Eagles Gameday: Prove It

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"Not taking anything away from them, but there is no way this team is better than us." - Donovan McNabb

Back in early October, the idea the Eagles were better than the Redskins was a laughable concept.  Washington had just walked into the Linc and beat the Birds 23-17, rushing for over 200 yards while holding Philly to 58.  It didn't matter the play calling stank, you would have had a hard time finding anyone that agreed with Donovan.

Turns out he might have known what he was talking about.

While the Eagles are winners of three straight, the Skins have lost five of their last six.  Not coincidentally, they've been unable to find the end zone more than once in all five contests, and finally reached rock bottom last week in a 20-13 loss at Cincinnati.  Most telling, they haven't beaten a single team with a winning record since Week 4 against Dallas.

While Andy Reid would have you believe the Redskins collapse is due to injuries, it seems far more likely this is a one dimensional offense that's been exposed.  Clinton Portis has had a great season, but his effectiveness has become limited without a passing game that can stretch the field.  Santana Moss remains a serious deep threat, but none of their rookie receivers have panned out yet, so if teams take the big play away from him, Jason Campbell lacks another consistent downfield target, and most of the passes are thrown within 10 yards.

When all the action is happening before the sticks, it becomes much easier for the defense to keep plays in front of them.  Running lanes shrink because everyone is closer to the line of scrimmage, and receivers have trouble finding openings because the windows are much smaller.  So while injuries are certainly playing a role in Washington, the main problem seems to be with a fundamentally flawed system.  They must find a way to break plays deeper into the secondary.

Chris Cooley will be the guy to keep your eye on.  He racked up 109 yards receiving last time, by far the most on his team, and he'll have to be a key contributor once again in order for the offense to snap out of this funk.

The Eagles do have some injuries themselves, particularly at wide receiver where Reggie Brown is expected to play and possibly start.  Baskett is out, and Curtis is doubtful, so it will be interesting to see whether the different personnel will affect Donovan's rhythm from the past few weeks.

Todd Herremans is questionable, and if he can't go, rookie Matt McGlynn is expected to start.  McGlynn is a nice prospect with a shot at finding a home on this line in the next year or two, so keep an eye out for him.

The Eagles are banged up, but the Redskins are mired in a complete free fall.  Considering how well the Eagles have been playing and their notorious late season runs, it's hard to imagine a loss today, which means if everything works out, next week's game against the Cowboys will be for a playoff spot.  Amazing.

Final Score: Eagles 27, Redskins 10



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