PHILADELPHIA So the good citizens of Philadelphia worked themselves into a frothy frenzy over this?
For the better part of the first two quarters Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field, they could only jeer the fact that apparent Public Enemy No. 1, former Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens, caught no passes and really had only one seriously aimed in his direction.
Instead, this clash between the Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys evolved into a typical NFC East Division, back-and-forth duke-out. The Eagles eventually won 38-24, but not before the Cowboys made a late run, converting two fourth downs, the second on a 57-yard pass-interference penalty on Michael Lewis that gave them a first down at the Philadelphia 6-yard line with 47 seconds left.
But cornerback Lito Sheppard sent the crowd into blissful and boisterous delight two plays later when he returned an interception 102 yards for a touchdown that settled things once and for all.
And the player the fans loved to loathe? He didn't even catch his first pass until the third quarter, a 9-yarder from Drew Bledsoe, who was harassed all game by fierce Philadelphia pressure. Owens wound up with three receptions for 45 yards.
When he dropped a short toss late in the third quarter, the fans finally took their chance to vent at Owens. "Honestly, I felt at home regardless of the all the boos, the chants," Owens said. "Actually, I thought it was going to be worse.
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Owens, of course, helped lead Philadelphia into the Super Bowl two seasons ago, then was booted from the team last November after squabbling with just about anyone connected with the Eagles organization, most notably quarterback Donovan McNabb.
Owens clearly was unhappy after Bledsoe misfired on a few passes to the star receiver. At one point, Owens was screaming as he walked off the field and took a seat alone on the bench.
As he ran into the locker room, an animated T.O. was yelling and asking why the Cowboys (2-2) bothered signing him in the offseason, according to a stadium employee who witnessed the tirade but didn't want to be identified because he is not authorized to talk about team matters.
A short time later, Owens could be seen talking to team owner Jerry Jones, who appeared to be encouraging the player he personally brought to Dallas.
"I'm not going to sit up here and point a finger, so you guys can create a story," Owens said later during the press conference, refusing to blame Bledsoe for the loss. "It's not about that.
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McNabb, who didn't so much as glance at Owens before Sunday's game, completed 18 of 33 passes for 354 yards and two touchdowns; he also ran for a score.
McNabb's execution of a flea-flicker was flawless in getting the ball to Reggie Brown for a 40-yard scoring pass and a 31-24 lead with 9:13 remaining.
Philadelphia (4-1) went ahead midway through the third quarter when McNabb hit wide receiver Hank Baskett for an 87-yard score.
A 39-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter by Dallas' Mike Vanderjagt tied matters at 24.
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