Eagles stay in hunt for NFC East crown
Wentz tosses for 2 TDs
PHILADELPHIA, Dec 4, (AP): Carson Wentz was at his best back on the move again.
Wentz tossed two touchdown passes, Darren Sproles ran for a score and the Philadelphia Eagles stayed in the hunt for the NFC East title with a 28-13 victory over the depleted Washington Redskins on Monday night.
The Eagles (6-6) won consecutive games for the first time since Nick Foles led them to a Super Bowl victory over the Patriots.
The Redskins (6-6) lost backup quarterback Colt McCoy to a serious right leg injury in his second game replacing Alex Smith, who broke his right tibia and fibula on Nov 18. Mark Sanchez took his place.
Redskins coach Jay Gruden said after the game that, from what he understands, McCoy fractured his fibula and will miss the rest of the season.
Adrian Peterson ran 90 yards for a touchdown on Sanchez’s first play under center, giving the Redskins a 10-7 lead. It was the longest run Philadelphia has allowed in franchise history but Washington’s lead didn’t last long.
Wentz, who hasn’t scrambled much since returning in Week 3 from surgery to repair two knee ligaments, didn’t run for any yards. But he ran around and made big plays when he improvised and on designed rollouts.
“Anytime he can extend plays with his legs, he’s such a great athlete, that’s an advantage to the offense,” coach Doug Pederson said. “Being able to do that allows us to stay on the field. He’s gifted in doing that. It comes natural to him.” Sproles put Philadelphia up 1410 on a 14-yard TD run in the second quarter. Wentz tossed a 4-yard TD pass to Jordan Matthews and connected with Golden Tate on a 2-point conversion to extend the lead to 22-13 early in the fourth quarter.
The Eagles twice failed to score inside the red zone and still managed their second-highest point total this season.
They had a first down at the Redskins 2 in the second quarter, but Josh Adams was stopped for a loss on fourth down from the 1.
They had a first down at the Redskins 5 in the third quarter, but Wentz threw an interception right to Josh Norman.
Wentz finished 27 of 39 for 306 yards. He came out firing and led the Eagles to a score on their opening drive for only the third time season.
First, he scrambled out of the pocket, motioned Tate to go deep and lofted a 19yard pass down the left sideline on a firstand-15. Wentz finished the drive by firing a 6-yard TD pass on the run to Tate.
“Play-action, bootlegs, nakeds, getting me on the edge, gives me a chance to make plays and we used that effectively,” Wentz said.
Dustin Hopkins kicked field goals of
Wentz
47 and 44 yards for Washington.
“We have to get a plan ready for Mark moving forward,” Gruden said. “We’ve got to play great football around him, which we didn’t do tonight.” Sanchez, a former first-round pick who led the New York Jets to consecutive AFC championship games in his first two seasons, is now a starter for the first time since he played for the Eagles in 2015.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity. I was praying for the opportunity,” he said, adding his “heart definitely breaks for” McCoy and Smith.
Sproles scored his first TD since Dec 22, 2016. Sproles only played three games last season before he tore a knee ligament and broke his forearm on the same play. He was sidelined since Week 1 this year because of a hamstring injury.
“I’m really happy for him,” center Jason Kelce said. “I don’t usually know who is back there but when I saw it was him and he got in the end zone, I had a big sense of joy. He’s a phenomenal guy.” Zach Ertz broke Brian Westbrook’s franchise record for receptions in a season. Ertz has 93 catches and is closing in on Jason Witten’s single-season record (110) for tight ends. Westbrook had 90 catches in 2007.
“That’s awesome, but I’m sure he’s just happy we won,” Wentz said.