Special teams play gives Eagles win

PHILADELPHIA – A big play from their much-maligned special teams saved the Philadelphia Eagles on a day their once-potent offense was ordinary again.

Quintin Mikell blocked a field goal, and Matt Ware returned it 65 yards for a touchdown with 2:25 left, leading the Eagles to a 20-17 victory over the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.

“All year, we’ve had some bad breaks on special teams and some silly mistakes. But to come out and put it all together and make a play was great,” Mikell said.

LaDainian Tomlinson was held to a career-low 7 yards rushing on 17 carries and his NFL-record-tying streak of games scoring a touchdown ended at 18.

Drew Brees rallied the Chargers from a 10-0 deficit with a pair of TD passes, but San Diego couldn’t put the game away after the Eagles failed to convert a fourth-and-1 at their own 30 late.

Mikell leaped to swat away Nate Kaeding’s 40-yard attempt, Ware picked it up after one bounce and raced into the end zone.

“Usually it takes a funky bounce after a block, but this one came right up and it was, ‘Whoa, look at this!’ ” Ware said. “I said, ‘This is it,’ and started running. … It’s been since high school that I scored a TD.”

The Chargers drove to Philadelphia’s 19 on the ensuing possession, but Sheldon Brown stripped Reche Caldwell, and Darwin Walker recovered.

Donovan McNabb set an Eagles record with 35 completions in 54 attempts for 287 yards and one TD pass, and Terrell Owens caught his 100th career TD pass. Randall Cunningham set the previous mark of 34 completions in 1989.