Bryant - Game Recaps

Philadelphia entered the Monday Night Football contest having wrapped up the NFC's No. 1 seed for the playoffs. As expected, the Eagles rested most of their key players, giving the game the feel of an exhibition. Running back Brian Westbrook was a late addition to the inactive list despite being healthy. Quarterback Donavan McNabb played just one series before being pulled. Wide receiver Todd Pinkston did not see much of the field after being listed as questionable with a knee injury. Tight end Chad Lewis played only the first quarter before departing with an injured tricep. Defensive end Jevon Kearse was in uniform, but watched from the sideline wearing a baseball cap. Don't count on any Philadelphia players for the Week 17 game versus Cincinnati.

Backup QB Koy Detmer played the second and third quarters before giving way to Jeff Blake in the fourth quarter. Neither Detmer nor Blake was effective. Detmer completed 1 of 6 passes for 5 yards and failed to move the offense - though it should be pointed out the Eagles were running on most downs. Blake was 4 of 14 for 41 yards, as he had more opportunities to throw, but he was running for his life on nearly every play as the Eagles went with their backup offensive line. Late in the game, Blake was sacked and fumbled because left guard Artis Hicks (playing out of position at left tackle for Tra Thomas) never moved when the ball was snapped.

Wide receiver Freddie Mitchell was the leading receiver for Philadelphia with a mere 2 catches for 28 yards. He scored the Eagles' only touchdown on a 7-yard pass from McNabb late in the first quarter. He was targeted just once by Detmer, in the third quarter, but was overthrown. Blake likewise missed Mitchell once in the fourth quarter before connecting for a 21-yard pickup with less than two minutes to play.

St. Louis Rams

With the desperate Rams facing an Eagles team that had nothing to play for, St. Louis decided the best way to attack was to run it down Philadelphia's throat. St. Louis had been averaging 98 rush yards per game, 27th in the NFL, but the Rams opened the game with a 1930s-era ground game: rushing 10 consecutive times on their first drive while not throwing a single pass. In the first half, St. Louis called 14 passes and 23 runs. For the game: 28 passes, 44 runs. The strategy was largely effective, as the Rams picked up 209 rushing yards, but they had trouble finishing drives.

Quarterback Marc Bulger started for the first time in three weeks and was fairly effective. He threw mostly quick slants and underneath coverage, rarely testing his arm with a deep ball. In the first half, he completed 9 of 13 attempts for 90 yards. Of his four first-half incompletions, three seemed to be caused by a lack of timing with his receivers. For the game, Bulger was 20 of 27 for 225 yards, with 1 touchdown and no interceptions. He connected with Isaac Bruce for a 7-yard TD in the third quarter.

Rookie running back Steven Jackson sat out the previous contest against the Arizona Cardinals, but had a huge game against the Eagles before hurting his right knee. Jackson opened the scoring with a five-yard run. He finished with 148 yards on 24 carries and the one TD. He limped off the field with 3:50 to play in the third quarter, then returned in the fourth, only to depart again with 9:30 left in the game. He watched the final minutes with an ice bag taped to his knee, though ABC reported the injury was "minor."

WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

Philadelphia Eagles

QB: Donavan McNabb (3-3-36 passing, 1 TD, 0 Int, 0-0 rushing). McNabb started the game, but sat down after Philadelphia's opening series. He capped the drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to WR Freddie Mitchell. It was to be the only score of the night for the Eagles.

Koy Detmer (1-6-5 passing, 0 TD, 0 Int, 4- -1 rushing). Detmer missed on his first 4 attempts. He was flagged for an illegal forward pass in the third quarter for throwing beyond the line of scrimmage. The Eagles seemed content to run the ball a lot and take time off the clock when he was in the game.

Jeff Blake (4-14-41 passing, 0 TD, 0 Int, 1 fumble lost, 1-8 rushing). The well-traveled QB got little support from the rest of the offense, as he appeared in garbage time.

RB: Dorsey Levens (10-44 rushing, 0 TD, 1-23 receiving on 1 target) Levens has rejuvenated his career in Philadelphia. He was productive when given the ball, even though the rest of the Eagle offense did little. His 1 reception and target came in the first quarter.

Reno Mahe (6-17 rushing, 0 TD, 1-5 receiving on 1 target). The second-year back from BYU was mostly ineffective. He picked up 16 of his 17 rushing yards on one late carry.

Thomas Tapeh (2-13 rushing, 0 TD, 2-15 receiving on 2 targets) The rookie from Minnesota was injured in the final minute and taken off on a cart strapped to a board. He later was diagnosed with a dislocated hip.

Josh Parry (0-0 rushing, 0 TD, 0-0 receiving on 2 targets) The fullback was targeted twice in the second quarter by Detmer.

Brian Westbrook (0-0 rushing) Westbrook was a late scratch.

WR: Freddie Mitchell (2-28 receiving on 4 targets, 1 TD) With his 7-yard scoring pass from McNabb in the first quarter, Mitchell recorded just the second TD catch of the season by a Philadelphia receiver other than Terrell Owens.

Greg Lewis (1-6 receiving on 6 targets, 0 TD) Lewis made his only reception in the first quarter, when McNabb was in the game. He dropped a third quarter pass and had two potential receptions in the fourth quarter broken up by nice defensive plays.

