Eagles foil Griffin’s return
Just try to keep up with Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy and the Philadelphia Eagles this season. Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins sure couldn’t.
Playing at a frenetic pace that left the Redskins bumbling and stumbling, the Eagles unleashed coach Chip Kelly’s offense on the NFL and crammed 77 plays into 60 minutes of football. They had their share of miscues, of course, but they held on for a 33-27 upset of the defending NFC East champs in Landover, Md.
Vick, running the don’t-take-a-breath attack that won 87 percent of the time during Kelly’s four years at the University of Oregon, completed 15 of 25 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran nine times for 56 yards and a score. McCoy had 31 carries for 184 yards, including a 34-yard TD. DeSean Jackson piled up 104 yards on seven catches.
Perhaps the most remarkable accomplishment by Vick, McCoy, Kelly and the Eagles: They managed to upstage Griffin. The game was played eight months to the day since the Redskins quarterback had major knee surgery, and his return Monday was the culmination of a dedicated, high-profile rehab that included a public clash with Washington coach Mike Shanahan.
Wearing a brace on his right knee, Griffin completed 30 of 49 passes for 329 yards, but 169 yards came in the fourth after the Eagles had taken control. He was also intercepted twice – the first multi-interception game of his career. He ran only five times for 24 yards. He reached down to touch his knee after he was slammed down by Mychal Kendricks late in the second quarter – Griffin was flagged for intentional grounding on the play – but the QB remained in the game.
Texans rally for win
Randy Bullock kicked a 41-yard field goal as time expired, and the Houston Texans rallied from a 21-point deficit in the second half for a 31-28 victory over the San Diego Chargers in San Diego.
Brian Cushing returned an interception 18 yards for the tying touchdown with 9:30 to play for the Texans, who roared back from a 28-7 deficit late in the third quarter to spoil the debut of San Diego coach Mike McCoy.
Matt Schaub threw a tipped interception on Houston’s first play of the season, but recovered to pass for 346 yards and three TDs. He calmly engineered the final 36-yard drive to set up Bullock, who coolly nailed his first NFL field goal.
Philip Rivers threw four touchdown passes as the Chargers gave their fans a tantalizing start under McCoy – and an agonizing reminder of last season, when they blew five halftime leads.
Fan falls to his death at 49ers-Packers game
A man fell from an elevated pedestrian walkway and died during the San Francisco 49ers-Green Bay Packers football game at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park on Sunday, police said.
San Francisco police Lt. Laura Knight said off-duty medics and police officers gave the man first aid until an ambulance arrived, but he died at the hospital or on the way there. His name has not been released.
Around the league
The illegal low block by Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh against Vikings center John Sullivan in Detroit’s game against Minnesota on Sunday will be reviewed for potential discipline. … The Carolina Panthers announced that starting right guard Garry Williams has torn the ACL and MCL in his left knee and will miss the remainder of the season with the injury sustained in a loss to Seattle, coach Ron Rivera said.