Eagles Smite Vikings

Duce Staley ran toward the back of the end zone, took a lob pass from Donovan McNabb and finger-rolled it over the goal post.

Everything worked for Staley and McNabb on Sunday, even their post-touchdown celebration.

Staley had 146 yards rushing and one TD, and McNabb threw three touchdown passes, and ran for another to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a 48-17 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. It was Staley's first start since injuring his right shoulder in Week 2, and just his third since going down with a season-ending foot injury in Week 5 last season.

"It was a great feeling getting back in the mix, getting touches," Staley said. "Coming off a serious injury, going through rehab, playing the first game then getting hurt in the next game, you start second-guessing yourself. It gave me a lot of confidence getting the start."

Philadelphia (5-3) scored on six straight possessions, including its last five in the first half. The Vikings (3-5) have lost two straight by a lopsided margin. Tampa Bay beat Minnesota 41-14 on Oct. 28.

Staley had 117 total yards in the first half. His 44-yard TD run in the third quarter gave the Eagles a 38-10 lead, and put him over the 100-yard mark for the first time since he ran for 201 against Dallas on Opening Day of the 2000 season.

"Duce had a lot of yards and it's a tribute to his toughness, and his resilience coming back off all the injuries," Eagles coach Andy Reid said.

Minnesota didn't score until Daunte Culpepper threw a 3-yard TD pass to Cris Carter with 5 seconds left in the first half, cutting the deficit to 31-10. A 29-yard TD pass from Culpepper to Randy Moss capped the scoring with 5:51 left.

The Vikings allowed six sacks, committed four turnovers, and had just 117 yards in the first half.

"This team is not competing the way I would like," Carter said. "If you go out there and scrap and fight and still get smashed, OK. But we didn't and that's upsetting to me."

Philadelphia had struggled on offense in recent weeks, averaging just 13.6 points, 12 first downs and 247.3 total yards in the last three games. They had 31 points, 19 first downs and 269 yards in the first half.

McNabb finished 19-of-29 for 223 yards, and Staley had six catches for 85 yards.

Culpepper was 21-of-35 for 285 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Moss had seven catches for 95 yards, but was visibly upset on the sideline during the first half.

The Eagles took a 7-0 lead less than five minutes into the game when McNabb hit James Thrash on a 14-yard TD pass. Staley started the drive with a 21-yard run.

McNabb made it 14-0 on a 12-yard TD run on the first play of the second quarter, capping a 10-play, 91-yard drive. McNabb had 37 yards rushing in the drive, including a 15-yard scramble in which he eluded two tacklers and juked Vikings linebacker Kailee Wong.

As he headed toward the goal post for his trademark basketball shot, McNabb was mobbed by teammates. He saw Staley, passed the ball and let him finish the celebration.

"I tried but got held up so I figured I'd take the assist and let somebody else score," said McNabb, a former point guard at Syracuse.

Gary Anderson's 43-yard field goal cut it to 14-3 early in the second. The Vikings got the ball at Philadelphia's 24 after Thrash fumbled, but lost two yards and settled for a field goal.

David Akers made it 17-3 on a 36-yard field goad midway through the second.

Hugh Douglas then sacked Culpepper to force a fumble, and McNabb connected with Thrash on a 17-yard TD pass for a 24-3 with 4:28 left in the first half.

Troy Vincent intercepted Culpepper on Minnesota's next play, and Correll Buckhalter ran in from the 1 to make it 31-3 less than two minutes later.

"We got character," Culpepper said. "We just need to get it done. Right now we're just searching for a way to win on the road."

Notes:
Minnesota is 0-4 away from home. ... Once-paralyzed former Penn State cornerback Adam Taliaferro was an honorary captain and participated in the coin toss. ... Moss still doesn't have a 100-yard game this year. He had 22 in his first three seasons. ... McNabb's final TD pass was a 4-yarder to Mike Bartrum in the fourth quarter. Bartrum has three career receptions – all TDs.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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Author: 6 ABC - Action News