Eagles soar back into playoffs
Fifth win in last six games sews up NFC wild card
LANDOVER, Md. – Facing a do-ordie situation in the final week of the regular season, the Eagles came into Fed Ex Field, took over the Redskins’ stadium and rolled to a 24-0 victory Sunday.
The Eagles earned their fifth victory in the last six outings and received a gift from the Bears, who defeated the Vikings. That means the defending Super Bowl champions advance to the playoffs just weeks after it looked as if their season were over. As a wild card, they will travel to NFC North champion Chicago next weekend.
Meanwhile, the Redskins’ season ended with them having lost six of their last seven.
Here are three things that we learned from this game. Taking care of business: The Eagles’ mission was clear. Beat the Redskins, and hope for help from the Bears against the Vikings. If both things happened, the Eagles would save their season. That’s what happened. The Eagles
Mike Jones
thumped Washington, handing the Redskins their first shutout defeat since 2014, and the Bears put away the Vikings in Minneapolis 24-10. Philadelphia controlled this game from start to finish. The Eagles executed a very balanced and efficient game plan against the Redskins. They ran the ball 34 times for 129 yards, and Nick Foles shook off an early interception to complete 28 of 33 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns. He even tied the NFL record for consecutive completions with 25. But not all the news about him was good. He left the game with a chest injury midway through the fourth quarter. Nate Sudfeld came in to throw a touchdown pass to Nelson Agholor (the receiver’s second of the game). The Eagles’ defense harassed the Redskins early and often, limiting Washington to 89 yards of offense.
No substitute for depth and experience: The Eagles and Redskins perfectly displayed this in different ways. While the Redskins’ season has crumbled because of a lack of depth at key positions, the Eagles again have managed to take injuries in stride and continue to compete. For a second consecutive year, they’re without franchise quarterback Car- son Wentz as they come down the homestretch of the season, and again, Foles has stepped in to give this team hope. The Eagles’ players have rallied around him, raising their collective levels of play, understanding that if each man does his job, they can still achieve their goals. Washington, on the other hand, fields a roster that includes a large number of players who still are trying to learn their teammates’ names. Thirteen players on the Redskins’ roster on Sunday had never even been to Fed Ex Field before this game. Meanwhile, the players who have been on the team all year long have struggled with consistency, and this team lacks strong leadership. The Eagles weathered a difficult early to midseason storm and have now qualified for the postseason. Washington, meanwhile, collapsed after a promising early start and will finish the year at 7-9 for a second season in a row.
Same sad song: The Redskins’ season mercifully came to an end in familiar, sagging fashion. In a sight familiar in these parts this time of year, the roads to Fed Ex Field before the game flowed smoothly. There was no traffic at all. The long-suffering fan base had given up on the beleaguered team. Eagles’ fans filled the lower bowl of the stadium, and on any Philadelphia positive play, they drowned out cheers by Washington’s faithful few. For the 15th time in 20 years, the Redskins’ season will end with them having missed the playoffs.
Once again, Washington officials, coaches and players head into the offseason wondering, “What if ?” What if Alex Smith hadn’t broken his leg? What if backup quarterback Colt McCoy hadn’t broken his leg as well? And what if 22 other players (the majority of them on offense) hadn’t ended their season on the injured reserve list? What if a once fierce defense hadn’t fizzled and turned toothless in the second half of the season? Maybe the Redskins would have been able to add to their 6-3 record, which led the NFC East at the midway point of the season and had Washington in line for the playoffs. But of course, all of those misfortunes did strike. As was the case last season, Washington got off to a promising start and then wasn’t equipped to handle a rash of injuries. Now, in a familiar refrain, the organization enters the offseason bracing for waves of change.