Redskins vs. Eagles: Complete Week 3 Preview for Washington
While the Washington Redskins will enter their Week 3 bout against the Philadelphia Eagles with momentum on their side, after netting Jay Gruden his first NFL win as a head coach, they'll be without the services of their franchise quarterback.
In Washington's 41-10 demolition of the Jacksonville Jaguars, an ankle injury to Robert Griffin III headlined a day in which a litany of Redskins players departed the game with injuries.
Shifting the focus to Philadelphia, the Eagles won their Week 2 contest against the Indianapolis Colts in similar fashion to their opener. After a sluggish start that again had the team facing a halftime deficit, Philadelphia rallied behind 24 second-half points and defeated the Colts 30-27.
A divisional contest that will decide the early leader in the NFC East, this matchup also pits the NFL's top offense and top defense against each other. So, who will prevail?
Let's find out. Here is the Week 3 preview for Washington.
Washington Redskins Week 2 Recap
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After an underwhelming start to the 2014 NFL season, the Redskins ended their nine-game losing streak in Gruden's home debut in resounding fashion. Coming out of Week 2's action with a 41-10 victory over the hapless Jaguars, the victory did come at a cost.
Griffin suffered a dislocated ankle in the first quarter and is out at least eight weeks, according to ESPN.com's John Keim. Joining him on the team's mounting injury list were DeSean Jackson, Roy Helu and Shawn Lauvao.
Even without these headliners, though, Washington's offense didn't miss a beat. Garnering 449 yards of total offense, the Redskins boasted the balanced attack that fans have long clamored for. Filling in for Griffin, Kirk Cousins completed 22 of 33 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns. Among his favorite targets was one Niles Paul. In place of the injured Jordan Reed, Paul had a career-high eight receptions for 99 yards and one touchdown.
Joining Cousins in the backfield, Alfred Morris churned out 85 yards and two touchdowns before being lifted in the fourth quarter.
Not to be outdone, the Redskins defense also turned in a memorable performance. With 10 sacks, Washington tied a franchise record. While the secondary did surrender its share of big plays, on the game the defense limited the Jags to 148 yards of offense.
After playing two of the league's worst teams in 2013, the Redskins now will have a steep jump in competition with the Eagles up next. Losers of its last seven road games, Washington will also look to avenge the two-game sweep Philadelphia posted against it last season.
News and Notes
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Brandon Meriweather's Return
The time to rejoice is here. After serving his latest suspension for head-hunting, safety Brandon Meriweather is set to make his 2014 debut. Facing an offense that is predicated on big plays, his return couldn't have come at a better time for Washington.
Even with the team's stellar performance on defense thus far, it's hard to overlook the big plays Washington has already surrendered. The Redskins allowed both DeAndre Hopkins and Marcedes Lewis to score touchdowns on gains north of 60 yards. Fortunately for Washington, though, the culprit for both miscues, Bacarri Rambo, is being replaced by Meriweather and, most importantly, is no longer with the team:
"Redskins waived S Bacarri Rambo. Assume that was to make room for Brandon Meriweather.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) September 16, 2014"
Kirk Cousins as a Starter
Filling in once again for an injured RG3, Cousins' performance against Jacksonville comes as a surprise to very few.
Just in the preseason, there was former Redskins great Joe Theismann praising Cousins for outplaying Griffin in a telecast of Washington's game against the Baltimore Ravens. Additionally, as Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com reported, various members of the New England Patriots organization left a joint practice with the Redskins feeling that Cousins indeed showed to be the better quarterback.
Even with that said, for Cousins' play to match such glowing reviews, he's going to have to limit his turnovers going forward. With not even a full nine games under his belt, Cousins' 10 career interceptions are concerning.
Now one of the central targets in opposing teams' game plans, the element of surprise will no longer be a benefit that Cousins is afforded.
A comfortable fit in Gruden's offense, Cousins has the talent around him to parlay his cameo in the starting lineup into a permanent gig. Set to face the Eagles, New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks in the next three games, he'll have the stage to do so as well.
The NFL's No. 1 Defense Resides in Washington
In light of the team's defensive turnaround, perhaps Redskins nation should be singing Drake's "Started From The Bottom" as the team anthem. After finishing 30th in scoring and 18th in total defense last season, Washington currently boasts the top defense in yardage allowed and is fourth in points against.
The thing is, though, not even these stats give Washington's defense its just due. Of the 469 yards the team has surrendered, 193 yards have come on three plays. Oh, and of the 27 points allowed, only 20 actually were tallied against the defense.
Facing Ryan Fitzpatrick and Chad Henne, one could say that the Redskins simply did what they were supposed to do on this side of the ball. Going against the NFL's top offense in Week 3, as The Washington Post's Jason Reid notes, the jury will soon have a verdict on how improved Washington's defense actually is:
"Is Washington's defense for real? We're about to find out. http://t.co/Uu0OI4UOcR
— Jason Reid (@JReidPost) September 18, 2014"
Injury Report
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| Player | Position | Injury Status |
| Kai Forbath | K | Questionable |
| Akeem Jordan | LB | Questionable |
| Tracy Porter | CB | Questionable |
| Jordan Reed | TE | Questionable |
| Kedric Golston | DL | Questionable |
| Robert Griffin III | QB | Out |
| Roy Helu | RB | Probable |
| DeSean Jackson | WR | Questionable |
| Darrel Young | FB | Questionable |
| Brian Orakpo | LB | Probable |
*All injury statuses from CBSSports.com
Even with just two games in the rear view mirror, the Redskins still boast an extensive, and expensive, injury list. Facing his former employer in Week 3, the playing status of Jackson is certainly one worth monitoring. While ESPN.com's John Keim reported that Jackson was once again a non-participant in practice Thursday with a shoulder injury, he reiterated that Gruden is optimistic about his chances of playing.
