Eagles vs Washington Preview
Well, after 16 long days, we finally have Eagles football, on a Tuesday… That's right, the Eagles play the Washington Football Team at 7:00 pm tonight in Philadelphia after the game was postponed a few days prior due to a covid outbreak within Washington's organization. Even though Washington had an extra two days to recover from the outbreak, they will be without many key players and assistants. Oh, did I also forget to mention that this game is a key game for the NFC playoff race and can determine who gets the final spot in the playoffs?
Washington Football Team Injury Report:
Washington has 16 players currently on the Reserve/Covid-19 list, including starting quarterback Taylor Heinicke, backup quarterback Kyle Allen, Pro-Bowl guard Brandon Scherff, starting corner Kendall Fuller, and safety's Sam Curl and Troy Apke. Wideout Curtis Samual (hamstring) and running back J.D. McKissic (concussion) were also ruled out of the Eagles game. Washington will also be without their Defensive Line, Wide Receivers, Running Backs, Defensive Backs, and Assistant Backs/Nickel coaches, along with their Defensive Quality Control Coach and their Defensive Coaching Intern.
Philadelphia Eagles Injury Report:
The Eagles used the bye week to get healthy, and Jalen Hurts is good to go as the starting quarterback after dealing with a high ankle sprain the last few weeks. Power back Jordan Howard is also good to go for tonight’s game against Washington. However, rookie sensation Landon Dickerson was placed on the Reserve/Covid-19 list, and swing tackle Andre Dillard was also placed on the Covid list too. With right guards Jack Driscoll and Brandon Brooks still out, all signs point to Nate Herbig and Sua Opeta getting the start at the two guard spots.
Keys to Victory:
Washington has three of the most dominant interior pass rushers in the league with Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen, and Matt Ioannidis. With the Eagles being projected to start a second and third stringer on the interior of the offensive line, Washington's interior could have a big game. On the outside, Montez Sweat has been solid as a pass rusher, but he has been elite as a run defender this season. If the Eagles allow Washington's front four to control the game, the Eagles playoff hopes could be all but over, so it important to minimize the Washington pass rush by running the rock and allowing Hurts to get rid of the ball quickly. Sirianni could also call a hefty amount of play-action shots for Hurts to keep the struggling linebackers for Washington on their heels in coverage.
Washington's offense has only two real threats, Antonio Gibson and Terry Mclaurin. Gibson has gotten an extremely high number of touches lately, but he is averaging under 4 yards per-carry and has fumbled 6 times, which causes the Washington staff to lose confidence in him as a three-down back. On the outside, Mclaurin is one of the best receivers in the game, but he is the victim of inaccurate passing. Often times Mclaurin will be wide open, but Heinicke will throw him into traffic with a bad ball. Mclaurin will be going against Darius Slay, who has had an All-Pro level season for the Eagles. If Philly can shut down McLaurin and Gibson, they will force Washington to rely on unproven players.