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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Donovan McNabb and Brian Mitchell made sure
the Philadelphia Eagles made a statement.
|  | | Brian Mitchell's 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter helped put the game out of reach. |
McNabb threw for a career-high 311 yards and two touchdowns, and
Mitchell had a combined 290 yards as the Philadelphia Eagles beat
the Atlanta Falcons 38-10 Sunday night.
"I'm glad everybody was watching tonight because this team made
a statement," Mitchell said. "This isn't a place where you're
going to come in and run us over."
Mitchell tied an NFL record with his 11th career touchdown on a
return when he took a kickoff 89 yards in the fourth quarter.
Mitchell added an 85-yard TD run as the Eagles (3-2) moved into
a three-way tie for first place in the NFC East.
Philadelphia hasn't had a winning record this late in the year
since the end of the 1996.
"This is a team to be reckoned with," Mitchell said.
Atlanta certainly knows that now.
"They don't seem like the Eagles of old," wide receiver Tim
Dwight said.
McNabb, coming off a 222-yard, two-touchdown game against New
Orleans, completed 30 of 44 passes -- both career highs -- to 10
different receivers. He also ran for 57 yards.
McNabb had touchdown passes of 70 yards to Torrance Small and 11
yards to Charles Johnson as Philadelphia overcame a sluggish first
half marred by six penalties.
"We finally have all our receivers healthy so we're in
training-camp mode," McNabb said.
Atlanta's only touchdown came on a 70-yard punt return by Dwight
that cut the deficit to 14-7 with 4:31 left in the third.
The Eagles held Atlanta (2-3) to just 55 total yards in the
first half, but managed only two field goals.
McNabb then connected with Small on a 70-yard catch-and-run TD
and a two-point conversion pass that gave the Eagles a 14-0 lead
3:36 into the third quarter.
It was the longest play of the season for Philadelphia. Small
had four receptions for 122 yards.
"They rolled over to Todd Pinkston's side and left the middle
wide open. Torrance saw it and adjusted," McNabb said.
McNabb, the No. 2 pick in the 1999 draft, became the first
Eagles quarterback to throw for 300 yards since Bobby Hoying did it
against Cincinnati on Nov. 30, 1997.
"Donovan played well. He threw the ball down the field. He was
aggressive with his throws," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "I
don't think any of that would've been possible without the
offensive line."
Mitchell, who had a 72-yard punt return for a TD against New
Orleans last week, tied Eric Metcalf for No. 1 on the career list.
The 85-yard TD run was a career-best for Mitchell, who entered the
game at tailback when Duce Staley sprained his foot midway through
the fourth quarter.
"That kick return is something special," Mitchell said. "It's
what they brought me here for. The run is something I never
expected."
David Akers had field goals of 39, 38 and 19 yards for the
Eagles. Morten Andersen became Atlanta's leading career scorer at
561 points with a 48-yard field goal in the fourth quarter,
surpassing Mick Luckhurst.
Jamal Anderson gained only 47 yards on 19 carries as the Falcons
continued to struggle with their running attack.
Despite the return of Anderson, who missed 14 games last year
after tearing a knee ligament, Atlanta is averaging 75.8 yards on
the ground.
"They beat us in every phase of the game. I'm thoroughly
embarrassed," Atlanta coach Dan Reeves said. "There's no way we
can play this poorly."
Game notes
McNabb was 19-of-29 in the first half for 125 yards. His
previous career-best for completions was 20 against New Orleans.
... McNabb had completed a pass to nine different receivers by the
midway point of the second quarter. ... Anderson, who entered the
game with five fumbles, didn't have one Sunday. ... Atlanta, which
allowed eight sacks last week against St. Louis, gave up just two.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
Atlanta Clubhouse
Philadelphia Clubhouse
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