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Special teams of Eagles make Patriots look ordinary

Aug 23, 2008 - 2:31 AM By Mike Petraglia PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts (Ticker) -- Tom Brady and the New England Patriots' special teams were both missing from Friday night's preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Quintin Demps returned a kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown and rookie DeSean Jackson ran a punt back for a 75-yard score in the final two minutes of the first half as the Eagles easily handled the Patriots, 27-17, at Gillette Stadium.

The Eagles improved to 2-1 in the preseason while the Patriots are winless in three games without their starting quarterback.

In Super Bowl XXXIX, Brady faced off against Donovan McNabb, with the Patriots outlasting the Eagles for their third title in four years.

On Friday night, Brady did not dress and missed his third straight preseason game with a sore right foot.

McNabb, meanwhile, was sharp, completing 13-of-17 passes for 180 yards. He tossed a 7-yard touchdown pass to Jason Avant as the Eagles outscored the Patriots, 21-3, in the second quarter.

Matt Cassel struggled for the third straight game subbing for Brady. The backup was just 8-of-14 for 60 yards and was sacked three times. His highlight came in the second quarter when his deep throw to Randy Moss resulted in a Pass interference was called on Sean Considine.

The 47-yard play set up Stephen Gostkowski's 35-yard field goal, New England's only points of the first half.

But Demps returned the ensuing kick for a touchdown, shedding the tackle attempt of Gostkowski and outracing recently signed John Lynch down the right sideline for the touchdown.

After the Patriots went three-and-out and Jackson returned the kick up the middle for a score at the halftime gun.

Matt Gutierrez replaced Cassel and directed an 11-play, 71-yard drive, capped off with a 1-yard strike to Chad Jackson for New England's first touchdown early in the fourth quarter. He later drove them 99 yards for a second TD.

Patriots receiver Wes Welker, who tied for the league lead with 112 catches in 2007, injured his ribs fielding a punt in the first quarter and did not return. Philadelphia lost safety Brian Dawkins to an ankle injury and center Jamaal Jackson to a concussion.