Eagles Are Airlifted to Playoffs

From being the second of five quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft to league’s most valuable player?

That’s what was being said about Donovan McNabb after he passed for a career-high 390 yards and four touchdowns Sunday to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to their first playoff berth since 1996 in a 35-24 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

The Eagles (10-5) continued their startling turnaround under second-year coach Andy Reid from a 5-11 season in 1999, and McNabb is the main reason.

“He gets my MVP vote,” said tight end Chad Lewis, who caught five passes for 100 yards. “It’s like he feels no pressure and is having fun. And we’re having fun with him.”

Standing outside his team’s locker room, Eagle owner Jeff Lurie gushed with praise for his coach and quarterback.

“We had to make two gigantic selections--head coach and quarterback--and we got it right in both cases,” said Lurie. “It’s great to be going in (the playoffs) with a team that’s only going to get better and better.”

McNabb had been praised primarily for his running ability before this game, but completed 23 of 36 passes with no interceptions, picking apart the Browns on two 98-yard drives.

“Maybe I answered some questions today, maybe not,” McNabb said. “We have 10 wins and that’s all that’s on my mind. It [playoffs] has definitely not sunk in yet.”

McNabb threw two touchdowns passes to Torrance Small in the first half and two to Charles Johnson in the third quarter when the Eagles opened a 35-14 lead.

“He was in a zone,” Johnson said. “He made great reads. One time I had to change my route and I was to go inside. I looked outside, and there was the ball, right on the money.”

McNabb had accounted for 74% percent of the Eagles’ total net yardage coming in and he raised that figure by getting 402 of their 431 yards.

“He was right on from the beginning,” Reid said. “There has been a lot of talk about him being MVP, and today I would have a hard time believing anybody’s better. When the pressure is on, he’s even that much better.”

The Browns (3-12) lost their fourth in a row, but for the first time in three weeks didn’t get totally embarrassed--actually leading, 14-7, in the second quarter. Doug Pederson, who started nine games for the Eagles last season as McNabb was being brought along slowly, was 29-for-40 passing for 309 yards and a touchdown.