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Washington Redskins Vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Biggest Takeaways From Redskins’ 27-22 Victory In Week 14 Of 2016 NFL Season

By Jason Fletcher
Published on: 13:59 PST, Dec 11, 2016

Following back-to-back road losses to the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals, the Washington Redskins entered their Week 14 game against the Philadelphia Eagles desperately needing a victory. In a back-and-forth battle, the Redskins were able to get that victory by a score of 27-22 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Eagles took a 22-21 lead with 5:03 to go in the fourth quarter on a 41-yard field goal by kicker Caleb Sturgis. On the ensuing drive, Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins led the offense on an eight-play, 77-yard drive that took 3:06 off the clock and ended with a 25-yard touchdown run by running back Chris Thompson that gave the Redskins a 27-22 lead with 1:53 left in the game.

Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz was able to lead his team back down the field to the Redskins’ 14-yard-line with 21 seconds remaining in the game, but he would end up being sacked by Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan. Wentz would also fumble on the play and the fumble was recovered by Washington linebacker Trent Murphy to end the game.

Washington now sits at 7-5-1 and are a half-game out of the final Wild Card spot in the NFC with three weeks remaining in the season. While the Eagles fall to 5-8 after losing six of their last seven games.

Let’s examine the five biggest takeaways from this crucial NFC East showdown.

Redskins’ Defense Played Bend-But-Don’t-Break Style To Perfection

Philadelphia was able to move the ball at will on the Washington defense as the Eagles recorded 24 first downs and racked up 383 total yards. Wentz threw for 314 yards as he completed 32-of-46 attempts. Despite the success, the Eagles only scored one offensive touchdown on the day as the Redskins forced Philadelphia into three field goal attempts.

Redskins Continue To Get After The Quarterback

The Eagles came into Sunday’s game only having allowed 26 sacks in its first 12 games, which is good for an average of just over two per game. The Redskins were able to get to Wentz four times with Kerrigan, Mason Foster, and Bashaud Breeland recording a full sack each, and Chris Baker and Preston Smith splitting another.

DeSean Jackson Burned His Old Team Again

One of the biggest plays of the game was Jackson’s 80-yard touchdown catch early in the third quarter. The Redskins had struggled offensively in the first half, but in one play, Jackson put his team ahead. Following the game, Jackson didn’t exactly rule out the possibility of coming back to Philly after the 2016 season as he will be free agent, according to FOX Sports.

Rob Kelley Proved His Worth Once Again

If you look purely at the stats, Kelley had a very average day as he only gained 63 yards on 16 carries, good for a 3.9 YPC average, while adding two catches for 25 yards. But it’s the way that Kelley gets his yards that makes a difference for the Redskins. The Eagles’ defensive front is one of the best in the NFL and Kelley did a tremendous job of breaking tackles on nearly every run to grind out the tough yardage his team needed.

Kirk Cousins Didn’t Play His Best Yet Team Still Won

Typically, the Redskins go as Cousins goes, but on Sunday, the team found a way to win without Kirk playing spectacular football. He completed 14-of-21 passes for 234 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Being able to find different ways to win is the mark of a great team and it will come to serve the Washington Redskins well if they do in fact make the playoffs.

[Featured Image by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images]

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