Instant Observations: Eagles Beat Ravens, 24-23

Here are my observations from the Eagles’ 24-23 win over the Ravens.

OFFENSE

* With 4:43 left in the fourth quarter, Michael Vick and the offense went 80 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown. Vick got in the end zone from 1 yard out.

* For most of the game, the story was a familiar one. The offense moved the football but turned it over four times. All were in Ravens territory, and three were in the red zone. One was a Vick interception across his body. Another was a fumble on the exchange from Vick to Bryce Brown. LeSean McCoy had his second fumble of the season in the second (he had just one in 273 carries last season). And Vick threw a second interception, looking for Brent Celek across the middle in the third.

* Vick was 22-for-32 for 371 yards and a touchdown. Celek finished as the Eagles’ leading receiver with eight catches for 157 yards.

* DeSean Jackson made a phenomenal 49-yard catch down the right sideline in the second half, taking a hit from the safety, but hanging on. Jackson had seven catches for 114 yards.

* McCoy had 25 carries for 81 yards (3.2 YPC).

* In the third quarter, Vick rolled to his left and found Maclin in the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown. It was the first time Maclin was targeted all day. Maclin got injured in the third, suffering a hip pointer (same as last week). He tried to come back in, but it was only for one play.

* The Eagles had 16 called passes and 19 called runs in the first half.

* Jason Kelce was hurt on a 9-yard McCoy run in the third. The Eagles called it a knee sprain. He did not return, and Dallas Reynolds replaced him. King Dunlap got injured (hamstring) in the third and was replaced by Demetress Bell.

* The Eagles only had to go 15 yards on their first scoring drive. McCoy got in the end zone from 1 yard out to put them up, 7-0. Ravens safety Ed Reed got called for a personal foul on one play, striking Vick in the head with his hand. He slapped hands with Vick afterwards.

* The Eagles showed a little no-huddle look of their own throughout.

* Five different Eagles had carries: McCoy, Brown, Vick, Stanley Havili and Damaris Johnson.

* Celek got leveled by safety Bernard Pollard in the first half, but got back up. Andy Reid wanted a penalty on the play, but didn’t get one. Pollard also intercepted Vick and had a sack, blitzing off the edge.

* Jackson and cornerback Cary Williams exchanged several punches after a play in the second. It took awhile for the refs to break it up. Afterwards, they called offsetting penalties.

DEFENSE

* With 1:48 left in the game, the Ravens’ offense took over at their own 20 with two timeouts. They faced a 4th-and-2 with the game on the line. Joe Flacco looked to Ray Rice, but Mychal Kendricks had great coverage, and the Eagles advanced to 2-0.

* Rice had seven carries for 78 yards in the first half including a 43-yard scamper. But the Eagles tightened things up in the second half, as Rice finished with 16 carries for 99 yards.

* Flacco hit Jacoby Jones for a 21-yard touchdown in the second quarter. The Eagles blitzed on the play. Nnamdi Asomugha had good coverage initially, but didn’t make a play on the ball. Flacco’s pass was perfect. Flacco was 22-for-42 for 232 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

* Brandon Boykin made a couple tremendous pass break-ups on the final drive.

* DeMeco Ryans had a great second half. He came up with an interception on the Ravens’ first possession of the third and later had a sack on third down. In the first half, he had a nice third-down tackle. Ryans finished seven tackles (six solo, two for loss).

* Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie shadowed Ravens deep threat Torrey Smith all game on both sides of the field. He gave up one deep ball, a 40-yarder in the second half.

* The Eagles had one sack in the first as Trent Cole beat Michael Oher. Cole stripped Flacco, and Cullen Jenkins recovered. The turnover set up the Eagles’ first touchdown.

* Special teams was not a bright spot. The Ravens had a 42-yard return to set up their first touchdown, a 5-yard Vonta Leach run.

* There was a scrum on the field after the Leach score. Jenkins was in the middle of it for the Eagles. He and a Ravens player drew off-setting personal foul penalties.

* The Ravens ran a fake punt with Sean Considine in the first half, but Havili stopped him short of the marker.

* Brandon Graham made the most of his opportunities and played more than last week. He pressured Flacco on third down from left defensive end in the second. He also hit Flacco in the third and made a nice play against the run.

* The Ravens played the clock perfectly at the end of the first half. They used their two timeouts and forced the Eagles to punt. Chas Henry booted a horrible punt, and the Ravens took over at the Eagles’ 38. They ran one play and kicked a 56-yard field goal.