The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page E06

E6 www.philly.com THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER Tuesday, December 16, 2003 EAGLES 34, DOLPHINS 27 Week 14 Inside the Numbers Eagles at Dolphins. Dolphins Eagles Rushing first downs 9 8 Passing first downs 12 10 The Eagles and Dolphins have fared quite differently during the month of December over the last five seasons. Here is a comparison: 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Total Eagles 1-2 2-1 3-1 4-1 2-0 12-5 Dolphins i3 22. 32 23 (K 8-12 Penalty first downs 1 5 3d down efficiency 3-14 3-8 4th down efficiency 2-3 0-0 Total plays 71 57 Average gain in yards 5.6 7.0 Rushes 29 28 Avg. yards per rush 6.1 5.0 Passes intercepted 2 1 Yards per pass 5.3 9.0 Turnovers 2 1 Eagles 14 10 0 10 Dolphins 7 10 7 3 Dolphins Eagles 32:05 I 27:55 398 221 177 76 401 261 HH 140 5 60 All that and he can throw Freddie Mitchell's TDpass to Brian Westbrook showed off his versatility.

Up-Down Drill Todd Pinkston The much-maligned receiver ran his customary deep pattern to start the game, and turned it into a 59-yard reception, the longest by an Eagles player this season. PUB iPV hI By Frank Fitzpatrick INQUIRER STAFF WRITER IAMI As his neat little spiral hovered in the air just above Brian Westbrook's hands, Freddie Mitchell seemed to be watching the ball with a combination of awe and contemplation. Awe because he is easily impressed by his own considerable skills. Contemplation because Mitchell, who has been known to describe even his 6-yard receptions in Can-tonesque terms, understood that this moment was going to require something positively elegiac. The third pass of Mitchell's burgeoning career left his hand early in the second quarter of last night's game.

When it landed in the waiting arms of Westbrook, who was in the Dolphins' end zone at the time, Mitchell had both his first touchdown pass and a tale with which to regale his quieter teammates for years. That 25-yard touchdown pass snapped a 14-14 tie and was perhaps the most spectacular play in a 34-27 Eagles victory over Miami last night that was positively packed with them. Mitchell's heaved highlight came with just over 11 minutes to play in the second quarter, on a first and 10 from the Dolphins' 25-yard line. Philadelphia's well-balanced offense had completely perplexed the Dolphins defenders from the moment Donovan McNabb and Todd Pinkston opened the game with a 59-yard completion up the rich, green heart of Pro Player Stadium's field. On this drive, for example, the Eagles had run three times for 23 yards including a 22-yard burst by Duce Staley and McNabb had completed three passes to three different receivers for another 27 yards.

That's typically when Andy Reid likes to spring the gadgets he cherishes nearly as much as a well-stocked buffet. He'd called Mitchell passes once in each of the wide receiver's previous two seasons. And though neither had been completed, he signaled another one in this significant late-season game. On this play, Mitchell sprang into motion and moved behind and past McNabb. When the Eagles quarterback took the snap, Mitchell retreated to a spot a few yards behind him.

McNabb turned and lateraled to his wide receiver, who suddenly morphed into a dropback passer. Looking a little like Dan Marino, the Dolphins' legend who was at the game to help honor receivers Mark Duper and Mark Clayton, Mitchell backped-aled five steps, spotted Westbrook in single coverage from Miami linebacker Zach Thomas, and unleashed his throw. At the last instant, as Westbrook awaited the ball in the end zone, Thomas, with his arms outstretched, took one last desperate lunge at the receiver. The ball floated just beyond his reach, into Westbrook's eager grasp. It was the second touchdown of the game and the 12th of this breakout season for the Villanova greyhound.

In response, Mitchell leaped into the air and pumped his fist, a celebratory gesture that brought to mind Mitch Williams' memorable jump at the conclusion of the 1993 Phillies' National League Championship Series triumph. In fact, Mitchell had been a centerfielder with a pretty fair arm during his college days at UCLA. He was good enough, in fact, to have been drafted twice by major-league baseball teams by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 47th round in 1997 and by the Chicago White Sox in the 50th round in 2000. He got con- James Thrash The Eagles' other starting receiver carried Dolphins cornerback Sam Madison about 20 yards after a catch over the middle late in the first quarter to set up the Eagles' second TD. Freddie Mitchell It was a great evening for the Eagles receivers, although Mitchell's shining moment came when he connected with running back Brian Westbrook from 25 yards out for the third pass attempt, butfirstTD, of Mitchell's career.

That's quite a passer rating for Mitchell. Brian Westbrook Twenty-one yards and a touchdown on his first carry of the game. He's fun to watch and a TD machine to boot. Troy Vincent The cornerback's Wisconsin buddy, Chris Chambers, got behind Vincent for a 38-yard catch that set up the Dolphins' first touchdown. Ricky Williams The Eagles have faced some of the best running backs in the NFL this season, and Williams proved he is among the elite with a rugged 45-yard run that helped the Dolphins answer the Eagles' second touchdown.

David Akers The placekicker's 46-yard field goal in the second quarter placed him second on the Eagles' all-time scoring list. Ron Winter The referee flagged Ike Reese for a personal foul when the Eagles linebacker ran into Dolphins punter Matt Turk. If Winter watches the replay, he'll see he got it wrong and kept a Miami drive alive that resulted in three points just before the half. Mark Simoneau The Eagles middle linebacker got burned by Miami tight end Randy McMichael for a 35-yard play that allowed the Dolphins to immediately get even at the start of the second half. Donovan McNabb The Eagles quarterback did everything he could to put the game away early, including completing 9 of 1 5 passes for 1 78 yards in the first half.

He also ran the ball with care and confidence. Correll Buckhalter Talk about your acrobatic plays. The Eagles running back looked more like a high jumper than a rusher when he bolted over a couple of Dolphins and soared over the goal line to score the go-ahead touchdown from 2 yards out in the fourth quarter. Bob Brookover nab a pass from Freddie Mitchell in RON CORTES Inquirer Staff Photographer the end zone as Miami's Zach Thomas tries to pull him back down. thrown his way.

"I never want to get off the field," he said this week. "I always want to help my team win. But we have great chemistry and we're winning, so we shouldn't mess with that." Besides, more passes to him might mean fewer passes from him. Brian Westbrook gets airborne to siderable playing time on a 2000 UCLA team that won the Pac-10 title and nearly reached the College World Series. He opted to stick with football, however, and it was that versatile athleticism not just his passing ability that led Reid to draft him in the first round in 2001.

It hasn't been until this season, however, that the coach and the quarterback have begun to look Mitchell's way. "He's doing a nice job," Reid a lot of water and fertilizer. He has relished the postgame question-and-answer sessions that have come after several fine performances this season. Mitchell caught two more passes last night for 30 yards, giving him 29 receptions on the season. Many have been over the middle and more than half of them have been for first downs.

Still, you can be certain he would like to see more balls said earlier this week, in what is effusive praise for him. "He's playing very well. I think Freddie would be the first to tell you that he can get better in a certain area. We ask him so often to work in space in the middle there. You're going to take some big hits in there and you know that.

He's fearless in there." Mitchell's blossoming on the field has seen his off-the-field personality blossom as well though, frankly, it didn't require Contact staff writer Frank Fitzpatrick at 215-854-5068 or ffitzpatrickphillynews.com..