Instant Replay: Live Chargers-Eagles analysis

4:19 p.m. Final: Chargers 31, Eagles 23

That’s it. Donovan McNabb just found Chargers corner Antonio Cromartie in the end zone as time ran out as the Chargers fended off Philly to improve to 6-3 and pull into a first-place tie with Denver for the AFC West lead.

Before we start the hype for next week’s monster game at Denver, I’m going downstairs to get some postgame reaction.

4:14 p.m. late fourth quarter: Chargers 31, Eagles 23

Nate Kaeding just capped a 6:39 drive with a 29-yard field goal to put the Chargers up eight with :30 left. That just about does it. I’m not leaving for the postgame reaction just yet though.

4:08 p.m. late fourth quarter: Chargers 28, Eagles 23

Big big big first-down play from Philip Rivers to Legedu Naanee, who has been making plays all day. It sets the Chargers up with first down at the 15 with 2:15 left.

The Eagles have just one timeout left. If the Chargers don’t make a major mistake, they should be able to wrap this one up.

4:02 p.m. mid fourth quarter: Chargers 28, Eagles 23

We just heard Vincent Jackson’s name for the first time today on a 10-yard catch for a first down. Asante Samuel as shut him down until now.

The Chargers have the ball at their own 38 and Philip Rivers was forced to call a timeout on second down. The Eagles contingent is getting more and more vocal.

3:55 p.m. mid fourth quarter: Chargers 28, Eagles 23

Andy Reid found his mojo the Eagles have made this a ball game. Facing a fourth-and-four in the red zone, Reid decided to go for it and McNabb delivered with a strike to Brent Celek.

Three plays later and he found Celek in the end zone again to cut the deficit to five with 7:12 remaining.

The sun’s going down, the air is chilly and there are plenty of Eagles fans in the stands going back and forth with the home town faithful. This one feels like a playoff game.

The Chargers need an answer here.

On a unfortunate note, Brian Westbrook is out of the game with a concussion just three weeks after suffering one against the Redskins. That could be bad news.

3:43 p.m. early fourth quarter: Chargers 28, Eagles 16

That was the opposite of a long, clock-eating drive. San Diego just went three and out, complete with a bum-rush sack of Philip Rivers and an illegal formation penalty. Philly has the ball trailing by two possessions with 12:19 remaining. And they’ve been moving the ball with ease.

3:37 p.m. early fourth quarter: Chargers 28, Eagles 16

This one’s not over yet. The Eagles have moved the ball just fine today, and finally found a way into the end zone on a third and goal from the five. Donovan McNabb had all day on the play before finding Jeremy Maclin on a floater in the back corner of the end zone.

There’s plenty of time. The Chargers would be well-served to eat up some clock on this drive.

3:32 p.m. end of third: Chargers 28, Eagles 9

The Eagles are in the red zone again, thanks to a sideline circus catch from Jason Avant, who having a monster day with 129 receiving yards as Philly struggles. This is their fourth trip to the red zone. They’re still looking for their first touchdown.

3:23 p.m. late third quarter: Chargers 28, Eagles 9

What we’re watching here is a pair of 5-3  teams going in opposite directions. The Chargers look unstoppable. The Eagles are bumbling. Philip Rivers just connected with Legedu Naanee for a 20-yard touchdown in the back of the end zone — and there wasn’t a defender with 10 yards of the Chargers backup receiver.

Even when the Chargers didn’t make plays Philly helped them along with three big penalties on the drive. San Diego is better in every facet of the game right now.

3:15 p.m. late third quarter: Chargers 21, Eagles 9

Another red zone trip, another field goal for Philly. Stat of the day part III: Eagles play distribution: 34 passes, 10 runs

It’s pretty easy to figure out why they can’t score in the red zone with that kind of offense. An unbalanced attack has plagued the Eagles for years and is magnified today. When the defense doesn’t fear the run, it’s almost impossible to get into the end zone.

3:10 p.m. mid third quarter: Chargers 21, Eagles 6

The Eagles have been on the brink of busting a big one all day. I just thought it would be DeSean Jackson making the play.

Donovan McNabb just hit Jason Avant for a 58-yard catch and run to set Philly up in the red zone for the third time. So far, they have a pair of field goals. What will Andy Reid do here?

