Tuesday, January 09, 2007
NFL Playoffs: EAGLES SOAR TO VICTORY
David Akers' 38-yard field goal as time expired lifted the Philadelphia Eagles to 23-20 play-off victory over the New York Giants.
The third-seeded Eagles (11-6), who closed the regular season with five straight wins to earn their fifth division title in six years under coach Andy Reid, will face second seeds the New Orleans Saints next Saturday.
Tiki Barber, the Giants' all-time leading rusher who was second in the NFC with 1,662 yards in 2006, ended his career with a disappointing defeat after announcing last month that he would retire at the end of the season.
The Giants (8-9) rallied from a 10-point fourth quarter deficit as Jay Feely kicked a 24-yard field goal 10 seconds into the fourth quarter to reduce the deficit to 20-13.
The Giants tied the game as Eli Manning connected with Plaxico Burress on an 11-yard scoring pass with 5:04 remaining.
But Brian Westbrook upstaged Barber, rushing for 33 yards on Philadelphia's winning drive to set up Akers' field goal, who has now kicked 10 games winning field goals in his career, two in the play-offs.
Westbrook finished with 141 yards on 20 carries, including a 49-yard touchdown, while Barber rushed for 137 yards on 26 carries.
The third-seeded Eagles (11-6), who closed the regular season with five straight wins to earn their fifth division title in six years under coach Andy Reid, will face second seeds the New Orleans Saints next Saturday.
Tiki Barber, the Giants' all-time leading rusher who was second in the NFC with 1,662 yards in 2006, ended his career with a disappointing defeat after announcing last month that he would retire at the end of the season.
The Giants (8-9) rallied from a 10-point fourth quarter deficit as Jay Feely kicked a 24-yard field goal 10 seconds into the fourth quarter to reduce the deficit to 20-13.
The Giants tied the game as Eli Manning connected with Plaxico Burress on an 11-yard scoring pass with 5:04 remaining.
But Brian Westbrook upstaged Barber, rushing for 33 yards on Philadelphia's winning drive to set up Akers' field goal, who has now kicked 10 games winning field goals in his career, two in the play-offs.
Westbrook finished with 141 yards on 20 carries, including a 49-yard touchdown, while Barber rushed for 137 yards on 26 carries.
# posted by Eho @ 3:59 PM 
