Philadelphia Daily News from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 64

I PepDe Paipp3rQs MONDAY. SEPTEMBER 24, 173 Uorb Addorley On tfcw E9ls Intercept, force a fumble, sack the quarterback, whatever. But nobody did. There was an ironic twist to this. After showing so much of their five-back defense, the Eagles finally found themselves in a classic "prevent" situation, where they bad to have five backs, but they had only three able-bodied defensive backs at the time, so they had to go with an extra linebacker.

That could have been the difference. I understand Joe Lavender was out with bruised ribs. What Joe has to learn is that if you want to play corner-back in the NFL, you have to be prepared to play with pain. When you're hurt, you have to reach down inside yourself and find what it takes to keep going. I've never known a super-star who complains when he's playing hurt.

He keeps iLto himself and finds way to get the job done. JOE LAVENDER HAS an exceptional outside rush against the field goal attempt. Remember, he blocked one Confineed ea page SI they did. All of this was reflected in the way the Eagles' offense moved against the Giants, a team that was supposed to have one of the best defenses in the east THE EAGLES COULD have won it. In fact, they should have won it.

But they had to settle for a tie, because they couldn't come up with that one big defensive play when the Giants were driving for their final field goal. In a situation like that, somebody has to come up with the big play. Field and they were already looking forward to their game with Cleveland next week. Fellows like Spider Lockhart, Richmond Flowers and Willie Williams more or less confirmed this when I spoke with them after the game. BIT THAT SHOULDN'T detract from the Eagles' great effort.

They started off where they had left off in the second half last week against the Cardinals. They made very few mistakes. They maintained their poise. They had come to play football, and All Airing Ibe pre-season, I read and beard about what an awesome team the New York Giants have this year. But when 1 got my first live took at them yesterday at Yankee Stadium, they weren't nearly as awesome as I'd been led to believe.

The Eagles had a lot to do with that, because they simply refused to be awed. Of course, the Giants had something to do with it. too. I bad the feeling the Giants thought they had this game won before they went on the IMs Mot Gb TTdoi ilkh wd TTd (f c- By JACK Mc KINNEY NEW YORK Mel Tom doesn't claim to have a clock in his head, but he knows how much time was left on the scoreboard when he crossed to his own side of the line of scrimmage late yesterday in Yankee Sta- AS- i Eagles' Tsni SoUivaa joggles Reman Gabriel peas above fallen Giant linebacker Pat Heghea "I didn't know the exact score at the time of the kick." Tom admitted. "I thought the field goal had won it for them.

I felt a terrible letdown. But when I turned and saw the tie score on the board. I didn't feel that much better. "I have to wonder what's worse." Tom pondered. "Losing by SO points or having a game end like that." ON FURTHER REFLECTION.

Tom will cease to wonder. Losing by SO points is worse. Much worse. The Eagles should know. They've tasted both draughts of bitters.

Any resemblance between the team that swooned before the Giants on the wretched end of a 62-10 score last year and the team that came within a split-second (post-second?) of upsetting the Giants yesterday was only in the color of their uniforms. It was a day when the Eagles' offensive line put a hammering on the Giants' vaunted defensive line while springing halfback Tom Sullivan for 100 yards and one touchdown on IS carries. IT WAS A DAY when quarterback Roman Gabriel probed the seams of the Giants' xme defenses for 14 completions in 28 pass attempts for 227 yards and one touchdown, which at the time appeared to be the winning touchdown. It was a day when wide receiver Harold Carmicbael made good on his threat to "burn Giants cornerback Willie Williams by catching five passes for 103 yards and touchdown. It was a day when a traveling Eagles fan was overheard to remark in amazement.

"I still cant believe it. They had to come from behind to tie US'" it was a day that will do the Eagles a ton of good in the long weeks ahead, because they had to go out of Yankee Stadium believing in themselves, if not in the officials. "We came to play," said Sullivan, after tinned en page S3 Three seconds," roe Eagles veteran defensive end recalled. Tom is not the quickest guy getting down Into his stance, but he knows he was firmly settled ia it before Giants center Greg Larson snapped the ball to place kick bolder Tom Blanchard. TOM DOESN'T CLAIM to have memorized the rule book, but he knows the offensive line has to be set for a full second before the center snaps the ball.

There was no way." Tom insisted after Pete Goguiak saved the Giants' fritters after kicking that game-tying 14-yard field goal against the Eagles as the final gun sounded. "No way they could have gotten that kkk off in time for it to count." Every Eagle you talked to echoed Tom's conviction, but Gogoiak's field goal did count and the Giants have a 23-23 tie to show for it instead of what would have been a stunning upset loss for a team that was favored by as much as 17 points to have an afternoon of fun at the Eagles' expense. "Their offensive line was still moving when the ball was snapped." said wide receiver Harold CarmichaeL who was sighting down the line of scrimmage from the sideline. "Even if they did get the kick off in time, which I don't think they did. it should have been ruled illegal procedure." But there were 57.1.58 howling fans on hand for the Giants last game in Yankee Stadium and it would nave been only human for any official to be psyched out by the prospect of turning them into a riotous mob.

If that was a deciding factor, the world will never know, since NFL officials are not given to public recantation. mi Hegbce finds lying dewa ea the Job pays off with an interception ia the second quarter. 30(l(jj) Bstebas HeMins Detail An Pn -J-- ww-ww.