"He’s still sore, but he’s getting better, and his range of motion is better,” Gruden said. “It’s an injury where a couple more days will do him a lot of good. A lot of it is pain tolerance...I think he’ll be OK.”
Shifting the focus to defense, the absences of Tracy Porter and Kedric Golston could be devastating. While their absence hasn't stopped the team from ranking first in total defense, the pace at which Philadelphia plays mandates that Washington rotates its players on defense. With Stephen Bowen and Barry Cofield already out with injuries, depth isn't a strong point of the team's defensive line at the moment.
Looking at the secondary, it's not an ideal matchup for Washington to play either E.J. Biggers or rookie Bashaud Breeland in the slot. With the Eagles known to line both LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles out wide, Washington's secondary could be in for a long day if Porter misses his third-straight contest.
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X-Factor and Matchups to Watch
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Defending Darren Sproles
In light of his performance against the Indianapolis Colts, the Redskins have to be bemoaning the fact that they missed out on Sproles this offseason. Talking with ESPN.com's John Keim, Gruden echoed that sentiment.
"It didn't work out for us and when you find out it's not going to work out with us, you dang sure want him to go to the AFC somewhere. Unfortunately he went to Philly. He's a great player. Anytime you have a chance to get after a player like that, who's been that dominant in the passing game, you'd like a crack at him.
"
Lined up in the slot, in the backfield and at times with McCoy, Sproles' defensive assignment will fall on multiple players.
With Philadelphia still missing the explosive element at receiver that Jackson once provided, defensive coordinator Jim Haslett should have little hesitation when it comes to shifting coverage in Sproles', and McCoy's, direction.
Alfred Morris vs. Philadelphia's Front Seven
While the Jaguars' ineptness can't be completely discounted, you can't help but correlate Washington's offensive explosion to the effectiveness of the team's rushing attack. Facing a defense that was dominated by Indianapolis' long-dormant running game, the Redskins would be wise to lean again on their backs.
Looking at the second-half scoring surges the Eagles utilized to win their first two games, it's apparent that defensive fatigue played an integral role in these outbursts. In an effort to shorten the game and rest its defense, it's crucial that Washington doesn't abandon its running game—remember what happened Week 1?
If the Morris-led rushing attack can again crack 30 carries, and presumably gain over 100 yards, the Redskins could pull the upset.
Redskins' X-Factor of the Week: Brian Orakpo
Still slowed by a nagging ankle injury, it'll say a lot about Orakpo if he can garner a sack against the Eagles. And that's because his matchup this week is against left tackle Jason Peters.
"Jason Peters leads all starting NFL offensive tackles in fewest QB pressures allowed (9) over last 10 games. Highest PFF rating (+26.3) too.
— Cody Swartz (@cbswartz5) September 18, 2014"
With Philadelphia sure to send help in blocking Jason Hatcher and Ryan Kerrigan, it's likely that Orakpo will be in a one-on-one matchup with Peters. With the array of screen passes and checkdowns Foles can utilize to combat the team's other pass rushers, it's crucial for Orakpo to apply pressure from his blind side. While Foles doesn't turn the ball over often, on the occasions he does, pressure is the root cause.
Prediction
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After being dominated in two losses to Philadelphia last season, the 2014 Redskins enter this matchup with a legitimate chance at pulling the upset.
The addition of Jason Hatcher has bolstered Washington's pass rush. Albeit against Jacksonville's porous offensive front, the team's 10-sack performance was impressive. While the secondary remains a weak spot, Philadelphia's receivers have been underwhelming thus far.
Outside of Jeremy Maclin's 68-yard touchdown reception, the result of a blown coverage, the Eagles wideouts have just one gain north of 20 yards. Clearly missing Jackson's presence as a deep threat, this plight frees up Haslett to send pressure in Foles' direction.
On the offensive end, Washington had little trouble moving the football in last year's matchup. In two games, the team averaged over 400 yards of total offense. While this effort was indeed directed by Griffin, in light of the 169 yards Indianapolis accumulated against Philadelphia last week, the Redskins should still be able to, at the very least, run the football.
The passing game, though, that's another matter. Possibly without Jordan Reed and DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia can again fixate on Pierre Garcon. In both matchups last year, he was limited to under 70 receiving yards.
For the Eagles, the mounting injuries on Washington's side plays into their hands. Depth is something every team needs when dealing with head coach Chip Kelly's fast-paced offense. Facing a defense that's likely to be littered with either fatigued or inexperienced players at some juncture in the game, the Eagles should be able to identify a favorable matchup and capitalize on it.
Washington will keep pace for the majority of this contest, but behind an untimely Cousins' turnover, the Eagles will escape this outing with their undefeated record intact.
Prediction: Redskins 20, Eagles 27
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