In recent years more and more people have said Monday Night Football has lost the glamor it once had. It’s hard to deny though Monday Night Football has provided Eagle fans with some outstanding games over the years. During the Andy Reid regime the team has been no stranger to the prime time spotlight. In the spirit of Monday Night Football taking place this Monday at the Linc I took a few moments to rank my top 5 Monday Night games played under coach Reid.
5. December 4 2006: Panthers at Eagles
Final Score : Eagles 27 – Panthers 24
The 36 year old Jeff Garcia led the charge on this night playing for the injured Donovan McNabb who went down with a season ending injury two weeks earlier. Garcia’s first two games replacing McNabb resulted in losses and the birds had their backs against the wall coming into this one. The Panthers were a competitive bunch during this time led by Jake Delhomme at qb who back then was still considered a top qb in the league.
Garcia had TD passes of 8 yards to Brian Westbrook, 30 yards to Donte Stallworth, and 40 yards to Reggie Brown. The game was 
close all the way until the end. Brian Dawkins had a 38-yard interception return which set up a decisive David Akers’ 25 yard field goal with 3:13 to go. Lito Sheppard picked off a pass intended for Keyshawn Johnson with 25 seconds left and with that the Eagles were back in the playoff hunt.
The Eagles moved into a tie with Carolina, Atlanta, and the Giants for a wildcard spot and because of this thrilling victory the ball started rolling for this team. In improbable fashion Garcia led the birds to three straight road victories over division opponents followed by a win over Atlanta. The season concluded with a wildcard victory at home over the Giants and ended in a tough loss to New Orleans at the Superdome. But Jeff Garcia showed the city a fire we hadn’t seen in a while and this team had the talent to win it all with him at the helm.
4. November 25, 2002: Eagles at 49ers
Final Score: Eagles 38-49ers 17
Another Monday night game being started by an Eagles backup QB. Koy Detmer made his first start in three years and did a fantastic job throwing for 227 yards, 2 touchdown passes and even rushed for a score. This season was the second of 4 straight trips to the NFC championship for the birds but when McNabb went down with a broken ankle earlier in the season many thought this team was in serious trouble. Koy Detmer not only impressed but calmed an entire city on this night against a solid 49ers team that came into the game with a winning record.
The shame of this Monday night was Detmer never got to finish his brilliant performance as he fell awkwardly on his arm. He was loaded onto the cart and greeted by the entire Eagles roster and 49ers defense which all saluted him. This lead to A.J. Feeley who hadn’t thrown a pass the entire season coming into this game. He hit Chad Lewis for a 1 yard TD and the rest is history. Feeley went on to lead the birds to 4 straight victories and a first round bye where Donovan McNabb returned and lead this team to one of the most heartbreaking losses in Eagles history as the Bucs came to town and shut down the Vet.
3. November 15, 2004: Eagles at Cowboys
Final Score: Eagles 49-Cowboys 21
On this night we saw one of the most memorable plays in Donovan McNabbs tenure with the Eagles. Coming into this game the birds came off their only meaningful loss of the season at Pittsburgh. They clearly were motivated to rebound from that performance and they did just that. McNabb through for 4 touchdown passes including his magnificent play. It was 3rd and 10 from the Eagle 25 and McNabb spun away from a would-be tackler and sprinted to his right to only find another Cowboy ready to take him down. The quarterback scrambled back to his left being chased and finally heaved the ball up for the peoples champ Fred Ex himself Freddie Mitchell. McNabb actually held the ball for 14 seconds on that play and John Madden who was calling the game thought he was watching someone play his video game Madden NFL football.
Terrell Owens also left his mark on this game with 6 receptions for 134 yards and 3 touchdowns with his longest being 59 yards. After one touchdown he stood on the start in the Cowboy helmet in the endzone. The irony of it all was he would do that again a few years later in a Cowboy uniform and be cheered. The birds made a statement on this night and continued to roll all the way to the Superbowl where the Patriots dynasty could not be stopped.
2. October 22, 2001: Eagles at Giants
Final Score: Eagles 10 – Giants 9
It was the first appearance for the Eagles on Monday Night Football in a few seasons and it was by far one of the ugliest wins ever at the old Giants stadium where the playing surface was grass for a brief couple of seasons. Young Donovan McNabb threw an 18 yard touchdown pass to James Thrash with 1:52 left in the game to lead them to victory. New York had full control the majority of this contest but the Eagles defense came to play when it needed to. They held the Giants on four straight series to three and out and allowed just three first downs in the second half. Late in the game Jeremiah Trotter stripped the ball from QB Kerry Collins and was recovered by Brandon Whiting miraculously before it went out of bounds. The defense held the Giants to three field goals on this night by Morten Anderson.
This game had significant meaning for the Eagles as it was the first victory over the Giants in 10 games and put them on the map as a team that will be recognized for years to come as a force in the NFC. The birds rolled all the way to an improbable appearance against the greatest show on turf the St. Louis Rams in the 1st of 4 straight NFC title games. They took it to the Rams in that game but you had a feeling something special was happening to this organization and young Donovan McNabb was the answer we all needed in this town. Well a couple of heartbreaks later we’re still waiting for that answer.
1. November 15, 2010: Eagles at Redskins
Final Score: Eagles 59 – Redskins 28
On a night when former Eagle Donovan McNabb was rewarded a long term contract with Washington the Eagles spoiled the party in a major way. This game by far was the greatest showing of Eagles offense in the history of the franchise. On this night Vick became the first player in NFL history with at least 300 yards passing, 50 yards rushing, four passing touchdowns, and two rushing touchdowns in a game. It doesn’t get any better than that as a QB in the NFL. On the first play from scrimmage the Eagles set the tone with an 88 yard touchdown bomb to DeSean Jackson. From that point on it was the Mike Vick show. The Eagles led 35-0 after the first play of the second quarter. He completed his first 10 passes and finished 20 of 28. The Birds set a team record with 595 total yards and had 45 points after the first half.
The win was huge because it moved the team to 6-3 and into a tie for first with the Giants. It was a complete annihilation by the birds and one that the entire country had a chance to see. We all know how the season ended up but on this night Andy Reid and Mike Vick put the league on notice for what is possible when you have #7 at the helm.
