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Rookie QB Webb, Vikings stun Vick's Eagles

Dec 29, 2010 - 6:46 AM Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Rookie quarterback Joe Webb was very effective in his first career start, throwing for 195 yards and rushing for a touchdown, as the Minnesota Vikings stunned the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-14, at Lincoln Financial Field.

Webb completed 17-of-26 passes in the first Tuesday night NFL game since 1946. The contest was postponed Sunday night due to a major snowstorm that hit the Philadelphia region.

Brett Favre was unable to start for the Vikings after suffering a concussion in last Monday's loss to Chicago. Favre failed to pass his concussion tests.

"The coaches did a good job of making me comfortable," Webb said. "This is a big win. It's been a long trip and for us to get a win against a playoff team is big and we can try and finish out the season with momentum."

Adrian Peterson, who missed last week's contest, carried the ball 23 times for 118 yards and scored with 6:43 remaining for the Vikings (6-9), who won in Philadelphia for the first time since December 1, 1985.

Percy Harvin caught seven passes for 100 yards for Minnesota, which snapped a two-game skid.

"Just a great effort by our players," Vikings interim head coach Leslie Frazier said. "Just battling through the things they had to battle through over the course of the week and showing the resiliency that has been a hallmark of this team. [The Eagles] are a great football team. I can't say enough about our players attitude and approach this week. We have been through a lot and they deserve to be rewarded for their resiliency."

Michael Vick, who was selected to start for the NFC in the Pro Bowl, was contained all night long. He connected on 25-of-43 passes for 263 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Eagles (10-5), who were coming off an improbable road win over the New York Giants, scoring 28 points in the final eight minutes for a 38-31 victory.

Vick also carried the ball eight times for 63 yards and a score for Philadelphia, which is locked in as the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. The Eagles claimed their sixth NFC East title since Andy Reid took over in 1999 due to the Giants' loss to the Packers on Sunday. The loss by the Eagles handed the Bears a first-round bye.

LeSean McCoy rushed for 44 yards on 13 carries and caught four passes for 41 yards. Brent Celek hauled in 10 passes for 97 yards.

"We're a much better football team than we displayed tonight...much, much better," Vick said. "And we've all seen it. But it starts with me as the leader of this football team and the quarterback. I had an interception and two fumbles, two critical fumbles. It just goes back to being disciplined."

The Eagles' second possession of the game started at midfield due to a penalty on Minnesota for interfering with returner Jeremy Maclin. The Vikings were then called for defensive pass interference on the third play to give Philly the ball at the 26. Vick completed a 28-yard pass to Maclin on 3rd-and-15 before Clay Harbor made a leaping catch in the back of the end zone for his first career touchdown.

It was all Vikings from that point on. Early in the second quarter, Husain Abdullah picked off Vick at the Minnesota 14. But Peterson lost the football on the ensuing Vikings possession.

The Eagles failed to do anything with the turnover, but had a chance to extend their lead before the half. Philly had the ball at the Vikings 39 with under a minute left, when Vick fumbled on an Antoine Winfield sack. Winfield picked up the loose ball and raced 45 yards the other way to paydirt to make it 7-7.

David Akers missed a 54-yard field goal as time expired in the half.

The first play of the second half resulted in a 46-yard pass from Webb to Harvin. Visanthe Shiancoe hauled in a 23-yard pass on the next play to put Minnesota at the five-yard line. Rice seemed to make a nice two-yard TD catch, but replay showed he failed to control the ball while going to the ground. The Eagles forced the Vikings to settle for a 30-yard Ryan Longwell field goal.

Minnesota took over at its own 25 after forcing Philadelphia to go three-and- out. The visitors used a heavy dose of Peterson to get into Eagles territory. Peterson rushed for 30 yards over the first three plays to put the ball at the Philly 45. The running back then caught an 11-yard pass before Asante Samuel was called for a hit to the head on Sidney Rice, who had made a 16-yard grab. Webb finished off the seven-play drive with a nifty nine-yard TD run to give the Vikings a 17-7 lead with 7:03 to go in the third.

Philadelphia was driving on its ensuing possession, but Vick lost the ball again. This time around, Kevin Williams took the football away from Vick at the Minnesota 23.

The Eagles tried for another comeback with a 12-play, 53-yard march. Faced with a 4th-and-1 from the Minnesota 31, McCoy rushed for five yards. Maclin caught a 15-yard pass on 3rd-and-9 before Vick ran into the end zone from 10 yards out with 10:17 to play to cut the lead to three.

The Vikings, though, had an answer to put the game away. Webb orchestrated an eight-play, 60-yard drive. Faced with a 3rd-and-11, Webb threw a strike to Harvin for 19 yards. Peterson ripped off a 27-yard run on the next play to set up the visitors at the one. Peterson then found a hole on the left side and scampered into the end zone for a 24-14 lead with 6:43 remaining.

The Eagles had no magic left in them on Tuesday. Following a punt from each team, Philly took over near midfield with 1:06 left. The Eagles got to the 29- yard line before time ran out.

Game Notes

Minnesota holds a 12-9 edge in its all-time regular-season series with Philadelphia. The Eagles had won three straight and six of the last seven meetings in the set. Minnesota beat the Eagles for the first time since September 28, 1997...Akers, DeSean Jackson, Jason Peters, Samuel and Vick earned a spot on the NFC roster for the 2011 Pro Bowl. Peterson is the lone Vikings representative on the Pro Bowl roster...Jackson caught two passes for 32 yards.