In a hard-fought game that dragged on for more than three and a half hours and wasn’t decided until the final minute, the Philadelphia Eagles proved that this year’s version of the team can win the tough games that last year’s “Dream Team” lost, beating the Baltimore Ravens 24-23.
It was a game in which much went wrong for the Eagles, from Michael Vick throwing an interception on the first drive to losing starting offensive linemen King Dunlap and Jason Kelce, and yet when it was over they had come from behind to win.
It was also a chippy game that the replacement officials at times appeared to lose control of: Pushing and shoving after the play was the norm, and tempers flared at several points.
But it was mostly a game in which the Eagles showed poise and resolve, falling behind 17-7 at halftime but coming back to dominate the second half. The Ravens’ offense fell apart late in the game, with Ray Rice becoming a non-factor and Joe Flacco becoming wildly inaccurate. Vick, meanwhile, settled down and became much more effective in the second half, throwing a 23-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Maclin in the third quarter and running for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Vick did have two interceptions and a lost fumble, but he also had 371 passing yards and 34 rushing yards.
The Ravens, who looked so good in their Week One win over the Bengals, now look like they have some problems on offense. And the Eagles are now 2-0, with back-to-back last minute wins to start the season.