Tonight was the first chance I've had to see the Eagles on TV, here are my thoughts from the game, as it happens.
- First defensive series
- Can't stop the run, again.
- 3 running plays, Considine winds up on the ground on 2 of them.
- Nice pass rush, swarming Roethlisberger. Trent Cole with a nice pick on a dying quail.
- First offensive series
- McNabb to Curtis for a first down.
- Westbrook with an interior run (let's get him about 3 or 4 carries and get him out of there)
- Dump off to Tapeh (this one works, unlike the playoffs last year)
- McNabb sacked twice on the opening series, Tapeh couldn't block a linebacker on the first, complete jailbreak on the second.
- Rocca pinned the Steelers inside the five on his first attempt, but it was called back because of illegal formation. On the second punt, he pinned them inside the 10. Both were high punts, giving the coverage team a chance to get down there.
- Second defensive series
- Excellent series. Stuffed the run twice, then sent the house on third and long, Considine threaded his way through and Roethlisberger threw it away.
- 14-yard punt, Eagles get the ball at the Steelers 20.
- Second offensive series
- No-huddle offense on the second play, McNabb from the shotgun. Nice little wrinkle.
- Avant over the middle for about 10 yards. They're still getting a lot of pressure on McNabb, even from the shotgun.
- Offense stalls on a dropped pass by Curtis at the goal line.
- Play calling so far: 4 run plays, 7 pass plays.
- FG Akers, no apparent problems with the Sav Rocca hold. 3-0, Eagles.
- Third defensive series
- The Steelers took advantage of the blitz with a couple underneath passes, then went deep to the tight end.
- Sean Considine loaded up and hit Heath Miller with his best shot. Miller still caught the ball and Considine just bounced off him. Not a good sign.
- Steelers, first and goal at the one.
- Fumble by Willie Parker, caused by Takeo Spikes putting his helmet right on the ball. Recovered by the Eagles. Good stand for the D. Gaither took on the lead blocker and opened it up for Spikes to make the play.
- Third offensive drive
- Deep shot to Curtis on the first play (4 run, 8 pass)
- Run to Buckhalter (5 run, 8 pass)
- Third-and-long converted to Reggie Brown (5 run, 9 pass)
- The first quarter ends on a Reggie Brown penalty, a fifteen-yarder.
- 24-yard pass to Schobel for the first down. (6 run, 10 pass)
- Buck with a nice run up the middle (7r/11p)
- Back to the no-huddle, another false start (their third of the game)
- A draw on 3rd and 9. Not shocking, especially with the way the rush got to McNabb on the first drive. (8r/11p)
- Rocca with a booming punt. The Steelers take over at the 5. Dirk Johnson cannot do that. He's averaging 49 yards on his two punts tonight, both inside the 20 with no return.
- Fourth defensive series
- 3 and out. Nice tackle by Gaither on a run, and good coverage by William James on a deep pass.
- Greg Lewis returning the punt.
- Fourth offensive series
- Run for nothing, low pass to Curtis, dropped pass by Reggie Brown. (8r/13p)
- Sav puts one into the end zone, barely. The coverage team had a shot at downing it.
- Fifth defensive series
- Nice push by the d-line. Bunkley gets the tackle for a loss.
- Screens and dump passes are killing the Eagles. The ends were sucked up the field and Willie Parker had way too much open space.
- Gocong looks like a monster. Much bigger than last year.
- It's funny, neither Michaels nor Madden has mentioned Jeremiah Trotter yet. They've talked about the LBs quite a bit, you'd think they would've at least touched on his departure.
- 22-yard gain to Santonio Holmes. Considine winds up on his ass, again. (That's at least 8 times in the first half)
- Parker goes 18 yards unmolested for the TD. 7-3, Steelers.
- Buckhalter takes a knee on the kickoff.
- Fifth offensive series
- McNabb's done for the night, Kolb is in. The first team offense with McNabb finished with 8 runs and 13 passes. Not a horrible split.
- Buckhalter picks up about 15 yards on two runs.
- Kolb's third-down pass is a little off the mark, here comes another punt by Sav.
- Not a great punt, but again, no return.
- Sixth defensive series
- Another screen burns the D. The LBs are getting eaten up by offensive linemen on the screens.
- Nice blitz by Considine on third down.
- FG Reed. 10-3, Steelers.
- Sixth offensive series
- Kolb goes 3 and out in the two-minute drill. Another punt for Sav.
- This was Rocca's worst punt of the night, but again, a fair catch, so no return.
- Seventh defensive series
- Two dropped INTs by corners tonight, Brown and James.
- FG Reed. 13-3 Steelers.
That's the end of a disappointing first half for the Eagles. I'll be back after the game for a more coherent wrap-up.
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