By Patrick Del Gaone, Sports Talk Philly staff writer 
The 6-5-1 Washington Redskins enter Sunday’s divisional matchup in Philadelphia as 2.5-point favorites over the slumping Eagles. To this point, 86 percent of wagers have been cast on Washington, per VegasInsider.
With Philadelphia looking to improve to 5-1 at Lincoln Financial Field, and secure their first divisional win, let’s dive further into this NFC East matchup.
Eagles’ Offense vs. Redskins’ Defense
The Washington defense will look to bounce back from a pair of subpar performances, allowing 31 points each to the Cardinals and Cowboys in consecutive road losses. In the first meeting against the Eagles, defensive end Ryan Kerrigan was dominant against first-time starter Halapoulivaati Vaitai, sacking Carson Wentz three times in Washington’s seven-point win.
The Eagles were held to just 239 yards despite gaining an average of five yards per play, exemplifying how well Washington executed their ground and pound strategy in the mid-October matchup. Philadelphia’s running backs produced adequate yardage when given the opportunity, churning out 4.5 yards per carry on 21 attempts. Even with a rookie quarterback at the helm, Eagles’ head coach Doug Pederson has consistently scrapped the running game when the team gets behind early.
Cardinals’ quarterback Carson Palmer carved up Washington’s secondary last week, throwing for 300 yards and three touchdowns in an extremely proficient performance. Arizona’s superstar halfback David Johnson was unstoppable for Bruce Arians’ offense, hauling in nine catches for 91 yards while accruing 84 rushing yards and two scores against the Redskins’ faltering unit. Look for the Eagles to mirror Arians’ game plan, sending versatile tailback Darren Sproles on Texas concepts, screens and wheel routes to compliment the running game.
For Philadelphia, controlling the line of scrimmage and maintaining commitment to the running game will be pivotal to sustaining offensive success for the first time since week 10 against Atlanta. Unlike the Cardinals, Pederson’s offense doesn’t have reputable receivers capable of creating separation against Josh Norman and the Redskins’ secondary on a consistent basis. The only likely way Wentz and the offense can have significant success against Joe Barry’s defense is if they’re able to control time of possession and churn out yardage on the ground, all the while avoiding predictability in Pederson’s play-calling.
Eagles’ Defense vs. Redskins’ Offense
In the Eagles’ first divisional showdown of the season, Jim Schwartz’s defense yielded 493 yards and 7.4 yards per play, including 230 rushing yards and seven yards per carry to Washington’s backs. Aside from one errant pass by Kirk Cousins, which Malcolm Jenkins returned for a touchdown, the Redskins’ offense dismantled a unit considered among the league’s elite at the time, and exposed severe vulnerabilities which have become magnified since the October 16th meeting.
Eagles’ defensive tackle Fletcher Cox disappeared in the first meeting between Washington and Philadelphia, and has yet to reappear in the seven games since. The former Mississippi State Bulldog entered the week 5 game in Landover, Maryland with four sacks and one forced fumble to go with 13 tackles in four games. In the last eight games, Cox has just 18 tackles, and hasn’t recorded a single sack or forced fumble. For Philly’s defense to have success this weekend, Cox and Brandon Graham will need to penetrate the pocket and deliver punishing blows to Cousins, something the front four has been increasingly incapable of doing as the season has progressed.
Cousins has been nearly flawless in four career starts against the Eagles. The former Michigan State Spartan averages 336 passing yards while accumulating 11 total touchdowns compared to only two interceptions in this rivalry. Look for Cousins to build upon these gaudy statistics on Sunday, as dwindling team chemistry seems to be affecting the Eagles’ secondary more than any positional group on the team.
Jay Gruden’s offense will benefit greatly from the reemergence of perennial Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams, who returns after serving a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. Additionally, superstar tight end Jordan Reed is expected to return from a shoulder injury suffered on Thanksgiving. With an array of weapons at Cousins’ disposal, it’ll take a monumental effort for Schwartz’s defense to slow down an offense which gashed them without Reed, and at a point in the season when Philly was playing at a much higher level.
Look for Washington to get burly halfback Robert Kelley lathered up early in the game with slobber-knocker, old-fashioned counter and trap rushes behind their towering hog-mollies. Aided by a crisply executed zone blocking scheme, Kelley averaged 11.8 yards per carry in the first matchup, and his 45-yard first half scamper propelled the Redskins’ rushing attack to a resounding victory at FedEx Field.
Matchup to Watch: Redskins’ offensive line vs. Eagles’ front four
Player of the Game: Jordan Reed
Prediction: Redskins win 27-10
