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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Andy Reid has lifted his ban of the "P" word.
Now that they're in, his Philadelphia Eagles are free to say
playoffs as often as they'd like.
|  | | Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Torrance Small had back-to-back TD catches in the second quarter Sunday. |
Donovan McNabb passed for a career-high 390 yards and four
touchdowns Sunday as the Eagles clinched an NFC postseason berth
for the first time since 1996 with a 35-24 win over the revived
Cleveland Browns.
"We can say it now," said Reid, taking the Eagles to the
postseason in just his second year as coach. "We had goals, the
playoffs were one of them."
With the win, the Eagles (10-5) continued their startling
turnaround under Reid from a 5-11 season in 1999. McNabb is the
main reason for the Eagles' resurgence and it could be argued that
he's been his team's and the league's MVP this year.
"He gets my MVP vote," said tight end Chad Lewis, who was
McNabb's favorite target early and caught five passes for 100
yards. "It's like he feels no pressure and is having fun. And
we're having fun with him."
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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Question on the Eagles: Can the Eagles do damage in the playoffs without a go-to RB?
Donahoe: The Eagles continue to find ways to win despite not having a go-to running back. Quarterback Donovan McNabb has developed more quickly than anyone anticipated and he consistently makes plays both running and throwing the football. It would be difficult to imagine the Eagles going far in the playoffs without a consistent running threat, but based on what he has done this season, you can't put anything beyond the capabilities of McNabb.
Question on the Browns: Why did Chris Palmer use two receivers at quarterback?
Donahoe: This was an unusual move by coach Palmer. He probably did this because of the element of surprise and because of the injuries the Browns have suffered at quarterback. Going into the game, Doug Pederson was the only experienced and healthy QB on the Browns' roster. So coach Palmer was trying to get a spark by using receivers Dennis Northcutt and Kevin Johnson at quarterback. It was effective for the Browns, and to their credit they finally found a way to get some offense in today's game.
Tom Donahoe, ESPN.com's NFL analyst, was formerly the Steelers' director of football operations.
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Standing outside his team's locker room, Eagles owner Jeff Lurie
gushed with praise for his second-year coach and QB.
"We had to make two gigantic selections -- head coach and
quarterback -- and we got it right in both cases," Lurie said.
"It's great to be going in (the playoffs) with a team that's only
going to get better and better."
McNabb has been called a running quarterback, but it was his
pinpoint passing that did in the Browns, who used three
quarterbacks -- two of them wide receivers -- but couldn't keep up
with McNabb.
"Maybe I answered some questions today, maybe not," McNabb
said. "We have 10 wins and that's all that's on my mind. It
(playoffs) has definitely not sunk in yet."
McNabb, who spent most of his rookie season watching from the
sideline, looked like a 10-year while dissecting Cleveland's
defense. Instead of running at the first hint of trouble, McNabb
sat back in the pocket and picked the Browns apart.
He threw two TD passes to Torrance Small in the first half and
added two more scoring tosses to Charles Johnson in the third
quarter when the Eagles opened a 35-14 lead.
"He was in a zone," Johnson said. "He made great reads. One
time I had to change my route and I was to go inside. I looked
outside, and there was the ball, right on the money. You've got to
respect that."
McNabb had accounted for 74 percent of Philadelphia's total net
yardage coming in and he raised that figure by getting 402 yards of
total offense. He went 23-for-36 and also led the Eagles on a pair
of 98-yard scoring drives.
"He was right on from the beginning," Reid said. "There has
been a lot of talk about him being MVP, and today I would have a
hard time believing anybody's better. When the pressure is on, he's
even that much better."
The Browns (3-12) dropped their fourth straight, but for the
first time in three weeks they didn't get embarrassed. Cleveland
did commit four turnovers, but the Browns kept their fans
interested most of the afternoon and actually outgained the Eagles.
Rookie Travis Prentice had a pair of 1-yard TD runs for
Cleveland, which had been outscored 116-17 in its last three games
and 92-7 the past two weeks.
Amid speculation that his job might be in jeopardy, Cleveland
coach Chris Palmer decided it was time to open up the offense. He
used wide receivers Kevin Johnson and Dennis Northcutt at
quarterback along with starter Doug Pederson.
"We thought we could surprise them with some things we did,"
Palmer said. "I'm proud of how hard we played."
Pederson, who started nine games for the Eagles last season and
was McNabb's mentor before being waived at the end of training
camp, went 29-for-40 for 309 yards.
"We can try it (three QBs) again," Pederson said. "It keeps a
defense on its heels."
Several Browns dismissed reports that Palmer had lost the
confidence of his players.
"He hasn't lost the team," linebacker Jamir Miller said. "I
don't know who made that implication about Chris losing the team,
but they are completely wrong."
Game notes
This is the Eagles' first 10-win season since '96. ...
Lewis is the first Eagles TE to get 100 receiving yards in a game
since Keith Jackson in 1989. ... McNabb went over 3,000 passing
yards. ... Eagles rookie DT Corey Simon got one sack, raising his
season total to 9½. ... Prentice's seven rushing TDs are tied for
second most in a season for a Browns rookie. Jim Brown scored nine
TDs rushing in 1957. ... Philly's 6-2 road record is its best since
'91.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
Philadelphia Clubhouse
Cleveland Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Coach Andy Reid is proud of his Eagles, who reached the playoffs for the first time since 1996.
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All the hard work finally paid off for Donovan McNabb and the Eagles.
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