Table the Playoff Talk, Washington Won't Be a Pushover
Playoff chatter is sweeping the streets of Philadelphia, to the point that many are already talking about resting players in Week 18 against Dallas.
My advice: Whoa, slow down.
This rematch against Washington won’t be as easy as many seem to think.
Here’s why:
42
That was the point differential in Washington’s 56-14 collapse in Dallas last week. To me, that will only serve to anger the WFT, who will look to take it out on their next opponent.
Think about it. You’re a professional and you lose like that? That would make me angry.
“They’re a scrappy team that’s going to keep fighting no matter what,’ said LB T.J. Edwards on Wednesday. “We know we’re going to get their best shot. We know they’re a really good football team, they’re a team that’s prideful and they play the right way, so they’re going to give us everything. It’s our job to be ready for it and match that intensity.
Perhaps if the Eagles can start quickly, something that has been problematic in their two most recent wins, Washington will pack it in early and get ready for the offseason. They are already close to that point at 6-9 with a slim to none chance of making the postseason.
“We’ve been lucky the last couple weeks that we got off to slow starts but we were able to finish the on the right note,” said tight end Dallas Goedert on Wednesday. “The defense bailed us out a couple of times. That always helps. It’s definitely a game where you need all three phases. But for sure, we need to start faster and that will be something that we focus on.”
QUICK TURNAROUND
There will only be 12 days from when the two teams met at Lincoln Financial Field on Dec. 21 and line up again on Sunday at FedEx Field.
This doesn’t happen very often.
In fact, it’s just the fourth time teams have had just a dozen days or less between seeing each other again since 1970. Washington was involved in one of the other three, though that was back in 1974 when the WFT played the Cowboys. The other two times came in 2018 between Chicago and Detroit and in 2013 between Houston and Jacksonville.
The Cowboys and Washington split their games in ’74; the Jaguars won both games over the Texans in ’13; the Bears won both games over the Lions in ’18.
“I definitely think it brings some challenges,” said QB Jalen Hurts. “We just played them, and it’s a very short (turnaround), and that’s kind of how it is in the NFL. We’ll go in there as prepared as we can be to go play them and put our best foot forward.”
HEALTHIER ROSTER
It goes without saying that the WFT will be much closer to full strength than the first go-around. While that’s true at QB, where head coach Ron Rivera said he is considering playing both Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen – and not Garrett Gilbert, who played 12 days ago – it is also true of the secondary.
Hurts faced backups and practice squad player the last time. This time, strong safety Kamren Curl and CB Kendall Fuller are expected to play.
NO MILES SANDERS
Twelve days ago, the RB ran for a career-high 131 yards, leading a ground onslaught that put up 238 yards. He has a broken hand now and is out.
Jordan Howard added 69 yards in that game, too. He has a stinger and didn’t participate in Wednesday’s walkthrough practice.
The Eagles will lean on Boston Scott, Kenny Gainwell, and maybe, if Howard cannot play, Kerryon Johnson, who was added to the practice squad on Tuesday after spending the summer with the Eagles in training camp.
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Eagle Maven and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglemaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze
