Let the Skinning Begin: Eagles vs. Redskins Week 12 Game Preview

5 or 6 weeks ago, one might have written off the Eagles as pretenders in a conference full of quality teams vying for a playoff spot. But we all should know that in only 5 or 6 weeks, a team can go from completely and utterly lost to the top of the pack (unless, of course, we’re talking about the Rams…sorry St. Louis fans). Consistency remains a bit of a problem for the Eagles, on both offense and defense, but they seemed quite balanced last week in a 24-20 win over the Chicago Bears. Philadelphia’s opponent this week comes in the form of the lowly Washington Redskins, who have crumbled to what many are calling one of the league’s worst franchises. Sure, their season record (3-7) is better than a few teams, but it is obviously still horrible, and their front office has been bashed and criticized on countless occasions this year. It would seem that Week 12 will be one of the easiest games of the year for the Eagles, but once again, they need not look over the Redskins, underestimate them, and lose what should be a definite victory, for the season is in full swing, and the postseason picture is beginning to shape up.

Week 12 Opponent: Washington Redskins

2008 Record: 8-8

Last Meeting Between Teams: Week 7, 2009. PHI-27 WAS-17

Game Location: Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

Evaluation: Some thought the Redskins would improve from the time they last met the Eagles and lost to them, but in reality, they’ve only worsened. Having lost 5 of their last 6 games and holding an overall record of 3-7, the entire Washington organization is in flux. Star players like RB Clinton Portis and prized offseason addition DT Albert Haynesworth are hurt, the coaching staff seems to be in a constant state of change, QB Jason Campbell and the offensive line have been bombarded with criticism for dismal play, and everything seems to be falling apart for the franchise. That doesn’t mean they will give up on this Week 12 showdown, however, as they have a chance at spoiling what the Eagles may consider a simple victory. With a decent defense but horrid offense, the Redskins have little balance as a unit, and will likely struggle to maintain a consistency, like they did when the rivals met earlier in the season. Once again, the pieces are in place for a big win, but if the Eagles overlook the Washington team, they can certainly put themselves in an embarrassing position for a loss.

Key Matchups:

• QB Donovan McNabb (PHI) vs. Redskins Defense (WAS): Two individual players are typically listed under “Key Matchups”, but the entire Redskin defensive unit falls into play for this particular topic. The Eagles have had nothing but solid play and productivity come from their QB Donovan McNabb the past few weeks, but as we’ve seen over the years, the veteran tends to have an average or poor performance following a string of great ones. Over the last two games, McNabb has compiled 694 passing yards, 4 touchdowns and a completion percentage of 67. Those are outstanding statistics, and although there is a reasonable chance he will put up another slate of respectable totals, his performance will likely be tested by the Washington defense.
• WR DeSean Jackson (PHI) vs. CB Carlos Rogers (WAS): Last time the Eagles and ‘Skins squared off, Jackson ran a perfect receiving route against Rogers and wound up scoring what was a momentum-shifting touchdown as a result of the move. Rogers will be without the aid of fellow starting defensive back DeAngelo Hall due to injury, and this player battle might decide whether the Eagles experience a good passing attack during the game. With consistent coverage of Jackson, Donovan McNabb might have trouble spotting open receivers for big plays (which the team has relied on heavily this year). However, with exploited mismatches and such secondary breakdowns, Jackson could find himself with another explosive game helpful to the Birds.
• DE Trent Cole (PHI) vs. OT Levi Jones (WAS): Jones has the ability to contain the dangerous Cole, and not many know it. The Tackle is a former 1st-round Draft selection of the Cincinnati Bengals, and for a guy who was signed only about a month ago, has played extremely well. Arguably the most consistent of the Redskins’ offensive linemen, Jones has decent versatility for his large frame, and that is something that could keep Trent Cole under wraps. The determined DE has notched 8.5 sacks thus far, and will be a tough pass rusher to stop, so this matchup will surely be a significant one in tomorrow afternoon’s game.
• OT Winston Justice (PHI) vs. DE Phillip Daniels (WAS): Justice is fresh off a contract extension and will go up against one of the under-performing starters of the Redskins’ defense. It sounds as if the Eagles’ lineman has the clear edge in this  situation, but Daniels has been somewhat of a clutch defender when it comes to crucial games. Of course, nothing can be dubbed ‘crucial’ for the Redskins anymore–at least for this season–but there’s always a chance Daniels breaks out as he’s done before and gives his all to lead his teammates to an upset victory. He’s had zero sacks so far, but this overlooked matchup might be better than expected, with the potential to decide the balance of the Eagles’ offensive protection from the right side of the line.

What to Watch For…

• When the Eagles played Washington earlier in the year, RB Brian Westbrook played for the first time in his career against his brother Byron, who is a reserve CB for the ‘Skins. Because Philadelphia’s veteran rusher is recovering from multiple concussions, he will not be an active contributor to the team on Sunday, but Byron is likely to be for the Redskins. With starting CB DeAngelo Hall out with a knee injury, Brian’s younger sibling is expected to play somewhat of a larger role on defense and special teams. Be sure to keep an eye out for “the other Westbrook” and see how he performs if given opportunities.
• There hasn’t been an official announcement on who will man the Eagles’ Middle Linebacker position, and there likely won’t be until game time. Will Witherspoon is set to play one of the outside spots–his natural position–while Chris Gocong will play the outside as well, and it is expected either Joe Mays or Jeremiah Trotter will start in the middle. Mays hasn’t looked impressive since last preseason and has appeared tentative and hesitant while out on the field this year. And while Trotter is an aged player with possibly the slowest legs on the defensive unit, he looked emotional and fantastic last week against the Bears. Keep your eye on who gets repetitions in the middle, as it might play a big part in the game.
• The Redskins are missing both their starting and backup Running Backs due to season-ending injuries (Clinton Portis sustained a concussion and Ladell Betts suffered severe ligament tears in his knee), so they will rely on 3rd-string back Rock Cartwright to carry the load on the ground. While it is unclear what Cartwright (who has taken only 181 career hand-offs to this point) will bring to the table with a starting role, it will be interesting to see how and how often the Redskins utilize him in their offensive strategy.

Injury Report (Eagles):

RB Brian Westbrook (concussion) Out

FB Leonard Weaver (mildly sprained ankle) Probable

WR Jeremy Maclin (recurring foot pain) Probable

WR Kevin Curtis (surgery; knee sprain) Out

OT Jason Peters (sprained ankle) Probable

OT Winston Justice (knee pain) Probable

OG Nick Cole (knee pain) Probable

DE Victor Abiamiri (knee sprain) Probable

DT Mike Patterson (bruised wrist, toe pain) Probable

OLB Akeem Jordan (hyper-extended knee) Out

MLB Jeremiah Trotter (knee inflammation) Questionable

CB Asante Samuel (strained neck muscles) Questionable

CB Sheldon Brown (strained hamstring) Probable

FS Macho Harris (blurred vision) Probable

FS Quintin Demps (sprained ankle) Probable

Projected Team Lineups:

(picture source)