> And so the Eagles are going
to get one more play.
No one told the photographers
the rule.
The photographers started to run
out on the field.
No one told them that change of
possession is automatic
time-out.
>> Nope.
>> They thought the game was
over.
So, we got one more excitement
left here, Pat.
>> From their own 35, the Eagles
will go with one more play.
29-24, the Rams lead.
It was not the runaway that many
people thought it might be.
>> McNabb's gonna have to throw
one about 65 yards here.
>> He's got the gun.
Here's Staley.
Now they're gonna lateral.
And the ball comes loose.
This one is over.
And the Rams go to
Super Bowl XXXVI under the
leadership of Mike Martz.
