"This team prepared for us, and they took it to another level," McNabb said. "It's close in this division now, just like it is in every division."
McNabb completed 15 of 27 throws but had only 92 passing yards, settling repeatedly for short dump-offs to Staley. McNabb rushed for 39 yards -- 33 on the game's final play after he was unable to make a desperation heave.
Tony Banks, left, and Ki-Jana Carter have helped key Washington's run from 0-5 to 5-5.
(John McDonnell - The Washington Post)
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| _____Game Ball_____
Who gets yours after Sunday's win?
What's your opinion?
Note: This is an unscientific survey of washingtonpost.com readers.
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_____Plays of the Game_____
In the fourth quarter, the Redskins' defense stopped two fourth-down plays in their own territory. Before Sunday, the Eagles had converted seven of eight fourth-down plays.
• On the opening play of the fourth quarter, Darrell Green broke up a pass by Donovan McNabb for Freddie Mitchell. Trailing 10-3, McNabb rolled to the right at the Redskins 33 and threw the ball behind Mitchell.
• With 9 minutes and 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the ball on the Redskins' 35, linebacker Kevin Mitchell penetrated the left side of the Eagles' offensive line and tripped up rookie running back Correll Buckhalter behind the line of scrimmage. LaVar Arrington finished the play by tackling Buckhalter a yard short of the first down.
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_____He Said It_____
"People were writing us off. But the thing about football is, it's not about other people. It's about you."
-- CB Darrell Green on the Redskins' turnaround
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Sunday's quote sheet
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_____By the Numbers_____
• 37:49: Redskins' time of possession.
• 8:55: Redskins' time of possession on their last drive.
• 1: First down in the first half for the Eagles
• 5: Consecutive three-and-out possessions to start the game for the Eagles.
• 1: Team that has won five consecutive games after starting the season 0-5 -- the 2001 Redskins.
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_____Next Game_____
Cowboys (2-8) at Redskins (5-5)
• Where: FedEx Field
• When: 4:15 p.m. Dec. 2
• TV: Fox
• Week 11: The Cowboys rallied late but lost to the Broncos, 26-24, on Thanksgiving.
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_____The Season in Photos_____
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Take a look back at Washington's 8-8 year, Marty Schottenheimer's first and last season with the Redskins.
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When McNabb used his improvisational skills to beat the Redskins late last season at FedEx Field, Arrington was out of the game, injured on the opening kickoff. Today the Redskins assigned Arrington to shadow McNabb and keep him from running. They seldom blitzed, and made certain their defensive linemen rushed McNabb in a disciplined manner. The Redskins didn't have any sacks, but the strategy worked.
"They knew we'd have a spy game plan," Arrington said. "I think they wanted to try to win the game by him sitting back there passing."
Davis had a 26-yard run on the game's first offensive play and was finding holes early, but headed to the locker room after hurting his back on the Redskins' second possession. Enter Carter, the former top overall draft pick who has become a reliable backup for the Redskins.
He broke free for a 13-yard run to get the Redskins to Philadelphia's 30-yard line on their third possession. Banks, off a play-action fake to Carter, connected with tight end Zeron Flemister for a 23-yard gain. On second down from the 5, Carter nearly was corraled for a loss by defensive tackle Hollis Thomas, but wriggled free and got into the end zone. Carter then handed the ball to his mother in the stands behind the Redskins' bench.
"I couldn't be happier for anyone on this team, given what he's been through," Schottenheimer said.
Said Carter: "I'm just happy to be back. I'm like a little kid now. Everybody wrote me off, but I knew I could still play and sometime I'd get a chance to prove it."
The Eagles' offense was doing nothing and was being booed by the crowd, but the Redskins were in danger of having only a seven-point halftime lead until an 11-yard completion from Banks to wide receiver Rod Gardner set up Conway's kick eight seconds before the break. The Redskins had an interception by rookie linebacker Antonio Pierce in the opening moments of the third quarter wiped out by a holding penalty on safety David Terrell, but shrugged that off.
The Eagles settled for Akers's field goal with 4:05 left in the third quarter after McNabb overthrew wide-open tight end Chad Lewis for a third-and-one incompletion from the Redskins 31.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Eagles Coach Andy Reid tried for a first down on fourth and three from the Redskins 33. McNabb rolled right but threw incomplete to rookie wide receiver Freddie Mitchell, who was blanketed by cornerback Darrell Green.
The Eagles' next possession ended with middle linebacker Kevin Mitchell and Arrington smothering running back Correll Buckhalter for no gain on fourth and one at the Redskins 35.
"Any time you stop a team on fourth down, that's huge," Arrington said.
After the second fourth-down stop, the Redskins held the ball for 8:55 to run all but 30 seconds off the clock. Banks, standing in the pocket against an Eagles blitz and squeezing his pass between two defenders, connected with Gardner for a 13-yard gain on a third-and-nine play. Banks passed to wideout Michael Westbrook for 11 yards for another first down, and Davis and Carter did the rest. After five weeks of finding ways to lose, the Redskins are finding ways to win.
"We know what we're doing and the product of that is we're getting more confident," Schottenheimer said.
