Sunday’s match-up against the Denver Broncos should have been a time for the Eagles and their fans to rejoice. Denver is a good team, but the Eagles-with four NFC Championships since 2001-have what it takes. This was a game they easily could have dominated. Instead, viewers across the nation watched in despair as their beloved Eagles went down in shame. It was an embarrassment to players and fans alike. The game was a mix of offensive and defensive mistakes which resulted in one of the worst performances in Eagle history.

It all started off with one of the most atrocious first halves to date. From the get-go, it seemed the game would be reminiscent of the Oct. 9th game against the Cowboys. After losing the toss, the Eagle defense failed to stop the Broncos-a pattern which continued throughout the first half. From there, the Eagle's offense simply could not gain a first down. McNabb threw incomplete on almost every play in the first few series. With such poor performance one would think the offense would be handed over to Westbrook [who is Westbrook? back-up quarterback?], though he had yet to be seen. In addition, the Eagle's offensive line simply could not hold Denver's blitz and McNabb was sacked consistently. At the end of the first, the Eagles had a total of 14 offensive yards (Mile High Madness).

The poor performance of the first quarter eventually spilled over into the second quarter. The Broncos scored within the first three minutes of the quarter, putting them up 21-0. After going to Westbrook for the first time, the Eagles were able to capitalize for their initial first down (Mile High Madness). On the following play, though, a pass to LJ Smith would be intercepted and the Eagle defense would again have difficulty stopping Denver's offense, as they went up 28-0 (Mile High Madness). An abundance of incomplete passes, less-then Eagle-style defensive play, and several sloppy penalties gave the Eagles what was going to be a tough come back situation. It was simply atrocious. In the first 30 minutes of play, the Eagles allowed Denver to dominate for a total of 21 minutes (Mile High Madness). Going into the locker room, McNabb, with one interception, had yet to complete a pass, while the Broncos were sitting high with a 28-7 cushion.

Starting the second half, the Eagles emerged with a new, optimistic fervor. The third quarter was actually more characteristic of Philadelphia's game strategy than anything they have shown all year. While their opening possession of the second half brought two McNabb sacks, the Eagles were able to set up some plays on their second possession (Mile High Madness). After a pass to Owens, the infamous wide receiver was off down the sidelines for a 91 yard touchdown. The team regained a sense of hope: the Eagles were 13-0 in games where T.O. had scored. The feeling was reciprocated on the defensive side of the ball, where the Eagles were able to hold off the Denver offense. McNabb’s toss to Westbrook for a touchdown put the Eagles down by just seven points (Mile High Madness). Suddenly, it appeared as if there was a game to be played.

The third quarter saw the Eagles performing up to their ability; unfortunately, their optimism was short lived. The fourth quarter opened up with an interception in the end zone for a touchback. The play had an obvious devastation in the Eagles game plan. Soon after, the Broncos capitalized on two possessions and went up 42-21. Again, the Eagles failed to execute on offense, sticking to a sloppy throwing game which failed to put points on the board. The rest of the fourth quarter play resulted in failure to convert on crucial plays and a Tantum Bell touchdown to end the game [this sentence is poorly structured] (Mile High Madness).

In the end, it was a sad story for the Philadelphia Eagles. Not only did Philadelphia lose, they lost shamefully. The entire Eagle season thus far has been a catch up game, and this was no different. From the opening quarter, the Eagles allowed Denver to get away from them. If Philadelphia plans on being a playoff team they must change their game strategy and begin playing an entire 60 minutes.

[Good evaluation! The conclusion is especially solid and focused (as you draw out for the readers why the evaluation matters in a larger context). Some confusing sentences and a prevelance of Eagles-specific knowledge (non-identification of players, etc) draws away from the overall power of the piece, but an excellent paper, nonetheless]

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