Eagles Win Game, Lose Miller

The turf at the Vet was playable. The quality of the end zone surface was a mystery - until the final minute.

Seventeen days after Philadelphia`s first preseason game was canceled because of problems with the artificial turf at Veterans Stadium, the Eagles beat the New York Jets 13-12 Thursday night.

A.J. Feeley`s 16-yard touchdown pass to Sean Scott with 23 seconds left lifted the Eagles (2-1) to their second straight victory.

John Hall kicked four field goals for the Jets, including a 41-yarder with 1:48 left that made it 12-6.

Feeley, fighting with Ron Powlus for the third-string job, then led the Eagles 80 yards in 1:25. Feeley completed consecutive passes of 13 and 16 yards to Anthony Gray, and a 17-yarder to Tony Stewart before the score.

There also was a personal foul penalty against New York during the drive.

Despite heavy scrutiny, there didn`t appear to be any problems with the Vet`s new NeXturf field. But the end zones weren`t tested for the first 59 minutes.

The Eagles` game against the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 13 was canceled because players from both teams complained about uneven cutouts on the field.

Heavy rains softened the ground before the game and both head coaches agreed it would not be safe to play on it.

City officials solved the drainage problem by laying asphalt under some parts of the field covering the baseball infield. It worked - for one game at least.

The field has to be converted back to baseball for a Phillies game Friday night. Workers immediately began the process after the game.

Philadelphia`s starters played just one series, and the Jets` regulars left after one quarter.

Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb completed 4 of 6 passes for 26 yards. Running back Duce Staley had two carries for 35 yards and caught one pass for six yards. Staley, who went down with a season-ending foot injury last Oct. 1, saw limited action in the preseason. He ran six times for 61 yards.

Feeley finished 8-of-16 for 104 yards, one TD and one interception.

Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde played two series before giving way to Chad Pennington. Testaverde completed 3 of 5 passes for 19 yards. Running back Curtis Martin had two carries for six yards.

Eagles center Bubba Miller fractured his right ankle while blocking on a running play in the first quarter. The injury didn`t appear to be related to the surface. There was no immediate word on the severity of the fracture.

McNabb led the Eagles on an 11-play, 72-yard opening drive, capped by David Akers` 19-yard field goal that made it 3-0.

The Jets tied it at 3 on a 33-yarder by Hall late in the first that was set up by Shaun Ellis` fumble recovery. Eric Ogbogu sacked Koy Detmer to force the ball loose.

Akers` 40-yarder less than a minute into the second gave the Eagles a 6-3 lead. Tony Scott intercepted Detmer, then fumbled the ball, setting up a short drive.

Hall nailed a 59-yarder to tie it at 6 with seven seconds left in the first half. He missed from 51 yards out.

The game was officiated by replacements because the NFL locked out its officials following a labor dispute. The first flag wasn`t thrown until field judge Don Williams called a defensive holding penalty on Eagles` safety William Hampton with 7:23 left in the second.

Courtesy Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2001.

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Author: 6 ABC - Action News