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Lion Tamers July 17, 2002 Veterans Stadium was home sweet home for the Eagles as they won their first playoff game in some 14 years against Detroit. The Lions were anything but comfortable in their new environment as Philadelphia made up for lost time with a 58-37 thumping of the team from the Motor City.
Our countdown of 25 of the most memorable games in Veterans Stadium continues...
Lion Tamers The Lions, out of their natural habitat of The Silverdome, were easily tamed on both sides of the ball. The Eagles offense scored five touchdowns and three field goals on their first 11 possessions, while the first-team defense limited the leagues number-one ranked offensive unit to just 7 points in the first 40 minutes.
After an interception and return by Eagles cornerback Mark McMillian set up the Birds deep in Lion territory, Charlie Garner scampered 15 yards for the first of 7 touchdowns on the day the most by an Eagles team in the post-season.
But that was as close as the game would get.
The second quarter saw the Eagles score an unprecedented 31 points in one of the most memorable 15-minute periods in club history.
First, a Gary Anderson field goal gave the Eagles the lead. Then, quarterback Rodney Peete connected with Fred Barnett on a picture-perfect 22-yard scoring strike. Three plays later, Eagles defensive back Barry Wilburn intercepted Mitchell and raced 24 yards for a touchdown and a commanding 24-7 lead.
But Philadelphia was far from over.
Kurt Gouveia continued the onslaught by picking off Mitchell again to set up a Ricky Watters touchdown run. After Detriot stalled on its next series, Peete and Co. took over at their own 16-yard line with just over two minutes remaining in the half. From there, a 20-yard run by Charlie Garner and a 22-yard reception by Reggie Johnson set the stage for a 43-yard Hail Mary pass from Peete to Rob Carpenter for a 38-7 halftime lead.
But the games outcome was never in jeopardy. The Eagles equaled their largest margin of victory in a playoff game with the 21-point win.
By the Numbers
Did you know
That the Birds 31 second-quarter points were the second most ever scored in one stanza of post-season play (behind only the 35 scored by Washington in the second quarter of their Super Bowl XXII win over Denver).
Video Game Clips
Courtesy of NFL Films, you can relive the memories right here, right now with the following highlight package.
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Ray Rhodes first playoff win in Philadelphia was one for the record books, literally. In the highest scoring game in NFL playoff history, the Eagles soared to their first post-season win at Veterans Stadium since 1981 with a 58-37 thrashing of the Detroit Lions in a 1995 Wild Card contest.
On Detroits ensuing drive, quarterback Scott Mitchell hit tight end David Sloan on a 32-yard scoring pass to knot the score at 7-7 to end the first quarter.
The Eagles led by as much as 51-7 before Detroit sandwiched four touchdowns around a William Thomas interception return for a touchdown.
