LANDOVER, Md. -- The Philadelphia Eagles showed they could win ugly last week against the New York Jets. This week, the Eagles showed they’re capable of losing the same way.
The Eagles' 23-20 loss to the Washington Redskins was a grim performance on Sunday at FedEx Field.
The Eagles were held scoreless in the first half for the second time this season. They rallied to take a 20-16 lead early in the fourth quarter, then allowed Washington’s offense to burn nearly the last six minutes of game clock as quarterback Kirk Cousins drove Washington 90 yards for the game-winning score.
Cousins found wide receiver Pierre Garcon for a first down at the Eagles’ 4-yard line with 35 seconds left in the fourth quarter, with Washington needing a touchdown for the win. Washington got it, as Cousins fired a strike that was caught by a diving Garcon just inside the end zone. The 4-yard touchdown essentially gave Washington the win and the advantage in the NFC East race.
What it means: The Eagles are in disarray. Their offense was largely anemic, producing just 20 points against an injury-riddled Washington defense. At 1-3, the Eagles aren’t dead, but they absolutely must win their next two games against the New Orleans Saints and New York Giants. Worse still, the Eagles managed to miss points on special teams and allow a 90-yard scoring drive on defense. It was an all-phases breakdown. There’s nothing for the Eagles to hang their hats on right now.
What were they thinking? The Eagles worked out a bunch of kickers last week after Cody Parkey tore muscles in his groin. They chose former Miami kicker Caleb Sturgis. In his first game, Sturgis missed an extra point and a 33-yard field goal attempt. It won’t be surprising if there’s another cattle call at the NovaCare Complex this week.
One reason to get excited: Sam Bradford can throw the ball downfield after all. Bradford had mysteriously avoided taking any deep shots through three games. Was it him? The receivers? The way defenses were playing? At Washington, Bradford took five or six deep shots, resulting in a 62-yard touchdown for Riley Cooper, a 39-yard score for Miles Austin and a 45-yard gain by Nelson Agholor. Bradford missed Austin and Jordan Matthews on some deep balls, but the plays added some big-play potential to the Eagles’ offense.
One reason to panic: The Eagles' offense was a mess for the entire first half. Although they got the deep ball going in the second half, you have to wonder how Chip Kelly’s offense would have fared against a team with a healthy secondary. The Eagles were able to get back into the game against a less-than-impressive Washington team, but there was still plenty to be concerned about as this team goes forward.
Fantasy watch: Agholor, the rookie wide receiver, moved the needle by hauling in a rare deep ball from Bradford. Agholor picked up 45 yards on the play, which he accented with a one-handed catch. Later, Bradford went deep a couple of times. He missed Matthews on one throw but caught Cooper in stride for a 62-yard touchdown.
Ouch: The Eagles lost four players to leg injuries in the first half, which makes you wonder about their choices of footwear on a wet surface. Cornerback Byron Maxwell hurt a quadriceps muscle. Linebacker Mychal Kendricks aggravated his hamstring. Defensive end Brandon Bair left with a groin injury. And late in the half, left tackle Jason Peters exited the game with a quad injury.