Eagles Soaring After Taking Share of Lead

PHILADELPHIA — Donovan McNabb and Brian Mitchell made sure the Philadelphia Eagles made a statement.

McNabb passed for a career-high 311 yards and two touchdowns, and Mitchell had a combined 290 yards Sunday night as the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 38-10.

“I’m glad everybody was watching tonight because this team made a statement,” Mitchell said. “This isn’t a place where you’re going to come in and run us over.”

Mitchell tied an NFL record with his 11th touchdown on a return when he took a kickoff 89 yards for a score in the fourth quarter.

Mitchell added an 85-yard touchdown run as the Eagles (3-2) moved into a three-way tie for first place in the NFC East.

Philadelphia hasn’t had a winning record this late in the season since the end of 1996.

“This is a team to be reckoned with,” Mitchell said.

The Falcons certainly knows that now.

“They don’t seem like the Eagles of old,” wide receiver Tim Dwight said.

McNabb, coming off a 222-yard, two-touchdown game against the New Orleans Saints, completed 30 of 44 passes--both career highs--to 10 receivers. He also ran for 57 yards.

McNabb had touchdown passes of 70 yards to Torrance Small and 11 yards to Charles Johnson as the Eagles overcame a sluggish first half marred by six penalties.

“We finally have all our receivers healthy so we’re in training-camp mode,” McNabb said.

Atlanta’s only touchdown came on a 70-yard punt return by Dwight that cut the deficit to 14-7 with 4:31 to play in the third quarter.

The Eagles held Atlanta (2-3) to only 55 total yards in the first half, but managed only two field goals.

McNabb then connected with Small on a 70-yard catch-and-run touchdown pass play and a two-point conversion pass that gave the Eagles a 14-0 lead 3:36 into the third quarter.

It was the longest play of the season for Philadelphia. Small had four receptions for 122 yards.