Game of the Week: Eagles vs. Redskins

The showdown that will determine much of the NFC playoff picture is happening tonight, as the Redskins and Eagles will be throwing down at Lincoln Financial Field.

Both teams are 8-3, and the Eagles are coming off a huge win over the Cowboys. The last time these two teams met, the Eagles managed a tough 21-17 win over the Redskins by forcing two redzone turnovers.

The winner of this match further solidifies their playoff position and potentially gets a shot at the division crown.

The loser gets to battle the Saints and Lions for the sixth seed.

It all goes down tonight at 10:30 EST!

(Sorry, no streaming because I'm playing on my little TV)

Look for a recap in this space after the game!

It was a familiar game with a familiar ending for the Washington Redskins. But this time, the Redskins were on the wrong end of the dramatic ending.

Just over ten yards out from the game winning TD and time running out on the clock, the Redskins ran a play down the middle for tight end Fred Davis. David appeared about to fall in for the score, but was instead tackled a yard shy. With no timeouts, the Redskins could only watch as time ran out.

"Painful way to end it," said owner/gm Kat Bailey, her voice still raw from cursing. "Championship teams win those kinds of games. We've been just one yard shy of Super Bowl contenders all season."

The Eagles set the tone early with a key defensive stand on the Redskins' first drive. On 4th and 1, the Skins ran a throw to Jerious Norwood out of shotgun, but Ben Roethlisberger overthrew the receiver as he was blocked at the line of scrimmage. Later though, the Redskins returned the favor after a fumble by Norwood put the Eagles in position to make the score 21-7.

The Redskins and Eagles continued exchanging touchdowns until the fourth quarter, at which point the Redskins were unable to capitalize on a few key stops against the Eagles. With the score tied 28-28 and three minutes to go, Norwood fumbled again, putting the Eagles at midfield.

"What can I say? I kind of suck," Norwood admitted after the game. "Yeah, I got lucky against the Vikings and Bills, but what can I say? The Eagles exposed me. Horribly."

It was at that point that newly-acquired middle linebacker Paul Poszluzny nearly turned the game back around for the Redskins. With less than two minutes to go and the Eagles aiming to run out the clock, "The Poz" forced a fumble and appeared to recover it. Bizarrely, he was credited with the turnover, but the Eagles managed to maintain possession. The fumble was soon overturned, further adding to the confusion.

"We reviewed the play," the referee said afterward. "And decided it was best to pretend it never happened."

Down 31-28 with a minute to go, the Redskins swiftly marched down the field, even after Austin went out for a play on an injury. In a bid to win outright though, the Redskins were instead sent to their fourth defeat.

"What can I say? Championship teams play to win," Kat said after the game. "There was no way in hell I was going into overtime and risking them winning the coin toss."

The myriad issues that have haunted the Redskins all season once again came back to haunt them: their trouble running the ball against fast defenses and their fumbling problems. The Redskins are now also 0-3 on potentially game-winning drives.

"The Eagles played a fantastic game, and it was really an epic battle," Kat said as she poured herself a second glass of whiskey in the coaches office. "They're an incredibly talented team and deserve their shot at taking down the Cowboys. Lots of luck to them."

The Redskins (8-4) now travel to Miami to take on the Dolphins (8-3). They face a tough road in their bid to return to the playoffs, including games against the Cowboys and Rams.

"Fuck, we have to beat those guys?" Kat asked when she heard the remaining schedule. "I need another drink."

Rough loss, Kat.