Eagles vs. Redskins: Bigger Than The Hype

Also lost in the hype, this will be the biggest game Michael Vick has started since 2006.

While most of the hype surrounding today’s enormous showdown between the Eagles and Redskins centers around Donovan McNabb’s return to Philadelphia, this game means much more than that to these two teams.  An Eagles win will likely make this the biggest game Washington plays all year, leaving Philadelphia in control of the division.

With the Redskins coming in at 1-2 and as five point underdogs, their season may be on the line.  Since the AFL-NFL Merger in 1970, 375 teams have started a season 1-3.  Just 29 of them have gone on to make the playoffs, leaving the odds below 8 percent.  Last year, of the five teams that started 1-3, the Dolphins were the only one able to get more than six wins, finishing 7-9.

Making matters worse for the Redskins if they lose today, they have a murderer’s row lined up on the schedule.  They host Green Bay and Indianapolis in the next two weeks, then visit the currently 3-0 Bears in Chicago.

That’s a three game stretch against opponents that are a combined 7-2.  So a loss today could make this the last truly meaningful game the Redskins play all year.

On the Eagles side, a 3-1 start would be just what the doctor ordered with a difficult back end of the schedule.  Last year of the seven teams that won 3 of their first 4 games, five made the playoffs.

Once the Eagles hit November,  every “easy” game they play will come on the road, including 3 of 5 divisional games on the road.  Philadelphia’s stretch looks like this: Colts, at Redskins, Giants, at Bears, Texans, at Cowboys, at Giants, Vikings, Cowboys.

Say what you will about the starts of the Giants and Cowboys, but given the order of the games and the location, no NFC East game will be easy that time of year.  The Vikings may be off to a rough start, but chances are they’ll be in the playoff mix at the end of the year.

So if the Eagles want to be, they need to capitalize on the opportunity they have today.  It’s not often you get a chance to put your foot on the throat of a divisional rival in week 4 and go for the kill.  Today the Eagles can do just that, against their former franchise quarterback no less.