Paul Domowitch's Eagles-Steelers report card

By Paul Domowitch, Daily News Staff Writer
Posted: October 08, 2012

Here is Paul Domowitch's report card from the Eagles' loss against the Steelers. Click here to enter your grades. We will publish the results in Tuesday's Daily News.

RUSHING OFFENSE: LeSean McCoy finished with his lowest rushing total (53 yards) and second lowest yards-per-carry average (3.3) of the season. He had two runs longer than 6 yards (8, 10), but did have six rushing first downs and converted four of five short-yardage situations (2 yards or less).

Grade: C-plus

PASSING OFFENSE: Michael Vick ran his season turnover count to a disturbing 11 with a pair of first-half fumbles, including one at the Pittsburgh 1-line. After a shaky first half, he had a solid second half, completing 13 of 18 passes and throwing two touchdown passes, including a 2-yarder to tight end Brent Celek with 6:33 left in the game that gave the Eagles the lead. Celek had just two other receptions for seven yards.

Grade: C-plus

RUN DEFENSE: The Eagles gave up a season-high 136 rushing yards to the Steelers, including 96 in the second half, as well as a season-high seven rushing first downs. Rashard Mendenhall, in his first game back from an ACL injury, averaged 5.8 yards per carry. Rookie linebacker Mychal Kendricks had a costly missed tackle on Mendenhall on his 13-yard second-quarter touchdown run.

Grade: C-minus

PASS DEFENSE: Overall, the Eagles did a good job against the Steelers' passing games, holding Ben Roethlisberger to .568 completion percentage and just 5.6 yards per attempt. But they came up short on two plays on the Steelers' game-winning drive, allowing a 20-yard completion to Antonio Brown on a third-and-12 and getting burned on a 15-yard screen to Rashard Mendenhall on second and seven. For the second game in a row, the Eagles had no sacks.

Grade: B-minus

SPECIAL TEAMS: The Eagles gave up another long kickoff return - a 44-yarder to Chris Rainey - in the third quarter. But at least it didn't come back to bite them. Damaris Johnson had his longest punt return of the season, a 13-yarder, but the return units continued to be largely unproductive. PK Alex Henery had just his fifth touchback of the season and Mat McBriar averaged 44.0 yards per attempt.

Grade: B-minus

OVERALL: Michael Vick's turnover problems continue to overshadow all else. With his three fumbles Sunday, he's already turned the ball over 11 times in five games, including three in the red zone and eight on the other side of the 50. Despite all of those turnovers, the defense held an opponent to 17 points or less for the third time in five games. But for the first time this season, they couldn't hold at the end, allowing the Steelers to drive 63 yards in 14 plays for a game-winning field goal.

Grade: C

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