Three question arise when viewing three past blowout victories.
Home vs Green Bay 2004
Donovan McNabb was on fire in the first half with five touchdown passes. This tied on NFL record for one half. After a 1-4 start, somehow the Packers won six in a row. Just how they did so with that secondary was amazing. Andy Reid slowed the tempo in the third quarter and settled for four field goals. Koy Detmer played in the fourth. A different strategy and more playing for McNabb might have made a difference. Four quarterbacks share the NFL record with seven touchdown passes in a game. Donovan might have tied and broken this record. I was not thinking about this at the time.
Home vs Detroit 2007
Nabb, Kevin Curtis, and Brian Westbrook were putting on a clinic and the Eagles led the Lions 35 to 7 midway in the second quarter. Detroit scored a touchdown but the Birds were moving the ball again. Donovan fumbled and lost the ball at the Detroit nine. The Lions then gave fans some anxious moments. John Kitna completed a pass to Roy Williams for a 91 yard touchdown. The score was now 35 to 21 but the Eagles came back. Donovan threw a 43 yard screen pass to Westbrook and the Eagles led 42 to 21.
Then Detroit was moving with the ball inside the Eagles 20. Sean Considine made a big defensive play intercepting Kitna's pass in the End Zone. Once again at halftime the Eagles led 42 to 21.
The score would have soared even higher without McNabb's fumble. Considine's interception broke the Lions momentum. Might the outcome of the game been different? The Eagles scored two second half touchdowns and won 56 to 21.
Away vs Washington 2010
All of us remember this night at Fed Field Ex Field.
The score was 45 to 14 at halftime . Washington, behind 35 to 0, scored two unanswered touchdowns, narrowing the score to 35 to 14. All concern was momentary as the Eagles got 10 more just as the second quarter ended.
Washington took the second half kickoff and moved for a score. 45 to 21. Warrick Calvin took the ensuing kickoff and the ball came loose. Getting a good bounce, Calvin fell on the ball. Had Washington recovered the fumble, might the game have changed?