NFL Recap (Detroit-Philadelphia)
Posted: Sun November 8, 1998 at 6:34 p.m. EST
PHILADELPHIA 10, DETROIT 9
PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Charlie Garner rushed for
a career-high 129 yards and scored the game's lone touchdown as the Philadelphia Eagles held
off the Detroit Lions,
10-9, as Jason Hanson's
potential game-winning field-goal attempt fell just short.
Hanson, who accounted for all of Detroit's points with three field
goals, attempted a 58-yarder with just 31 seconds remaining. The kick was
on target, but fell several yards short of the crossbar, as Detroit (2-7)
dropped its third straight.
"I felt we committed more to the run today than we did all year," said
Philadelphia coach Ray Rhodes. "We talked to our offensive linemen all
week and let them know that we were going to run the ball a little bit more
than normal."
Garner, who carried the ball 16 times, took off on a 40-yard jaunt
early in the second quarter to set up his three-yard TD run with 12:09
remaining. Garner's 100-yard effort was the first on the season for
Philadelphia.
Garner's previous career high was a 112-yard effort against the Washington Redskins on
October 9th, 1994.
"We came out knowing we were going to run the football," said Garner.
"It had been very frustrating this season with the way I've been playing.
But I was getting used to what the offensive line was doing and the schemes
that they were doing up front. I was being patient and reading my blocks
today."
Duce Staley had 89
yards on 17 carries for the Eagles (2-7) and caught seven passes for 33
yards, including receptions of 14 and 12 yards on a drive which culminated
in Chris Boniol's
39-yard field goal which put Philadelphia ahead for good with 10:48
remaining in the fourth quarter.
Barry Sanders
continued his assault on the record books, carrying 20 times for 140 yards
giving him 1,012 yards on the season. Sanders extended his NFL record of
consecutive seasons with 1,000 rushing yards to 10. No other back in
league history has accomplished the feat in more than seven straight
seasons.
Sanders also passed Jerry Rice for third place
on the all-purpose yardage list with 17,780.
"What happens, you just try and focus on what's going on right now,"
said Sanders. "Try to win. Trying to play a decent game. That's where I
put my energy and my focus right now...at this point, we're all just
suffering through it."
After being held to just 33 yards in the first half, Sanders exploded
for 93 in the third quarter alone, including a 44-yard jaunt which set up
Hanson's 35-yard field goal to give the Lions their first lead, 9-7, with
14:21 remaining. Hanson also connected on kicks of 48 and 41 yards.
Detroit rookie Charlie
Batch completed 14-of-27 passes for 146 yards and did not throw an
interception. He was benched for throwing three picks in the Lions loss to
Arizona last week.
Bobby Hoying
started for injured Philadelphia starter Rodney Peete and completed
15-of-21 for 97 yards and avoided making the big mistake, despite being
sacked five times.
"You got to give this win to Duce, Charlie and the guys up front,"
said Hoying. "The defense played great. We had a real conservative game
plan. We knew they had a young quarterback as well. We didn't want to make
any mistakes. That's how it turned out. The defense, at the end, did an
unbelievable job.
The Eagles dominated the first half of play, outrushing the Lions,
139-35, while holding the ball for over 19 minutes. Philadelphia finished
with a 219-146 edge on the ground.
Linebacker Hugh
Douglas had 2 1/2 of the Eagles' five sacks, giving him a career-high
12 for the season. Douglas had 10 sacks as a rookie for the New York Jets in 1995.
Douglas chased Batch all over the field on Detroit's final drive and
combined with defensive end Al Wallace to nail Batch
at the Eagles' 40 with under a minute to play, extending Hanson's effort.
Irving Fryar caught
two passes for the Eagles, thrusting him past James Lofton and into seventh
place on the all-time receptions list with 765.
Terry Fair's
61-yard kickoff return after Garner's touchdown, set up Hanson's 41-yard
field goal, as the Lions pulled within 7-3 with 10:32 left in the half.
Hanson connected from 48 yards out to cap a 10 play, 51-yard drive
with 6:54 left in the third quarter, which cut the deficit to one. After
Hanson put Detroit ahead with 14:21 remaining, the Eagles embarked on a six
play, 41-yard drive culminating in Boniol's field goal.
The Lions were victimized by eight penalties for 63 yards, including
four infractions on their final drive.
"I'm not low," said Detroit coach Bobby Ross. "I'm ticked off. I take
the blame. That was terrible what happened out there today with us. We
shoot ourselves in the last drive. We got two holding penalties, a motion
penalty...You think I coach that stuff?
Detroit has lost four of its last five at Philadelphia, not including
a 58-37 loss to the Eagles in the 1995 NFC wild card game.
© 1998 Sportsticker Enterprises, LP
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