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T.O., McNabb pick apart 49ers, not themselves

QB throws 4 TD passes in 1st 19 minutes; Owens has 2 scoring receptions

Image: Owens
Jamie Squire / Getty Images
Terrell Owens of the Eagles catches a touchdown pass over the 49ers' Mike Rumph (24) and Shawntae Spencer on Sunday. Owens had five catchers for 143 yards — all in the opening 19 minutes — against his former team.
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updated 12:11 a.m. ET Sept. 19, 2005

PHILADELPHIA - Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens are back to picking apart defenses instead of each other.

McNabb threw four of his five touchdown passes in the first 19 minutes, including a pair to Owens, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a 42-3 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

“Whatever happened in the past, hopefully it’s over,” McNabb said of his well-publicized feud with Owens this summer.

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Wearing extra padding to protect his injured chest, McNabb finished 23-of-29 for 342 yards and tied his career-best for TD passes while playing three quarters. Owens had five catches for 143 yards — all in the opening 19 minutes — in his first game against his former team.

L.J. Smith caught a career-best nine passes for 119 yards and one TD for Philadelphia (1-1).

“Don was looking for all his receivers,” Smith said. “He wasn’t keying on one person. Sometimes, I was the third read and still got the ball. The tight end is vital in this offense.”

Alex Smith, the top pick in the NFL draft, made his debut for San Francisco, playing the last series and throwing one incomplete pass.

“We don’t have any excuses. We didn’t play very well,” 49ers coach Mike Nolan said. “We’ll correct our mistakes. We’ll learn from them.”

Six days after losing to Atlanta 14-10 in a rematch of last season’s NFC championship game, the Eagles dominated the 49ers (1-1) from the start.

McNabb and Owens connected for a 68-yard TD on the third play from scrimmage, electrifying a sellout crowd at Lincoln Financial Field that hadn’t seen a meaningful game since the Eagles advanced to the Super Bowl.

McNabb, who missed practice Wednesday because of a bruised chest, eluded a strong rush, scrambled to his left, and threw on the run, hitting Owens in stride at San Francisco’s 41. Owens outran cornerback Mike Adams to the end zone, turned around and raced straight toward McNabb. The two stars, who weren’t on speaking terms in the preseason, low-fived each other and went to the sideline smiling.

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“When we’re in the field and everything is clicking, everyone is smiling,” McNabb said.

After Dhani Jones intercepted Tim Rattay’s underthrown pass to a wide-open Frank Gore streaking down the sideline, McNabb tossed a 6-yard TD pass to Smith to make it 14-0.


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