Billy McMullen (1-5 receiving on 5 targets, 0 TD) The second-year receiver from Virginia caught a pass from Detmer in the third quarter. He dropped a pass earlier in the third period.

Todd Pinkston (0-0 receiving on 0 targets, 0 TD) Pinkston was in uniform, but was not targeted.

TE: L.J. Smith (0-0 receiving on 2 targets, 0 TD) Smith was not targeted until the fourth quarter. He had one pass knocked away and dropped the other.

Chad Lewis (0-0 receiving on 0 targets, 0 TD) Lewis did not play after the first quarter. ABC reported he injured his tricep.

K: David Akers (1-1 XP, 0-0 FG) Akers made the only kick asked of him - a first quarter extra point. The Eagles offense never got into field goal range after the opening TD drive.

Pass Defense: Philadelphia's pass defense didn't do much, even though Bulger never demonstrated he could complete a pass more than 15 yards from the line of scrimmage. The Eagles did not blitz as often as they usually do, and collected just 2 sacks.

Rush Defense: The Eagles were unable to stop the Rams rushing game, allowing 209 yards on 44 tries, 4.8 per attempt.

St. Louis Rams

QB: Marc Bulger (20-27-225 passing, 1 TD, 0 Int, 3-7 rushing) Bulger played for the first time since getting knocked out of the San Francisco game Dec. 5 with a bone bruise in his right (throwing) shoulder. The St. Louis offense scored a total of 14 points in the two games Bulger missed. With Bulger back under center, they looked crisp on the opening drive. Bulger attempted zero passes on the opening possession and only 2 in the first quarter. Of his 27 pass attempts, only 3 were directed at running backs and 1 towards a tight end.

Jeff Wilkins (0-1-0 passing, 0 TD, 0 Int) The Rams' kicker threw a pass out of punt formation in the second quarter. It appeared to be intercepted by Dexter Wynn, but, in an unusual play, Philadelphia Head Coach Andy Reid challenged the ruling to gain 31 yards in field position on the incompletion.

RB: Steven Jackson (24-148 rushing, 1 TD, 0-0 receiving on 0 targets) Jackson looked strong and fast before departing with his knee injury. The rookie carried the ball four consecutive times on the Rams' opening drive, including a 28-yard burst on his first attempt. When the Rams reached the Philadelphia 7-yard line, he carried twice: for 2 yards, then a 5-yard TD on third and 2. His 43-yard run in the second quarter helped set up a field goal attempt that was missed.

Marshall Faulk (17-54 rushing, 0 TD, 0-0 receiving on 2 targets) In contrast to Jackson, Faulk looked a step slow. He averaged just over 3 yards per carry. His long run was a 12-yarder on the Rams' opening drive. Faulk was held without a catch, breaking a lengthy streak of receptions in games in which he has appeared. Faulk left the contest for a few minutes after taking a hard hit on the sideline by Ike Reese late in the third quarter, but returned when Jackson was injured. Faulk finished the game.

Joey Goodspeed (0-0 rushing, 0 TD, 1-4 receiving on 1 target) Goodspeed collected his only target/reception in the first quarter. He spent the rest of the game blocking for Jackson and Faulk.

WR: Isaac Bruce (8-98 receiving on 10 targets, 1 TD) Bruce had a big night despite a slow start. He was not targeted in the first quarter, but caught all 3 passes thrown his way in the second period. He made a nice adjustment on his third quarter touchdown reception, reaching back to gather in a ball thrown behind him by Bulger. Bruce fumbled on a reception in the fourth quarter, but St. Louis recovered. Bruce has 84 receptions on the year, his fourth career 80-catch season.

Torry Holt (7-75 receiving on 9 targets, 0 TD) Holt did not break any big plays - his longest catch was 16 yards - but he was very effective working underneath. In the fourth quarter, he recovered his own fumble, then later recovered Isaac Bruce's fumble.

Kevin Curtis (2-35 receiving on 4 targets, 1 fumble lost) The second-year receiver from Utah State had a 30-yard catch and run in the fourth quarter, but fumbled the ball away to the Eagles at the end of the play.

Shaun McDonald (1-9 receiving on 2 targets, 0 TD) The second-year wideout from Arizona State did not have a lot of opportunities in this game, as Bulger was looking for Bruce and Holt. McDonald's only catch came in the second quarter, and helped set up a field goal. McDonald might have had a second reception on that drive, but the pass was low.

Dane Looker (0-0 receiving on 2 targets) Looker was the target on Jeff Wilkins' pass out of punt formation in the second quarter. Bulger missed Looker later in the second period, forcing a field goal try that was missed.

TE: Brandon Manumaleuna (1-4 receiving on 1 target, 0 TD) Manumaleuna was questionable for the Philadelphia game with an injured groin. His lone target/reception came in the second quarter.

K: Jeff Wilkins (2-2 XP, 2-3 FGs) Wilkins missed a 44-yard field goal attempt wide left late in the second quarter, leaving the score tied, 7-7. In the final minute of the first half, he converted a 28-yard chip shot. Wilkins added a 29-yarder in the fourth quarter.

Pass Defense: St. Louis allowed just 74 net yards passing, including 1 sack for 8 yards. After Donavan McNabb departed, Philadelphia QBs combined to complete 5 of 20 attempts for 46 yards.

Rush Defense: St. Louis did a fairly good job against the run. Philadelphia rushed for 81 yards on 23 attempts, a 3.5-yard average.