2005 Philadelphia Eagles season
The 2005 season was the Philadelphia Eagles' 73rd season in the National Football League, and their seventh under head coach Andy Reid. After making the playoffs every season since 2000 and winning the past four NFC East crowns, the Eagles failed to improve on their 13–3 record from 2004 and fell to 6–10, missing the playoffs and finished with a losing record for the first time since 1999. The main cause of this was due to injuries and contract disputes with players like Terrell Owens and Brian Westbrook, and as a result it caused chaos upon the Eagles' chances in their post-Super Bowl season. In the 2004 season, Philadelphia had swept its division rivals, but they became the first team to reverse that feat in its next season, going 0–6 against the NFC East in 2005.
The Eagles would not have another losing season until 2012.
After the Super Bowl, the future looked bright for the team, but the onset of the Owens controversy in the summer began to cloud that outlook. The Eagles got out to a 3–1 record, but there were signs of trouble from the start. Contract disputes with Owens and Brian Westbrook created ugly distractions, and the team was criticized for not replacing departed defensive linemen Derrick Burgess and Corey Simon. Around the middle of the season, the injuries began to take a devastating toll. Quarterback Donovan McNabb, running back Brian Westbrook, wide receiver Todd Pinkston, offensive tackle Tra Thomas, defensive lineman Jerome McDougle, center Hank Fraley, cornerback Lito Sheppard, and running back Correll Buckhalter were all at some point lost for the season. Moreover, kicker David Akers and punter Dirk Johnson also battled injuries and missed time during the year.
The Owens situation boiled to a head in early November, with the team essentially suspending the outspoken receiver for the rest of the season. The rash of injuries, meanwhile, revealed a disturbing lack of depth on the team, especially in the quarterback position and defensive line. The Eagles lost eight of their final ten games, led at quarterback by the athletic, but inept, Mike McMahon.
In the seven games he did play, Owens caught six touchdowns with 763 receiving yards. Rookie Reggie Brown showed promise after Owens' suspension, grabbing four touchdowns, as did rookie running back Ryan Moats, who had three late-season touchdowns. The team's two Pro Bowlers came from the defense – middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter and safety Brian Dawkins. However, for the most part, the Eagles' pass defense suffered due to the poor pass rush.Staff
Roster
Opening training camp roster
Schedule
Preseason
Regular season
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.Regular season
Roster
Game summaries
Week 1
The Eagles' 2005 season-opener on Monday Night Football was more famous for what happened before the game, when Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Trotter was ejected for a scuffle near mid-field during pre-game warmups. The Eagles missed his presence as a run-stopper in the first quarter as Falcons' Warrick Dunn gained big yards and Michael Vick rushed for a touchdown. A couple of minutes later, Michael Jenkins caught a 58-yard bomb and T. J. Duckett scored from a yard out. Down 14–0, McNabb rallied the Eagles to a solid drive capped by a touchdown pass to Brian Westbrook. The defense was solid and gathered key turnovers for the rest of the game, but the offense could not make up the deficit. A field goal made it 14–10 in the fourth quarter, but with two minutes left and the ball at midfield, McNabb fired off four incomplete passes and the Eagles fell short in their rematch of the 2004 NFC Championship. McNabb, who suffered a bruised sternum, passed for 257 yards and a score, while Terrell Owens caught seven passes for 112 yards. Safety Brian Dawkins had two sacks, six tackles, forced a fumble, and intercepted a pass.Week 2
There were shades of 2004 when the Eagles routed the San Francisco 49ers in their home-opener. In the opening series, Donovan McNabb found Terrell Owens wide open on a broken play and the two connected for a 68-yard touchdown. Later in the quarter, McNabb went to tight end L.J. Smith for the six-yard score. Owens got open on the left side in the second quarter and ran under a McNabb pass to score his second touchdown and the score was 21–0. Cornerback Lito Sheppard made an interception on the next play and returned the ball to the 49er two-yard line. McNabb promptly passed it out to Brian Westbrook for the easy touchdown. In a comical moment, linebacker Mark Simoneau booted home the extra point in place of kicker David Akers, who was momentarily resting a hamstring he had strained on the kickoff. Joe Nedney kicked a field goal for San Francisco in the third quarter, but McNabb came back with a touchdown pass to Greg Lewis. Running back Lamar Gordon added a rushing touchdown late as the Eagles came together and steamrolled the Niners by a score of 42–3. McNabb, who was playing slightly injured, had one of his best days ever – five touchdowns and 342 yards. Owens burned his old team for 143 yards and two scores, while L.J. Smith also had a big day, netting 119 yards and a touchdown. The win seemed to set the Eagles back on course after the opening night hiccup in Atlanta.Week 3