3:00 p.m. early third quarter: Chargers 21, Eagles 6

I can say this honestly for the first time all season. LaDainian Tomlinson looks great. I wrote him off for any kind of major production in this game, but he just owned the Eagles on San Diego’s opening drive of the second half, complete with a stutter-step, 20-yard touchdown scamper to give the Chargers a 15-point lead. He now has 81 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 15 carries.

The run set up another pair of milestones, which are racking up today for the Chargers great. The TD run moved him past Pittsburgh’s Franco Harris into second-place on the all-time rushing list and broke a third-place tie with Raiders great  Marcus Allen on the all-time touchdown list with his 146th career score. If feels just a little bit like old times around the Q.

2:53 p.m. early third quarter: Chargers 14, Eagles 6

Wow — a rare offensive pass interference call on a Jeremy Maclin pushoff set Philly up with third-and-20 at their own 35 instead of first-and-10 deep in Chargers territory. Huge call — sets the Chargers up with the ball at their own 24 after a Philly punt. Once again, the Eagles are right on the verge, but can’t seem to push through.

San Diego went cold on offense in the second quarter. Let’s see if they made any halftime adjustments.

2:40 pm. halftime: Chargers 14, Eagles 6

Stat of the game part II: After being dominated to the tune of 10 first downs to one through early in the second quarter, the Eagles have taken control of the football, and now have 11 first downs, while the Chargers still sit on 10.

They’ve also outgained the Chargers 188-149 on offense. But they haven’t gotten in done when it counted. Should be an interesting second half.

Related: 619 Sports halftime show

2:35 p.m. halftime: Chargers 14, Eagles 6

Chalk up another W for the Chargers red zone defense and another L for Andy Reid’s playcalling.

Set up with first-and-goal for the second time in the game, the Eagles called three straight plays that did not give them a chance to score. McNabb is finding big gaps in the secondary when he’s got real estate in front of him, but the offense clams up Jim Tressel style near the goal line. Philly looks a lot like the early season Chargers who made a habit of settling for red zone field goals.

2:25 p.m. two-minute warning, second quarter: Chargers 14, Eagles 3

Philly has made adjustments and figured out how to move the ball against the Chargers. McNabb is finding time for quick outs and screens: the latest went to Brian Westbrook to set the Eagles up at midfield.

DeSean Jackson has looked on the verge of breaking a big one for most of the game.  A touchdown here before the half makes this a much more compelling ball game.

2:18 p.m., late second quarter: Chargers 14, Eagles 3

Why why why does anybody fair catch a punt inside the 10? I’ll never understand how a professional football player thinks that’s a good idea. Jeremy Maclin just waved the white flag and caught a Mike Scifres punt at the five-yard line instead of giving it a chance to bounce into the end zone. Now the Eagles are backed up again.

That should be special teams coaching 101 (in high school), but it happens all the time at the highest level.

2:10 p.m., mid second quarter: Chargers 14, Eagles 3

I can hear the boos all the way from Philly. After a precision drive led by Donovan McNabb, the Eagles were set up with first-and-goal at the one. Three failed attempts led to an 18-yard Philly field goal.

Andy Reid — who is fresh off coaching away any chance at beating the Cowboys last week, did not throw the red flag on a close third-and goal run after losing a pair of bad ball-placement challenges against Dallas. He may have learned his lesson there, but the Eagles needed a touchdown — this game is in danger of getting out of hand. You absolutely have to go for it there.

2:01 p.m. early second quarter: Chargers 14, Eagles 0

So far everything is working for San Diego. When Tomlinson gets into the end zone with ease, the opposing team may be in trouble. He just scored on second and goal straight up the gut for a three-yard touchdown — something we haven’t seen from LT against anyone not wearing and Oakland Raiders uniform.

Philly needs to get something on this drive to pick up momentum. Stat of the game so far: First Downs — Chargers 10, Eagles 1

After moving past Thurman Thomas on the all-time rushing list earlier in the drive, Tomlinson reached another milestone with his 145th touchdown, moving him into a third-place tie with Marcus Allen on the all time list.

1:57 p.m. early second quarter: Chargers 7, Eagles 0… Tomlinson milestone

With his last carry, LaDainian Tomlinson surpassed Buffalo great Thurman Thomas to move into 13th place on the all-time rushing list. He’s run 8 times for 32 yards so far — a pretty good start, based on what we’ve seen from him this season.

