For most of Saturday, the Philadelphia Eagles looked just like the idiots quarterback Ty Detmer said they would resemble if they lost to the New York Jets.
Then veterans Michael Zordich, Irving Fryar and William Thomas rescued the game and perhaps the season.Zordich's two interceptions set up touchdowns as the Eagles stormed back for a 21-20 victory. That kept Philadelphia (9-6) in strong position for a playoff berth, perhaps even the NFC East crown. The Eagles will qualify if Washington loses at Arizona today.
"I was never doubting it," Zordich said. "That's what was great about it. None of us on defense thought that way. We were ready every play and there was a lot of togetherness. There was nothing negative out there."
There was during the week, when Detmer made an innocent comment on how the fans would perceive his team if it lost.
"That was all taken out of context," said Detmer, who had three touchdown passes, two to Fryar. "I knew they had good players and have a lot of pride. We knew it would be a dogfight.
"They've got class guys and there was no talking out there. I hope they understand I am not that type of player or person."
Actually, several players said there was plenty of trash-talking, and early in the game it appeared so after each play.
Jets defensive end Hugh Douglas, who had five tackles, three sacks and a fumble recovery, had threatened to try to hurt Detmer when he first heard the comment. He later backed off.
"After the game, I told him, `No hard feelings,' " Douglas said. "In the beginning of the week, it was personal. Today, it was just a game. I was fired up. Some of the things that were said, I took personal and were uncalled for."
Zordich's second pickoff and 7-yard return to the New York 18 led to Fryar's second touchdown, a 14-yard reception with 5:29 to go. Gary Anderson's extra point made the difference.
Just 1:35 earlier, the Eagles had climbed within six points on Detmer's 2-yard pass to Chris T. Jones that finished off an 80-yard drive helped by a fourth-down holding penalty in the end zone against Jets safety Gary Jones.
Before that, the Eagles looked hopeless against the hapless Jets (1-14), who lost their 11th straight home game and set a franchise mark for futility. Last year, they were 3-13 under coach Rich Kotite, who left Philadelphia after losing his final seven games and has gone 4-27 with the Jets.
"It was 20-7 and I think we started to panic," Fryar said. "Time was running out and we were still fumbling around. We had to get on the ball."
The Eagles were embarrassing themselves with turnovers, penalties and poor execution. Philadelphia had four turnovers, leading to all of New York's points.
But these are the Jets, who lead the league in turnovers and had five more. So the Eagles were able to rescue themselves. They clinched it on William Thomas' interception off a deflection and Charlie Garner's 46-yard run to the Jets 17 before running out the clock.
"We came back and, when we had the lead, the defense got the offense the ball back and settled it," Thomas said.
Before folding again, the Jets scored on Aaron Glenn's 13-yard interception return for a score, while Keyshawn Johnson caught a 46-yard fleaflicker pass for a touchdown. Nick Lowery added two field goals, pushing him over 1,700 points for his career and into second place on the career list.
Still, they lost their sixth in as many meetings with Philadelphia.
"We had such positive momentum all season," Kotite said. "But our offense kept giving the momentum back. We should put them away."
Glenn Foley's first-quarter pass for Johnson was picked off by Bobby Taylor at the Jets 43. But the Eagles, hardly looking like a playoff contender, gave it right back. Receiver Freddie Solomon slipped and rookie Marcus Coleman made his first NFL interception, returning it 23 yards to the New York 49.
Two plays later, Foley hit Johnson on the fleaflicker.
Foley fumbled a snap on New York's next series, but three penalties set back the Eagles and Anderson missed a 48-yard field goal into the wind.
The Eagles also helped the Jets on one series as Joe Kelly got a roughing-the-passer penalty and an unsportsmanlike conduct flag for protesting too strongly, costing 30 yards.
Foley threw another bad ball early in the third quarter and Zordich made a diving interception at the Philadelphia 35. That set up the Eagles' first score, with Fryar beating Glenn over the middle for a 40-yard TD.
Glenn got it back when Fryar and Detmer "had a miscommunication," the quarterback said. Detmer's pass went directly to Glenn, who ran untouched into the end zone, making it 17-7.