EAGLES: The Birds mounted another successful drive, holding the ball for the rest of the quarter.
The Giants had the ball for just seven plays in the third period as the game changed completely in the Birds' favor.
FOURTH QUARTER
EAGLES: On the quarter's third play, on third and 11, McNabb hit Westbrook cutting from left to right in the middle of the field, and the great back took it to the house.
Drive: 6:01, 11 plays, 86 yards. 40-yard touchdown pass.
Eagles, 17-7
GIANTS: Again, the Giants went for it on fourth and 1. Again, Manning's pass fell incomplete.
Drive: 4:12, 9 plays, 42 yards. Ball turned over on downs.
EAGLES: In one of the most astonishing series in the Eagles' recent history, Westbrook was called on to run the ball 11 times in 13 plays. Only two pass plays were called - a completion to Smith and a breakdown that resulted in a 7-yard McNabb scramble for a first down.
With 2:09 left, Akers kicked a field goal.
Drive: 7:17, 14 plays, 46 yards. 34-yard field goal.
Eagles, 20-7
GIANTS: The Super Bowl champs had one last gasp in the waning seconds, with Manning hitting five straight passes to jump-start the drive. A pass-interference penalty on Joselio Hanson set up a 1-yard pass to tight end Darcy Johnson as the Giants kept breathing. Barely.
Drive: 1:54, 6 plays, 70 yards. 1-yard touchdown pass.
Eagles, 20-14
EAGLES: Carney made the obligatory onside kick, but Sheldon Brown covered it and McNabb knelt to end the game.
Drive: 0:15, 1 play, minus-1 yard. End of game.
FINALLY: Two things became obvious at the bleak, windswept Meadowlands.
First, the Eagles are a totally different team with a healthy Westbrook. It's hard to imagine a player in all of football who is more important to his team.
Second, the bitter tie in Cincinnati on Nov. 16 is almost certainly going to keep the Birds out of the playoffs.
for staff writer Don McKee at http://go.philly.com/askmckee or by e-mail at dmckee@phillynews.com.
