On Monday Night Football, the Washington Redskins will travel to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to take on the Eagles. This NFC East showdown will kick off at 8:30 PM/ET.
The NFC East is routinely one of the toughest divisions in football. Before the start of the 2017 season, NFL experts and media members alike picked the Cowboys and Giants to run away with this division. That, however, hasn’t been the case. Through seven weeks, the Eagles are the surprise team of the NFL. With a win on Monday Night Football, the Eagles (4-1) could cement themselves as the favorite to win their division. The Redskins (3-2), having already lost to the Eagles, cannot afford to fall two games behind Philadelphia for the division. This is a must win for Washington.
Fly, Eagles Fly!
The Eagles are the best team in the NFC East. Not only that, they’re playing like the best team in the league. What’s behind Philadelphia rise to greatness? Look no further than Carson Wentz. The second-year signal caller is making big plays when it matters most. Philadelphia, according to NFL Stats, is converting 51 percent on third down. By comparison, the Redskins are converting 41 percent on third downs. Facing a Redskins defense that ranks 20th in the league, in terms of stopping their opponents on third down, expect the Eagles offense to have sustained success on the field all night.
Philadelphia’s offense is one of the best storylines of the season, but it’s the play of the defense that makes this Eagles team truly elite. According to NFL Stats, the Eagles defense is holding their opponents to a mere 33 percent conversion rate on third downs.
The Eagles’ defense plays big in the biggest moments. The Eagles are holding their opponents to just over 20 points per game. According to NFL Stats, the Eagles rank ninth in the league in terms of points allowed. When the Redskins high-powered offense comes to town, expect the Eagles defense to hold up against a strong Washington offense.
Hail to the Redskin! Or, born to runner-up?
The Redskins are in a strong position to make a move for first place. They’re two losses this season have come at the hands of Kansas City and Philadelphia, While both losses were by more than a touchdown, the Redskins were never really out of either game. With a chance to take another crack at the Eagles and a shot at a share of first place on the line, expect the Redskins to play their best game of the season against their division rivals.
According to NFL Stats, the Redskins have the 6th ranked offense in terms of yards per game. Unfortunately for Washington, they trail the Eagles in many of the important statistically offensive categories. Washington will need to play a nearly flawless game to compete with the Eagles.
The Redskins best weapon is the scrappy Chris Thompson. Through seven weeks, Thompson’s impact on the passing game is clear; he’s Washington’s most explosive offensive weapon. Last week against the 49ers, Thompson had 16 carries for a mere 33 yards, but in the passing attack, he was huge. Cousins connected with Thompson four times for a total of 105 yards. Against a stout Philadelphia defense, Washington will rely heavily on Thompson’s escapability and elusiveness to pick up yards.
Eagles vs Redskins Betting Lines
BetOnline.ag has the Eagles favored to win the game by 4 points. The over/under on total points scored is 49. You can read our full BetOnline review here.
My Pick
Through seven weeks, the Eagles are the best team in the NFL. Carson Wentz is playing at a Tom Brady like level. It’s easy to get carried away early in the season, but unless Wentz starts making uncharacteristic like mistakes, expect the Eagles to continue to roll through the NFL schedule on their way to a deep playoff run. The Redskins, however, have a shot for a share of first place, and that’s all the motivation they’ll need to want to win this game. The Redskins are a good team and will fight the Eagles to the end, but until Philadelphia starts to slow down as a team, expect the Eagles to do just enough to pull out the victory.
Play: Eagles -4 @ BetOnline.ag
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