By Tucker Bagley
It all comes down to this, the Eagles playing against the Washington Redskins with a playoff spot on the line. The Birds have dominated the first half and lead the Redskins, 10-0, while Chicago leads the Vikings, 13-0, in Minnesota. Here's what we saw in the first 30 minutes of action:
What Worked
- Rasul Douglas has been rather inconsistent during his two years with the Eagles, but he came up with another big play when he intercepted Josh Johnson's first pass of the afternoon.
- The Eagles defense dominated the first quarter, allowing just 2 total yards and zero first downs.
- Even with the defense dominating, the Eagles were only up 3-0 early in the second quarter, but the Birds took the air out of the ball, and went on a methodical drive, draining over 11 minutes of clock as they marched down the field en route to their second score of the game.
- Alshon Jeffery has been Nick Foles' best friend on the afternoon, catching all four of his targets for 40 yards and a touchdown.
What Didn't
- As great as Douglas' pick was, Foles' interception on the ensuing drive was equally as bad. He overthrew Zach Ertz and the ball landed into the lap of a defensive back.
- Golden Tate heard footsteps and dropped a key third down pass. The veteran continues to look like a mistake for the Eagles.
Halftime Adjustment
Foles hasn't looked sharp in the first half, throwing an interception and missing high on a few other throws. However, the Eagles have found a lot of success running the ball, picking up over 70 yards on the ground in the first half. Granted, the quarterback has done a great job of moving the sticks on third-and-short, but the Eagles need to rely on their run game in the second half to preserve their lead.
Second Half X-Factor: Da Bears!
The Rams have jumped out to a huge lead over the 49ers, which isn't great, but Chicago has fulfilled their end of the bargain, leading Minnesota at the end of the half. Chicago needs to hold on over their division rivals for the Eagles to have any chance of qualifying for the postseason.
