* Weakside linebacker Akeem Jordan, who was a big part of the Eagles' success defending opposing tight ends the second half of last season, gave up a 4-yard scoring pass to Patriots tight end Chris Baker.
* Donovan McNabb opened the Eagles' third possession with one of those worm-killers that his detractors so love. A quick throw to DeSean Jackson landed about a foot in front of the wideout. "A lot of balls I wanted back," said McNabb, who gave the first-team offense a C. "I saw what I was looking at out there, being able to recognize it and just kind of having an answer to it, and now it's just about completing the pass and continuing on with it. I thought we did some positive things but some things we wanted to get back." McNabb completed 11 of 18 passes for 103 yards.
* Winston Justice did a nice job of stoning Patriots defensive end Derrick Burgess and giving McNabb time to hit Jackson with a 9-yard sideline pass on the Eagles' first scoring drive.
* LeSean McCoy flexed out wide to the right side on Jackson's 9-yard run end-around on the same scoring drive. McCoy had 10 carries for 55 yards.
* Leonard Weaver showed what a difference having a good blocking fullback can make on a second-and-1 play on the Eagles' first scoring drive. He led the way on a 5-yard gain by McCoy.
* Left tackle Jason Peters gave up a sack late in the first quarter when Patriots linebacker Tully Banta-Cain easily beat him to the outside.
* The lack of communication by the Eagles' offensive line reared its ugly head on a sack of McNabb early in the second quarter. Peters slid outside to pick up Banta-Cain, thinking left guard Nick Cole would get defensive end Myron Pryor. He didn't and Pryor had a lane to the quarterback.
* Safety Sean Jones had the first miss of Julian Edelman on Edelman's 75-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter. Jones bought a fake by Edelman to the outside, which allowed the Patriots return man to cut inside and take it upfield.
* Rookie sixth-round pick Brandon Gibson got into the game as a wide receiver before first-round pick Maclin. Gibson entered the game on the Eagles' fourth possession midway through the second quarter. He caught a 6-yard pass from McNabb.
* New England quarterback Brady, playing in his first game in nearly a year, finished 10-for-15 for 100 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
* Eagles kicker David Akers missed a field goal in the final minute. He finished 4-for-6.
* Sixteen Eagles had at least one reception, with Eldra Buckley the team's top receiver with six for a total of 56 yards, plus a touchdown. Buckley also had 23 rushing yards and a TD. Both scores came in the third quarter.
- Paul Domowitch
