Eagles Opponent Profile: Can Eagles Regroup For Round Two Vs. Washington?
By Kevin McGuire
The Philadelphia Eagles return home after a brutal loss to Cincinnati on Sunday to prepare for a second NFC East battle with the Washington Redskins. It's been almost two months since the last time these division foes collided, and both are looking to avoid ending the season in the basement of the NFC East with just a few more weeks of football to be played.
Season Record: 6-5-1
Washington is looking to snap a two-game losing streak following losses to the Cowboys and Cardinals, both on the road. This marks the third straight road game for the Redskins.
Washington took the first game of the season against the Eagles with a 27-20 victory earlier in the year.
Washington on Offense
The Redskins will bring one of the most productive passing offenses with them to Lincoln Financial Field this week. Kirk Cousins is leading the NFL's second-leading passing offense with an average of 309.1 passing yards per game. Cousins completed 21-of-37 pass attempts for 271 yards and a touchdown with one interception last week against Arizona. Former Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson had just one catch out of the four passes intended for him, but Jackson capitalized for a big play with a 59-yard gain on the play. The Redskins also have the ability to run the football, as they managed to do without many problems against the Eagles earlier in the season.
Washington on Defense
The Redskins have been known to give up points, and the Eagles must find a way to take advantage of that weakness. Washington will enter the week allowing an average of 24.6 points per game, ranking them 24th in the NFL in scoring defense. The last two weeks have seen Washington give up 31 points in each of their two losses, leaving head coach Jay Gruden to express some displeasure with his team's efforts on defense. Will that lead to a spark on defense to tighten up? The Eagles have been struggling on offense themselves, which means Washington may look at the Eagles as an opportunity to rebuild their confidence on defense.
Washington Players to Watch
Right Tackle Trent Williams: Washington will welcome back starting right tackle Trent Williams to the offensive line this week. Williams returns following a four-game suspension and should help maintain stability on the line. That will make it difficult for an Eagles defensive front that has struggled to create pressure up front lately.
Linebacker Will Compton: The last time the Eagles played Washington, the Redskins linebacker led the team with seven tackles, including three solo tackles and one pass deflection. Look for him to play a key role in Washington's defensive efforts once again.
Outlook
The way the Eagles have been playing in recent weeks leaves a lot to be desired. Washington has struggled too, but the defensive line and linebackers may be able to get a hand on passes being thrown by Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz as questions about his throwing mechanics come into question. The key will be getting Kirk Cousins on track early, and that should be expected with a porous Eagles secondary that lacks the ability to cover or tackle well. If the Eagles could not get things going against Cincinnati, they could be in for a long afternoon Sunday against Washington with a chance of dropping to 0-4 against the NFC East.