The Chargers are driving, with Maclom Floyd making a big acrobatic catch (imagine that!) inside the five to set San Diego up for first and goal. Let’s see if Tomlinson can punch it in.

1:47 p.m. late first quarter: Chargers 7, Eagles 0

Michael Vick is in the building and DeSean Jackson just let him down. The embattled Eagles backup QB threw a bullet that was a little behind Jackson but very catchable. He didn’t catch it. It would have been good for a first down and a confidence booster for Vick, who hasn’t produced since his balleyhooed offseason signing with the Eagles. It’s a victory for dogs everywhere.

The Eagles ended up punting to set the Chargers up deep in their own territory.

1:36 p.m.: mid first quarter: Chargers 7, Eagles 0

The Eagles tried some trickeration of their own, but San Diego was ready for it.  A reverse to Jeremy Maclin at midfield was dead before it started and went for a 6-yard loss, pretty much putting and end to Philly’s drive. Shaun Philips, going up against replacement left tackle Todd Herremans (normally the starting guard) was already in the backfield when Maclin got the ball.

Watch that matchup as the Eagles are already feeling the effects of missing Pro Bowl starter Jason Peters.

1:29 p.m., mid first quarter: Chargers 7, Eagles 0

Trickeration! A direct snap to receiver Legedu Naanee set the Chargers up in the red zone with a 10 yard scamper and Philip Rivers took over from their, hitting Mike Tolbert for the opening score.

Good play calling from the sidelines. Misdirection will be key to keep the Eagles D from attack mode.

In the meantime, what must be the non family-friendly section took a page out of the Philly fan playbook and serenaded the Chargers down the field to the chant of “Eag-gles suck.” You stay classy San Diego — and clever.

1:23 p.m. Early first quarter, 0-0

The Eagles got absolutely nothing out of their opening drive and a 30-yard punt has set the Chargers up at the Eagles 40. Big field position win for San Diego.

1:19 p.m.: Early first quarter, 0-0

The Chargers came out slinging, with three passes to start the game — two to Antoino Gates. But the sack happy Eagles D (27 sacks; second in the NFL) put an end to the drive at midfield with a 12-yard sack of Philip Rivers shared by Chris Clemons and Victor Abiamiri.

San Diego can’t run and the Eagles know it. Look for a lot more pressure throughout the day. It’s up to Rivers to make quick decisions to keep the San Diego offense going.

Philly’s backed up inside their own five after a Mike Scifres punt.

12:45 p.m.: Pregame

Good afternoon sports fans. I’m setting up here at the Q and the Chargers fans already in the stadium are very intently keeping tabs on the the Redskins-Broncos game, which Washington leads late 24-17.

We’re about 30 minutes from kickoff here, and the San Diego faithful know a Denver loss (which would be their third straight) would set the Chargers up for a chance at a first-place tie in the AFC West.

As for the Chargers, they announced their inactives for the day, and they don’t include Shawne Merriman or Shaun Phillips. That’s good news for Chargers fans after the two linebackers sat out practice sessions late in the week with injuries. It’s bad news for Donovan McNabb, who is without starting left tackle Jason Peters. Look for the Chargers to attack McNabb’s blind side early and often.

The Eagles are also without leading tackler and defensive playmaker Akeem Jordan. Dangerous running back Brian Westbrook will suit up after sitting out last week with a concussion.

Key inactives for the Chargers include linebacker Tim Dobbins and center Nick Hardwick, who is suffering lingering problems from the ankle injury he suffered in the season opener at Oakland. Linebacker Kevin Burnett is back in action, but Brandon Siler will start in his place.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1:15. This a a key game for both teams involved in heated division races and sitting at 5-3. The winner gets a big leg up in the playoff race.

Check back in throughout the game for live updates and analysis from Qualcomm Stadium.

Jason Owens is the SDNN sports editor. Email: jason.owens(at)sdnn.com: Twitter

Tags: Andy Reid, Chargers Eagles, Donovan McNabb, LaDainian Tomlinson, Norv Turner, SDNN, Shaun Phillips, Shawne Merriman, SWRNN, Tim Dobbins

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 15th, 2009 at 1:07 pm and is filed under Chargers, Sports, Sports News . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.