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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Donovan McNabb beat Randall Cunningham at
his own game and in his old backyard.
McNabb threw for 228 yards and ran for 58 more, and David Akers
kicked a 32-yard field goal with 7:05 left in overtime as the
Philadelphia Eagles beat the Dallas Cowboys 16-13 on Sunday.
|  | | Kicker David Akers had a big day for the Eagles, converting three field goals, including a 32-yarder for the win in overtime. |
Cunningham, playing his first game in Philadelphia since his
11-year career with the Eagles ended in 1995, was just 14-of-22 for
109 yards. He ran nine times for 22 yards.
"He's a guy I idolized and watched throughout his career,"
McNabb said. "I tried to assimilate my game after him. I sort of
want to be on the same page he was on."
Philadelphia (6-4), which beat Dallas 41-14 in the season
opener, swept the series for the first time since 1990.
Dallas (3-6) took a 13-10 lead on a 27-yard field goal by Tim
Seder with 1:51 left. A 46-yard pass interference penalty on Troy
Vincent set up the score.
But McNabb drove the Eagles drove 54 yards in 96 seconds, and
Akers' 34-yard field goal tied the game at 13 with 11 seconds left.
McNabb accounted for all the yards on the drive, including a
19-yard run. He had runs of 17 yards and 23 yards in the
fourth-quarter drive that led to a game-tying touchdown.
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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Question on the Cowboys: At 3-6, are the Cowboys effectively out of
playoff contention?
Donahoe: The Cowboys certainly face an uphill battle to get back in
the playoff race. In all probability, they would have to win their remaining
games and finish at 10-6 to have a realistic chance of getting into the
postseason. The Cowboys should have won today's game. They appeared to have
things under control, but let it slip away in the fourth quarter.
Question on the Eagles: Is Darnell Autry the answer at
running back for the Duce
Staley-less Eagles?
Donahoe: Without Staley, the Eagles will continue to struggle with
their running game. Autry had a nice game today, but he is not Duce Staley. What the Eagles have
to do offensively is to try to utilize all the backs they have -- along with
running skills of quarterback Donovan McNabb -- to pick up the
slack of not having Staley.
Tom Donahoe, ESPN.com's NFL analyst, was formerly the Steelers' director
of football operations.
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"I had double vision watching him in the third and fourth
quarter," said Cunningham, possibly the best scrambling
quarterback to ever play the game. "I saw him running and making
plays, and I said, 'Wow, he's a very talented kid.' I remember back
when I was his age making plays here like that."
After Dallas linebacker Barron Wortham intercepted McNabb on the
opening possession of overtime, the Eagles got the ball back at
their 48 on a fumble by Robert Thomas.
Darnell Autry ran 5 yards, and McNabb completed three straight
passes, including a 22-yarder to Autry, setting up Akers'
game-winner.
Autry had 65 yards on 19 carries and caught three passes for 57
yards, including a touchdown. He did not get a carry in a 24-7 loss
to the New York Giants last week.
Emmitt Smith had 134 yards rushing, including a touchdown for
Dallas, which lost in overtime for the second straight week.
"We need to try and eliminate a lot of mistakes we make, and
until we do that, we're going to be a very mediocre team," Smith
said.
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Philly Feast
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Emmitt Smith ran for 134 yards Sunday in Philadelphia, which should come as no surprise. Smith averages more yards per game against the Eagles than against any other team in the NFL. In 22 career games against the Eagles, Smith has run for 2,112 yards and scored 14 TDs, and his career high of 237 yards came against the Eagles back in 1993. |
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YPG
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TD
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PHI
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102.1
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14
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WSH
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101.3
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22
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ATL
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99.3
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10
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GB
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94.5
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6
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* Minimum five games
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Cunningham, whose tenure in Philadelphia was marked by bitter
disappointment and playoff failures, received a mixture of boos and
cheers during his pregame introduction.
A sign on a railing above the first level near the 50-yard line
said: "Randall: The Great False Hope."
Cunningham, starting in place of the injured Troy Aikman, didn't
nearly resemble the same player who led the Eagles to three
straight playoff appearances a decade ago.
He threw an interception to Brian Dawkins in the end zone,
killing a long drive in the second quarter.
"I wasn't surprised to be booed," Cunningham said.
The Cowboys took a 7-0 lead on a 7-yard TD run by Smith with
4:42 left in the first. The play capped an 11-play, 40-yard drive
that consumed 6:16.
An interception by Darren Woodson and a face-mask penalty on
Autry gave Dallas the ball at the Eagles 40. The Cowboys ran the
ball on nine of the 11 plays.
Dallas drove 65 yards from its own 5 on seven runs and two
passes to set up a 48-yard field goal by Tim Seder that made it
10-0 with 1:58 left in the third.
The Eagles closed to 10-3 on a 34-yard field goal by Akers with
13:00 left. An unsportsmanlike penalty on Dallas cornerback Ryan
McNeil for taking his helmet off after an incomplete pass kept the
drive alive for the Eagles.
Philadelphia tied it at 10 on a 23-yard TD pass from McNabb to
Autry with 7:38 left. It was just the second touchdown for
Philadelphia in its last 10 quarters.
A holding penalty on McNeil nullified an interception by George
Teague, keeping the drive going.
Game notes
Dallas WR Rocket Ismail left the game in the first quarter
after injuring his right knee. ... The Cowboys have lost their top
receiver in three of the last four games against Philadelphia.
Michael Irvin sustained a career-ending injury last year, and Joey
Galloway had a season-ending knee injury in the opener. ... Eagles
DE Hugh Douglas recorded his career-high 13th sack in the fourth
quarter, and DT Brandon Whiting got his first two sacks of the
season. ... Akers missed a 40-yard FG on the Eagles' first
possession. He's now 15-of-17.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
Dallas Clubhouse
Philadelphia Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 ESPN's Ron Jaworski talks with Eagles' QB Donovan McNabb after defeating the Cowboys.
wav: 345 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Coach Dave Campo comments on the Cowboys' loss to the Eagles.
wav: 110 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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