Eagles Dominate Vikings, Cruise Into NFC Title Game

PHILADELPHIA – In the Eagles’ first meaningful game in nearly a month, the backups played like regulars and the supporting cast picked up the slack. Philadelphia wasn’t rusty at all in making its fourth straight NFC Championship Game with a 27-14 romp over the self-destructing Minnesota Vikings.Receiver Freddy Mitchell was the headliner. He more than filled in for All-Pro wide receiver Terrell Owens, who watched from a luxury box while nursing an injured ankle. He scored two touchdowns, and wasn’t a bit shy about congratulating himself for playing the part of team celebrity.“I’m a special player,” he said. “I’ve just got to thank my hands for being so great. I’ve just been chillin’, being patient, being humble. I knew my time was going to come.”The bigger question: Has the Eagles’ Super Bowl time finally come?Philadelphia, which has lost three consecutive conference title games, the last two at home, hosts Atlanta next Sunday. It’s the first time a team has hosted three straight conference titles.The Eagles (14-3) were in synch even though most starters barely played for nearly a month, and they didn’t lack for big-play offense or defense.The Eagles got plenty of help from the Vikings (9-9),who showed how they lost seven of their last 10 regular-season games to back into the playoffs.The inept Vikings weren’t exactly a test, but Michael Vick and the Falcons should be a more formidable hurdle.“Mistakes, penalties at the wrong time, taking some points off the board, stopping a drive, having a nice play called back,” said Vikings coach Mike Tice, rattling off Minnesota’s miscues. “We made some mistakes when we had a little bit of rhythm going.”While Philadelphia was getting two touchdowns from Mitchell, it also benefited greatly from Vikings errors:– An offensive lineman remaining on the field instead of Moss for a fake field goal, leaving no receivers to catch Gus Frerotte’s pass.– Several costly defensive penalties, including three pass interference calls totaling 78 yards.– Two damaging interceptions thrown by Daunte Culpepper, who had 39 TD passes and only 11 picks during the season.Mitchell got lucky on his second TD, catching a fumble by tight end L.J. Smith in the end zone.Under coach Andy Reid, the Eagles never have lost after a bye, and the regulars basically had three weeks of nonaction. It didn’t hurt, and Philly led 14-0 44 seconds into the second quarter.The Vikings gained more on one second-quarter play, a 40-yard pass to Marcus Robinson, than they managed in total before that. It sparked a drive that culminated in Culpepper’s 7-yard scramble to make it 14-7.But Minnesota immediately messed up again. J.R. Reed returned the kickoff to the Vikings’ 46, then Minnesota was hit for two pass interference calls. From the 14, McNabb found Smith over the middle, and Smith fumbled at the 4 when hit by Antoine Winfield. The ball shot directly to Mitchell, who caught it in the end zone for his second score.Moss, who was held to three catches for 51 yards, caught his first pass on the Vikings’ next offensive play, a 15-yarder. That sparked a drive to the Philadelphia 3, where Minnesota botched the fake field goal with Tice and his staff screaming for a timeout they didn’t get.

Eagles Dominate Vikings, Cruise Into NFC Title Game

Eagles Dominate Vikings, Cruise Into NFC Title Game

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