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McNabb was injured, sources say Bruschi's Super Bowl hit left the QB gasping.
stevek
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Posted on Mon, Feb. 28, 2005
R E L A T E D L I N K S
• More on the Eagles
McNabb was injured, sources say Bruschi's Super Bowl hit left the QB gasping.
By Bob Brookover
Inquirer Staff Writer
INDIANAPOLIS - It was a hit by linebacker Tedy Bruschi that left quarterback Donovan McNabb gasping for air at a time when the Eagles were attempting to go into their hurry-up offense during their Super Bowl XXXIX loss to the New England Patriots.
According to two sources, McNabb said he was hit in the back by Bruschi as he fell forward during a broken play on which he unexpectedly received the snap from center Hank Fraley.
That play ended with 3 minutes, 26 seconds remaining in the game and the Eagles trailing, 24-14. After the play, the Eagles huddled and did not get their next play off until 2:55 remained, with seven seconds showing on the play clock.
McNabb, on a third-and-10 play, completed a first-down pass to Freddie Mitchell, then motioned for his teammates to quickly get up to the line of scrimmage. But as he was calling the play at the line, he began to gasp and had to motion his teammates back to the huddle, where video of the game clearly shows him violently coughing.
According to a team source, McNabb said he called the play in the huddle with hand signals. But 30 seconds elapsed between the first-down pass to Mitchell and the next play, a dropped pass by running back Brian Westbrook. That play could have resulted in a huge gain.
Though the 13-play drive ended with McNabb throwing a 30-yard touchdown pass to Greg Lewis that pulled the Eagles within three points, the game clock had just 1:48 remaining. The drive had started with 5:40 left.
With just two time-outs left after the touchdown, the Eagles opted to try an onside kick that was recovered by New England.
Had the Eagles gotten into the end zone 12 to 15 seconds before the two-minute warning, they almost certainly would have kicked the ball deep because they would have been able to stop the clock three times.
According to a team source, McNabb has been reluctant to talk about what happened on the Eagles' final touchdown drive because he does not want to sound as though he is making an excuse for the Eagles' Super Bowl loss.
Extra points. Even before Maurice Clarett registered horrendous times in the 40-yard dash at the NFL's scouting combine, the Eagles had no interest in the former Ohio State running back. One league source said he wouldn't be surprised if Clarett went undrafted... . The Eagles do not have any interest in future Hall of Famer Jerry Rice as a No. 3 receiver. Rice was released by Seattle last week. Rice, who was cut by Oakland in the middle of last season, did not have any receptions in his final three games with the Seahawks.
R E L A T E D L I N K S
• More on the Eagles
McNabb was injured, sources say Bruschi's Super Bowl hit left the QB gasping.
By Bob Brookover
Inquirer Staff Writer
INDIANAPOLIS - It was a hit by linebacker Tedy Bruschi that left quarterback Donovan McNabb gasping for air at a time when the Eagles were attempting to go into their hurry-up offense during their Super Bowl XXXIX loss to the New England Patriots.
According to two sources, McNabb said he was hit in the back by Bruschi as he fell forward during a broken play on which he unexpectedly received the snap from center Hank Fraley.
That play ended with 3 minutes, 26 seconds remaining in the game and the Eagles trailing, 24-14. After the play, the Eagles huddled and did not get their next play off until 2:55 remained, with seven seconds showing on the play clock.
McNabb, on a third-and-10 play, completed a first-down pass to Freddie Mitchell, then motioned for his teammates to quickly get up to the line of scrimmage. But as he was calling the play at the line, he began to gasp and had to motion his teammates back to the huddle, where video of the game clearly shows him violently coughing.
According to a team source, McNabb said he called the play in the huddle with hand signals. But 30 seconds elapsed between the first-down pass to Mitchell and the next play, a dropped pass by running back Brian Westbrook. That play could have resulted in a huge gain.
Though the 13-play drive ended with McNabb throwing a 30-yard touchdown pass to Greg Lewis that pulled the Eagles within three points, the game clock had just 1:48 remaining. The drive had started with 5:40 left.
With just two time-outs left after the touchdown, the Eagles opted to try an onside kick that was recovered by New England.
Had the Eagles gotten into the end zone 12 to 15 seconds before the two-minute warning, they almost certainly would have kicked the ball deep because they would have been able to stop the clock three times.
According to a team source, McNabb has been reluctant to talk about what happened on the Eagles' final touchdown drive because he does not want to sound as though he is making an excuse for the Eagles' Super Bowl loss.
Extra points. Even before Maurice Clarett registered horrendous times in the 40-yard dash at the NFL's scouting combine, the Eagles had no interest in the former Ohio State running back. One league source said he wouldn't be surprised if Clarett went undrafted... . The Eagles do not have any interest in future Hall of Famer Jerry Rice as a No. 3 receiver. Rice was released by Seattle last week. Rice, who was cut by Oakland in the middle of last season, did not have any receptions in his final three games with the Seahawks.
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YOU DA MAN!!!!
This sounds like a descpition of the Bucs from 96-01 - so anything can happen
<< <i> How many excuses are the iggles going to try and dig up? And why is this *still* a story? McNabb choked (again) and the Iggles couldn't win the big game (again)....even with their offseason moves (adding TO the the Freak) the Iggles still blew it!
This sounds like a descpition of the Bucs from 96-01 - so anything can happen >>
As great a coach as Dungy is, he never had the gall to make the decisions to push the Bucs over the hump and win the big game.
And unlike the Iggles, the Bucs HAVE THEIR RING!.
10. "Spent two weeks practicing the coin toss."
9. "Discouraged by half time show's lack of nudity."
8. "We were missing 'Desperate Housewives'--who could think straight?"
7. "We're overwhelmed by the awe-inspiring metropolis that is Jacksonville."
6. "Oh, suddenly referees are too good to take bribes?!"
5. "Who really wants to get Gatorade dumped on them?"
4. "Should have campaigned harder in Ohio."
3. "It's totally unfair, the Patriots are really good."
2. "Maybe being from the land of cheese steaks ain't a good thing."
And the Number One excuse for the Eagles losing the Superbowl...................
1. "When Tom Brady looked at us with those gorgeous eyes, we just melted."