By BOB GROTZ
bgrotz@delcotimes.com

PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles led at the half last night but literally couldn’t hang on in a 34-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field.

In a game that chased away fans as well as TV viewers, the Bengals turned five Eagles giveaways, including four fumbles, into 31 of the easiest points imaginable.

The Birds even blocked one of their own punts, which has such a high degree of difficulty special teams coach Bobby April might want to get ready for the dreaded phone call.

It was that kind of night for Eagles head coach Andy Reid, whose team exited with 34 turnovers, most in the league. That’s 2.4 giveaways per game.

It was the ninth loss in the last 10 games for the Eagles who, with a 4-10 record, are in double-digit losses for the first time in seven years.

Rookie quarterback Nick Foles threw an interception. Jeremy Maclin, Bryce Brown, Clay Harbor and Cedric Thornton, a defensive tackle, all fumbled.

Thornton tried to field a short Bengals kickoff. Harbor’s miscue resulted only in a field goal.

Twenty-four of those Bengals points came in a span of 3-minutes, 30-seconds beginning late it the third quarter.

The score could have been more lopsided but Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, a buddy of Reid, didn’t kick a field goal on fourth down at the six-yard line of the Eagles late in the game.

Ironically the Eagles were in such complete control in the first half Lewis wouldn’t even allow Andy Dalton to throw a Hail Mary. Instead quarterback Dalton, who had been stripped of the ball twice in the pocket, knelt down at his 18-yard line to kill the clock.

The Eagles’ third quarter was a disaster.

Leon Hall picked off Foles’ underthrown deep ball and returned it 44 yards to position Dalton for an 11-yard scoring run. Dalton also ran for a first down inside the 15-yard line.

Then Bryce Brown fumbled and defensive end Wallace Gilberry returned it 28 yards for a touchdown giving the Bengals (8-6) a 24-13 lead with 21 seconds left in the third quarter.

With 21 ticks left Clay Harbor fumbled. It set up a 32-yard field goal by Josh Brown 48 seconds into the final frame to give the Bengals a 27-13 lead.

Next Thornton’s gaffe on the kickoff enabled A.J. Green to haul in a five-yard TD pass from Dalton.
Thereafter Lewis showed mercy on Reid, who 14 years ago asked him to be his defensive coordinator. Lewis ordered running plays.

The Eagles handed the Bengals a 10-0 lead in the first quarter by virtue of Maclin’s fumble and a botched protection on a punt in which rookie Marvin McNutt was pushed into his own guy, punter Mat McBriar.

It wasn’t surprising in that the Bengals start fast while the Eagles typically sputter out of the gate. The Birds have been outscored 85-24 in the first quarter on the season.

But after zero takeaways in 21 quarters, the Eagles got two in the second frame, both of which referee Carl Cheffers confirmed on instant replay.

The first turnover came when Brandon Graham got a piece of Dalton, who was about to release the ball, and Cole recovered at the 29-yard line of the Bengals with 9:42 left in the first half.

It was the Birds’ first takeaway in 22 quarters, the first since their Monday night loss to New Orleans.

It set up a 22-yard field goal by Alex Henery that knotted the score at 10 with 7:37 left in the first half.

Then it was Cullen Jenkins grabbing the arm of Dalton in almost exactly the same moment in the windup and Darryl Tapp returning the fumble four yards to the 12-yard line to set up a 23-yard field goal by Henery giving the Eagles a 13-10 lead with 17 ticks left in the first half.

Earlier in the second quarter Foles fired an 11-yard scoring pass to Riley Cooper, who leaned over the end zone with 11:40 left in the first half to pull the Eagles within 10-7.
Foles’ 46-yard pass to Maclin set it up.

The TD pass marked Foles’ fourth scoring pass against no interceptions in his last three games. Foles had three picks and just one TD pass in his first three NFL appearances.

The Eagles lost guard Evan Mathis (ankle), Clay Harbor (hamstring) and fullback Stanley Havili (hamstring) to injury.