Paul Domowitch: Nicer shade of red zone for Eagles

CHICAGO - The Eagles entered last night's sort-of-a-must-win game against the Bears with well-documented red-zone problems.

They were a respectable 12th in the league in total offense, but a grim 22nd when it came to converting trips inside the opponents' 20-yard line into touchdowns (11-for-23).

They were 7-for-10 in the red zone in their five wins this season, but a wretched 4-for-13 in their four losses, including 2-for-5 in last week's eight-point loss to the Chargers.

So, when an impressive first-possession drive stalled at the Chicago 7-yard line and the Eagles had to settle for David Akers' 20th field goal of the season, you wondered whether loss No. 5 was in its embryonic stage.

But on a night when the Eagles turned the ball over three times, committed another bushelful of penalties and converted just four of their first 11 third-down chances, they managed to maximize their other two red-zone opportunities and pull out a 24-20 come-from-behind win over the Bears.

Trailing 20-17, rookie LeSean McCoy scored on a 10-yard run around the left end with 5 minutes, 31 seconds left in the game to give the Eagles the lead for good.

Facing a third-and-6 at the Chicago 21 a play earlier, it looked as if this game might be headed for overtime. But then Donovan McNabb connected with DeSean Jackson on a 10-yard slant pass for a first down.

"We just had to sustain drives, and today we were able to do that," McNabb said. "We kept the chains moving. Offensive line did a great job of opening holes for the run game and giving me time in the pass game."

McNabb threw two touchdown passes, including one on the Eagles' second red-zone possession. On a second-and-10 at the Chicago 13, he hit wide receiver Jason Avant with a screen pass that Avant took in for a touchdown to give the Eagles a 10-0 lead at the time.

"It was a hard-fought game," coach Andy Reid said. "We were able to come back after a fast start and a slow middle and finish strong."

McNabb, who completed 23 of 32 passes for 244 yards, was 1-for-3 in the red zone, with the touchdown pass to Avant his only completion inside the Chicago 20.

For the season, he's just 12-for-27 in the red zone, but eight of those 12 completions have been for touchdowns. Avant and tight end Brent Celek have been the main red-zone targets for McNabb and Kevin Kolb (9-for-19), who started two games earlier this season after McNabb fractured a rib.

Celek has eight red-zone receptions, including four touchdowns. Avant has seven, including two touchdowns. Interestingly, Jackson, who is tied with Celek in touchdown receptions with five, does not have a red-zone catch yet this season.

** Last night's win ended an eight-game Sunday-night losing streak for the Eagles.

** Since 2000, the Eagles are 54-25-1 in November and December.

** With last night's 24-20, the Eagles are 14-4 against the NFC North under Andy Reid.

** The Eagles won the time-of-possession battle for just the third time this season and the first time since Week 3.

** The Eagles are 6-0 this year in games in which they've led at the half. Since 2000, they are 79-11 when they've led at halftime.

** The Eagles scored on their first possession for the fifth time this season.

** David Akers has made 12 consecutive field goal attempts.

** DeSean Jackson has caught five touchdown passes, none shorter than 48 yards. In the last two games, he's had 26 passes thrown in his direction and has caught 16 of them.

** The Eagles have committed seven or more penalties in seven of their 10 games this season.

** The Eagles sacked Jay Cutler just once. It was the first time this season they haven't had at least two sacks in a game.

** In their last four games, the Eagles have allowed 4.48 yards per carry. In their first six games, they held teams to 3.54 yards per carry.

To cornerback Sheldon Brown, who played in his 122nd straight regular-season game despite a hamstring injury that forced him to miss most of the second half of the Chargers game last week and limited his practice participation.

To left tackle Jason Peters for his costly - and unnecessary - tripping penalty at the end of the third quarter that negated a 20-yard McNabb completion to Jeremy Maclin. Instead of a first down at the Chicago 37, they had a second-and-17 at their 33.

** Macho Harris returned kickoffs last night rather than Jeremy Maclin. He did a nice job, averaging 25.2 yards per attempt.

** The Eagles ran one-back sets on their first two plays, with Leonard Weaver as the lone back.

** Jeremiah Trotter started at middle linebacker. He and Joe Mays rotated in the middle in the Eagles' base package. Chris Gocong and Tracy White were the two linebackers in their nickel package.

** The run-pass split on the Eagles' first two possessions: nine pass plays and seven run plays. The run-pass split on their next four possessions in the first half: 10 pass plays and four run plays.

** Jay Cutler missed wide-open receivers for potential touchdowns on back-to-back plays early in the second quarter. He overthrew tight end Greg Olsen on the first one, then overthrew wide receiver Devin Hester on a similar corner route.

** On Kahlil Bell's 72-yard second-quarter run, strongside linebacker Chris Gocong blitzed on the play and middle linebacker Joe Mays got blocked out of his gap, leaving a two-lane highway for Bell.

** Asante Samuel's latest display of bad tackling late in the second quarter, when he inexcusably failed to wrap up wide receiver Earl Bennett and let him escape for a 19-yard gain. Not only that, he suffered a neck stinger thanks to his awful technique and had to leave the game.

** On Trent Cole's 13-yard sack of Cutler in the third quarter, he moved from his right end position to the middle just before the snap and came through unblocked.

** Quintin Mikell blitzed on Cutler's 15-yard touchdown pass to Kellen Davis in the third quarter, leaving linebacker Gocong one-on-one with Davis. The Bears' tight end easily separated from Gocong on a corner route.