McNabb Outplays Owens

With Terrell Owens watching from the sideline, Donovan McNabb turned ordinary receivers into big-time playmakers.

As for Owens, the most hyped homecoming in recent memory was totally ordinary: three catches, 45 yards, zero drama.

McNabb threw touchdown passes of 40 yards to Reggie Brown and 87 yards to Hank Baskett, and Lito Sheppard returned an interception 102 yards in the last minute to seal the Eagles’ 38-24 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

“This is a total team game,” said McNabb, who completed 18 of 33 passes for 354 yards. “It’s not T.O. vs. Donovan. All of us play together.”

Owens, who helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl in 2004 before last year’s bitter departure, was a decoy for most of the game.

He didn’t catch a pass until the third quarter -- then dropped the next one thrown to him, much to the delight of a crowd that showered him with derisive chants, insults and boos.

The Eagles (4-1) took the lead for good when McNabb connected with Brown on a flea-flicker pass with 9 minutes 13 seconds left that made the score 31-24.

DeMarcus Ware scored on a 69-yard fumble return and quarterback Drew Bledsoe scored on a seven-yard run to give the Cowboys (2-2) a 21-17 halftime lead.

But Philadelphia’s struggling offense turned it around with one big play. McNabb heaved a pass downfield that Baskett caught in stride before breaking a tackle near the Dallas 30 and streaking into the end zone for his first career touchdown.

Baskett finished with three catches for 112 yards.

Dallas tied the score, 24-24, on a 39-yard field goal by Mike Vanderjagt early in the fourth quarter.