A visibly wounded Eagles team found a way to come out on top in Week 3 against the visiting Oakland Raiders. The game began inauspiciously as David Akers crumpled to the field in pain from a torn hamstring attempting to boot the opening kickoff. The Raiders took advantage of the good field position and marched to a touchdown with Lamont Jordan taking a short pass and scampering into the end zone. Donovan McNabb, who was clearly bothered by a recently diagnosed sports hernia, was limited compared to his normal mobility. Brian Westbrook scored on an 18-yard run in the second quarter, but Mark Simoneau, who had humorously made a PAT in the laugher against San Francisco, missed the extra point leaving the Eagles behind 7–6. Oakland got a field goal to make it 10–6 at the half. McNabb led the Eagles down the field to start the third quarter, with Terrell Owens collecting a short touchdown pass. Akers, with a heavily taped leg, was able to painfully boot through the extra point. A few minutes later, Westbrook broke a short pass for a 62-yard gain, and he made the touchdown reception four plays later. Akers again kicked the extra point and the Philadelphia lead increased to 20–10. The Raiders rallied in the fourth quarter, getting a Sebastian Janikowski field goal and a Doug Gabriel 27-yard touchdown reception to tie the game with four minutes left. Using a series of short passes to Westbrook and Owens, McNabb guided the Eagles to the Oakland 5-yard line. The injured Akers came on and booted the 23-yard field goal with :12 left before collapsing in pain. The game had been won in courageous fashion, but the Eagles looked worn down and the season had scarcely begun. McNabb threw for 356 yards and two touchdowns and Westbrook had a big game, racking up 208 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns.Week 4
The Eagles made a thrilling comeback against the Kansas City Chiefs in raucous Arrowhead Stadium in Week 4. Kansas City scored on its opening possession when Priest Holmes plunged into the endzone from three yards out. On their next drive, the Chiefs added a field goal. The Eagles turned the ball over on the ensuing kick return and Trent Green hit Eddie Kennison with an eight-yard touchdown reception and it was suddenly 17–0 Chiefs. After new Eagles kicker Todd France had his 40-yard field goal blocked, defensive back Sheldon Brown jumped a pass and returned the ball 40 yards for the touchdown to get the Eagles on the board. However, France's extra point was no good and Dante Hall returned the kickoff for a touchdown leaving the Eagles behind a daunting 24–6. However, the team rallied behind the ailing McNabb and began a comeback. McNabb found Terrell Owens for a touchdown late in the half, France made the point after, and it was 24–13. Early in the third quarter, coach Andy Reid put faith in France and the kicker booted home a 44-yard field goal. After two long passes to Owens, McNabb went to tight end Mike Bartrum in the end zone and Brian Westbrook for the two-point conversion to tie the game. The defense continued to hold Kansas City's running game in check and France made a 37-yarder to give Philadelphia the lead 27–24. Dante Hall fumbled the kickoff and the Eagles recovered, turning the mistake into a short L.J. Smith touchdown reception. Sheldon Brown picked off Green again and the resulting drive ended in a field goal making it 37–24 Eagles. The Chiefs added a late-score, but the run of 31 unanswered points by Philadelphia had made dust of Kansas City's early lead. McNabb, despite his sports hernia, turned in another big performance – 369 yards and three touchdown passes. Owens was the recipient of 171 of those yards and one of those touchdowns. The team was 3–1, but their wins over Oakland and Kansas City had been far from perfect.Week 5
Carrying a ten-game winning streak against division opponents, the Eagles took on Bill Parcells' Dallas Cowboys. Quarterback Drew Bledsoe needed only four plays to lead the Cowboys to a touchdown to open the game. The Eagles defense made a nice goal-line stand on the Cowboys' next possession, but when Dallas got the ball back, Bledsoe connected with Terry Glenn for a 38-yard score, Glenn's second touchdown. A José Cortez field goal left the Eagles in another 17–0 hole. Donovan McNabb and the Eagles managed a field goal on their first drive of the second quarter, but there would be no comeback this week. Bledsoe tossed another touchdown pass, this one to Lousaka Polite, making it 24–3 Dallas. Bledsoe led the Cowboys to field-goal drives to end the half and to start the third quarter, leaving the Eagles behind 30–3. The only bright moment of the game for Philadelphia was Lito Sheppard stripping receiver Keyshawn Johnson of the ball in the third quarter and Sheldon Brown recovering and racing 80 yards for the touchdown, Brown's second defensive touchdown in as many weeks. The Eagles were held to a paltry 129 offensive yards in the embarrassing loss and their pass defense was mauled by Bledsoe.