The Eagles’ playoff hopes remain alive and they take their three-game winning streak to Washington to face the Redskins on Sunday. The road goes through the NFC East for the Eagles to make the playoffs. After three consecutive victories, the Eagles play at Washington on Sunday with a chance to get back at the Redskins after an early-season loss at Lincoln Financial Field. Washington’s fortunes are sagging after a 6-2 start; the Redskins are now 7-7 and very much a long shot to reach the playoffs. On Sunday, the Redskins will be missing Chris Samuels, the six-time Pro Bowl left tackle, who opened running lanes for Clinton Portis, the NFL's third-leading rusher. Samuels was placed on injured reserve this month with a torn right triceps. Eagles defensive end Trent Cole has called Samuels one of the two toughest tackles he has faced. Aside from the loss of Samuels, Portis has been playing with an assortment of injuries, one to his left knee and the most recent to his neck. In the last three games he gained only 131 yards on 47 carries.
These are heady days for the Eagles' defense, third in the league all of a sudden, after dominating the Giants and the Browns. The Eagles' run defense has been at its best of late, allowing a total of 170 yards over the last three games. That includes a mere 88 yards against the Giants' potent three-headed monster. The Eagles didn't do a very good job of stopping Pro Bowl running back Clinton Portis and the Redskins' running game in the first meeting. In fact, the unit was gashed for 203 rushing yards, including 145 yards by Portis, in a 23-17 loss. Portis ranks second in the league with 1,544 scrimmage yards (1,337 rush., 207 rec.). He has 282 rushing yards (141.0 per game) in the past two meetings with Eagles, including one touchdown. And how Portis produces often determines the team's fate. The Redskins are 6-1 when Portis rushes for at least 85 yards and 1-6 when he doesn't. Portis has eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark just once in the last six games. Washington utilized a stretch play to get Portis going in the earlier meeting, but a season-ending injury to Pro Bowl tackle Chris Samuel could make that difficult this time around. Still, Washington presents a physical challenge for Philadelphia's fifth-ranked run defense.
These are heady days for the Eagles' defense, third in the league all of a sudden, after dominating the Giants and the Browns. The Eagles' run defense has been at its best of late, allowing a total of 170 yards over the last three games. That includes a mere 88 yards against the Giants' potent three-headed monster. The Eagles didn't do a very good job of stopping Pro Bowl running back Clinton Portis and the Redskins' running game in the first meeting. In fact, the unit was gashed for 203 rushing yards, including 145 yards by Portis, in a 23-17 loss. Portis ranks second in the league with 1,544 scrimmage yards (1,337 rush., 207 rec.). He has 282 rushing yards (141.0 per game) in the past two meetings with Eagles, including one touchdown. And how Portis produces often determines the team's fate. The Redskins are 6-1 when Portis rushes for at least 85 yards and 1-6 when he doesn't. Portis has eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark just once in the last six games. Washington utilized a stretch play to get Portis going in the earlier meeting, but a season-ending injury to Pro Bowl tackle Chris Samuel could make that difficult this time around. Still, Washington presents a physical challenge for Philadelphia's fifth-ranked run defense.
The 8-5-1 Eagles still need help to make the playoffs, but they are in better shape than the 7-7 'Skins, who have faded fast after a 6-2 start. On Sunday the key, as is so often the case, will be forcing Campbell into third-and-long situations, and winning the physical battle on the line-of -scrimmage against the Redskins. It's one thing when a defense has been duped by an unexpected scheme or beaten for a touchdown by some sleight of hand - a trick play that has "gotcha" written all over it. It's quite another matter when a defense has been physically whipped by the grunts on the offensive line blowing open holes for running backs. That gets down to football's macho core, and defenders are loath to concede it when it happens. In their division losses to Washington and the Giants this season, the Eagles lost most of the man-to-man battles along the line of scrimmage. As a result, the Redskins rolled through them for 203 yards rushing, and the Giants battered them for 219 yards on the ground. Embarrassment over the way the Giants had beaten them helped fuel the Eagles in their rematch two weeks ago. Now the Eagles are preparing to settle a score with the Redskins on Sunday at Washington. It's a score they probably must settle to sneak into a wild-card spot.
Who to Watch:
- Eagles SLB Chris Gocong vs. Redskins TE Chris Cooley
- Eagles RDE Trent Cole vs. Redskins LT Stephon Heyer
- Eagles RB Brian Westbrook vs. Redskins LBs
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