How are the Redskins preparing for the Philadelphia Eagles?

What are Redskins writers thinking going into their matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles?

The Philadelphia Eagles are getting set to take on the Washington Redskins this weekend at FedExField. While it’s still relatively early in the season, this game carries a considerable amount of weight between these two NFC East rivals.

To get an outside perspective on the matchup, we reached out to the awesome guys over at Riggo’s Rag to see what it is the Redskins may be thinking going into this pivotal matchup. Be sure to follow Riggo’s Rag on Twitter as well as its site experts Jacob Camenker (@jacobyhorse) and Robb Crocker (@RobbCrockerWRIC).

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1. What about the Eagles scares you the most?

Definitely their front seven. The team has had a solid defensive line ever since they drafted Fletcher Cox, but they have taken it to another level this year. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is among the best in the business, as seen with his prior success in Buffalo, and he has really improved the state of the Eagles defense.

Adding Nigel Bradham to a group of already elite linebackers and ditching Kiko Alonso has proven to be huge for the team. Bradham, Mychal Kendricks and Jordan Hicks are a very solid trio and this unit should be able to bottle up the Redskins rushing attack. The Redskins have struggled offensively when their run game does not work. If they cannot keep the Eagles honest, then the Eagles will have the advantage in this contest.

2. How do you think the Redskins will game plan for the Eagles?

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I would guess that the team will look to focus on winning battles in the pass game on both sides. On offense, the Redskins have an elite receiving corps. DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, and Jamison Crowder should be able to favorably matchup against the Eagles cornerbacks. Though the team will likely be without Jordan Reed, Vernon Davis can still function as a great receiving tight end and may make a difference over the middle.

Defensively, the Eagles have to focus on defending the pass as well. The Skins have a pretty weak run defense, so they have to focus on shutting down the Eagles on the outside. Josh Norman should be able to lock down Jordan Matthews and I think that Bashaud Breeland will stand a good chance against the other Philadelphia receivers. If Breeland is not healthy, Kendall Fuller and Quinton Dunbar will fill in admirably once again.

Once the Redskins slow the passing game, then they can focus more on stopping the run. If they can limit Carson Wentz’s options, then I like their chances to hold the Eagles to less than 20 points.

3. The Redskins are finally starting to play better in the red zone after a rough start to the season. Do you think this will continue against Philadelphia?

I have some serious concerns about that this week. The team’s best red zone weapon is Jordan Reed, but he may miss the game with a concussion. If that happens, then the team will have to create mismatches on the field. That could be difficult if they struggle in the running game.

My potential weapons to watch are Pierre Garcon and Chris Thompson. Garcon caught a short touchdown last week, and he has traditionally been a red zone target for the team. He does not create the same mismatches that Reed does, but he can definitely get the job done.

As for Thompson, he could be a sneaky option for the team. The 5-8 receiving back can slip out of the backfield and run quick routes towards the end zone. If he can find open space, then Kirk Cousins may find him for a touchdown. The team may even have him run between the tackles on a draw play to try and confuse the defense.

Those are the only ways that I can see the Redskins getting going inside the 20. They need to make sure that this happens if they want a chance to emerge victorious.

4. What worries you the least going into this matchup?

I really have not been worried about the Redskins passing game. They have started to hit their stride, and I think that they will be able to find some success against the Eagles. I imagine that DC Schwartz is planning on running some tricky coverages to try and slow down the unit, but I still think that they will be a big strength come Sunday afternoon.

Also, I am not worried at all about Dustin Hopkins and the kicking game. He missed his first field goal of the year last week, but it was a 56-yarder. The young kicker still has to have some confidence and should be ready to nail a clutch kick if the Redskins need him to.

5. What is your final game prediction and why?

I think that this game ends up being a closely contested one. I think that both teams will be able to get their offenses going early in the game before the defenses really step up and slow things down. I expect the scoring to be heavy in the first half, and the second half to be more of a struggle. With that said, I have to take the Eagles in this game. They have just looked so good over their first four games of the season. The Redskins, meanwhile, have only looked average at best. I think that the Eagles will pull off a 20-16 victory and move up in the NFC East ranks.

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Another big shoutout to the guys over at Riggo’s Rag. For Redskins news and notes, don’t forget to follow their Twitter page, which you can find here.

I will be at FedExField to cover the Eagles’ game against the ‘Skins. To keep track for live updates and tweets, follow Inside the Iggles and myself (@RP_Quigs) on Twitter.

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