McNabb Reflective About the Mistakes

He filled up the stat sheet with 357 yards, 30 completions, 51 passes and a touchdown with 1:48 left that brought everyone to the edge of their seats.

But only one number really mattered when Donovan McNabb scanned the final numbers after Super Bowl XXXIX.

“Three interceptions,” he said, then repeated himself. “Three interceptions. I don’t look at the touchdowns. As a quarterback, you want to make sure you take care of the ball. Turnovers. That’s all I can see right now.”

McNabb was the toast of Philadelphia two weeks ago when he led the Eagles to their first NFC championship in 24 years, but he struggled with the burden of bringing them a Super Bowl trophy.

The Patriots are being hailed as a football dynasty today because McNabb struggled early to find his rhythm, getting hurt by a swarming defense that rattled him more than once.

“I said all week that turnovers would be key, and today they were,” he said. “Turnovers can kill you. We don’t make those, and it’s a different story. But woulda, coulda, shoulda doesn’t do you any good.”

McNabb left Alltel Stadium on Sunday night with his head high, a slight smile, looking dapper in his three-piece suit. But the blood on his lip was a better indication of all that went wrong.

He took a beating.

He was intercepted twice by safety Rodney Harrison -- early in the first quarter and late in the fourth when the Eagles were in desperation mode in the closing minute. And he was intercepted early in the fourth by linebacker Tedy Bruschi. Another pass of his was intercepted by Bruschi in the first, but it didn’t stand because of a penalty.

“One got caught in the wind. Another slipped out of my hand, but I’m not going to stand here and make excuses. We lost the game. New England deserves everything they get today,” McNabb said.

McNabb was named to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl last month. He was the second-highest-rated passer in the NFC. And he became the first player in NFL history to finish a season with 30 or more touchdown passes and fewer than 10 interceptions. He silenced the critics who had been waiting for him to reach the Super Bowl.

Although one game didn’t make him forget the good times this season, it was hard to enjoy any of it Sunday night.

“We had a special season. We’re going to hold our heads high,” he said. “And we’re going to learn from this. We just didn’t capitalize when we should have early.”

He completed 30 of 51 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns. His last one was a 30-yard strike to backup wide receiver Greg Lewis, pulling the Eagles to within three points.

McNabb gave the Eagles a 7-0 lead with his first touchdown, a six-yard pass to L.J. Smith. He tied the score at 14-14 in the third quarter with his second touchdown pass, 10 yards to Brian Westbrook.

“Donovan was cool and calm as usual, but it just took him awhile to get it going today,” Smith said. “He wasn’t frustrated, but he didn’t have his usual rhythm early. It just took a little time.”