When the Redskins lost to the lowly St. Louis Rams, for the second time in the last three contests, they became everybody’s favorite homecoming opponent. You know that team. You circle the date you play on the calendar and mark it “win.”
The Redskins are six point underdogs when they visit the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday. The homecoming angle everyone speaks of is the return of Donovan McNabb. McNabb will not face Michael Vick, of course. Washington’s defense will. Are they up to the task?
Redskins players hint that a safety, probably LaRon Landry, or a defensive back will spy Michael Vick to force him to throw in an unnatural motion or to throw his timing off, anything except flush him from the pocket. Elusive Vick has a habit of embarrassing defenses that try this.
But the Eagles offensive line is suspect. They have allowed 14 sacks and 27 quarterback hits; both are league highs. The Eagles early opponents attacked by the blitz. The Redskins try to bring pressure by rushing four of anyone in the front seven in their new 3-4 alignment–the better to collapse the pocket while containing Mr. Vick.
The Eagles were comfortable trading McNabb, to the Redskins no less, for draft picks because Vick and Kevin Kolb provided strength at that position. The Redskins are delighted to have him. There were not enough draft picks or free agents to fix all of Washington’s deficiencies in one year. When there are deficiencies at wide receiver and questions about the offensive line, McNabb is the perfect one-man band-aid.
Questions about the receivers remain, but Washington’s line has held up better than Philadelphia’s. Depth is the issue. Talent falls off if the starters are out for long. Washington’s first round rookie tackle Trent Williams is a game-time decision.
McNabb distributes the ball distributes the ball to tight ends, mostly Chris Cooley, and backs, mostly Mike Sellers, to make up for poor wide receiver play. Joey Galloway has shown speed, but poor hands on deep patterns. The Skins got away from the ground game in the St. Louis game. They would be wise to stick with it against the Eagles, if only to keep Vick, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Macklin, and LeSean McCoy on the bench.
The media focuses on McNabb vs. Vick. The more interesting comparative is Philadelphia’s approach to building a roster. You couldn’t find a more divergent approach to Washington’s. The Snyderskins are renowned–and laughed at–for acquiring big name players in a “win now” approach to winning, without winning titles. So the Redskins tend to have an older team.
The Eagles constantly renew themselves by trading productive players for draft picks, then using those picks on young players. Before McNabb, the Eagles moved or released Duce Staley, Brian Dawkins, Jeremiah Trotter, Troy Vincent and Brian Westbrook before they sopped up salary cap space. The result is that the Eagles are always in the conversation for the playoffs. They may have the most dynamic offense in the NFC East.
The Redskins have a shot to beat the Eagles. This game will be closer than most expect. Football is played emotionally. The emotion of McNabb’s return may carry the day for Washington.
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