Forgive me for stating the obvious, but the Washington Redskins are a tough, talented, deep and horribly underestimated team. They have to be the best 3-8 team in the history of the game. That’s why it’s no shame to have to rally from a 24-16 deficit late in the 4th quarter at home to have to beat them, as the Eagles did on Sunday. Even as the ‘Skins were forced to play without their best due to injury, players like Clinton Portis, Chris Cooley, Chad Rinehart, Albert Haynesworth, Ladell Betts, DeAngelo Hall and H.B. Blades, to name a few, the Redskins gave the Eagles (now 7-4) everything they could handle and more. I’ve rarely been impressed by the team effort of a rival opponent in a losing cause more than I was by Washington in this crucial game for the Eagles.

The Redskins regulars and reserves simply stepped up big-time, and for much of the game you could say they dominated the flow of the game. Oh sure, it helped that Andy Reid opted to start the game with a frivolous on-side kick attempt that failed and backfired, giving Jason Campbell and the ‘Skins offense a short field to open the scoring with an easy TD early. Why you would even risk such an act of hubris against a 3-7 team is beyond me, essentially spotting Washington a gift advantage, getting them into the game with a vengeance and keeping them stoked for payback the entire game. In his post-game press conference, Reid shrugged and said simply, “I thought the play was there, and I wanted to show we’re not afraid to take chances…” Okay, Andy, you made your point, and please don’t ever do that again!

Symbolizing the renewed courage and determination of the Redskins was the inspired play of 12th-year linebacker London Fletcher (5-10, 245, John Carroll) who nearly took over the game single-handedly. Fletcher had 11 tackles and a sack and was all over the Eagles’ offensive effort the entire game. In fact, Fletcher knocked WR DeSean Jackson out of the game and possibly out of next week’s game with a legal hit that caused Jackson a concussion. Earlier Jackson had caught a 35-yard TD from McNabb which at the time looked like the momentum-changer for Philly. London Fletcher ended that nonsense abruptly with his hit on Jackson a little later, a hit which reverberated on my surround-sound speakers so loud I feared Tiger Woods had just backed out of my driveway and hit that pesky hydrant at the end.

Time of possession turned out to be almost equal between both teams. Both defenses took turns neutralizing QB’s Jason Campbell and Donovan McNabb, to the point that alternately while one was heating up the other was cooling down. Campbell actually had a decent day, with 22-37 for 231 yards and 2 TD’s passing, including one of the best thrown balls I’ve ever seen, a 27-yard sideline pass to WR Malcolm Kelly so expertly placed it was a thing of beauty, despite the fact it kept a big Redskin drive alive that nearly killed the Eagles. McNabb was a decent 21 for 35 for 260 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT that was not his fault—a ball deflected from behind which fluttered into the hands of CB Justin Tryon for his first-ever NFL pick and nearly cost the Eagles the game.

The equalizer was a total of two picks by Eagles’ CB Asante Samuel, who as usual was jumping routes as opposed to covering his man downfield. Had Campbell managed to avoid Samuel’s gambles, he probably would have controlled time of possession long enough to win the game. The great play of Eagles’ LB Tracy White and DE Trent Cole also kept Campbell in check at critical points in the see-saw game, with ongoing pressure to the pocket and key stops on intermediate routes.

And so it came down to McNabb needing to drive 90 yards late in the 4th to bring Washington’s 24-16 lead back into range of a turnaround. Enter the Eagles’ offensive heroes of the day, WR Jason Avant and RB LeSean McCoy. The two combined, along with big plays contributed by WR Jeremy Maclin and FB Leonard Weaver, to get the Birds moving, with Avant in particular showing his incredibly underrated toughness in traffic as well as his athletic pattern-running skills. Eldra Buckley actualy rammed in his first TD this season from short-and-goal to make it 24-22 ‘Skins, then Reid sent in a 2-point play that worked, with McNabb pulling off a shovel pass to McCoy who spun his way brilliantly into the end zone to tie the game at 24. McCoy finished with 76 yards on 17 carries, which does not include those two crucial yards for the 2-point conversion. McCoy looked confident and strong the entire game, and along with Weaver, who rushed for 44 yards on 6 carries, gave the Eagles more hope that a balanced run-pass attack is indeed possible and absolutely essential for this team’s future advancement.

With 1:48 to go, K David Akers sealed the deal with his 4th FG of the day after a defensive stop and a careful drive helped along by Avant and Maclin yet expertly managed by McNabb. Four plays later, Jason Campbell found himself imbedded into the Linc turf after a final defensive stop by the Eagles, DE Juqua Parker having rudely slammed him as the final incompletion left Campbell’s hand. Was it a roughing-the-passer penalty that should have been called? Personally, I don’t think it was an illegal hit as the momentum of the rusher seemed simultaneous with the release of the ball. Still, it did seem Juqua gave it a little extra WWE-style pile-driving twist at the end. It was a good play that was close to being a penalty, and it probably would have been called for Brady, Manning or Favre…but not for Jason Campbell. It was a bittersweet scene for even an Eagle fan to observe, Campbell slowly rising from the ground, extracting turf from his helmet, clearly dazed yet knowing the game had ended, and fans knowing what a great game this young QB had played under the tough circumstances of a depleted interior line, no first-string RB’s, and a divisional rivalry on foreign soil.

The Eagles had their share of “why me?” moments too, like the sudden case of the drops suffered by TE Brent Celek, who has been so brilliant a receiver all year long. This Sunday was a nightmare for Celek, who dropped 4 catchable passes that, if caught, might have changed the game into a somewhat easier win for the Eagles. Turns out Celek was playing with a sprained thumb and none of the fans knew it. X-rays after the game were negative, but one can only hope Celek will choose discretion over valor next week at Atlanta if the thumb is not healed. The Eagles have a TE named Alex Smith who can catch, too…And CB Sheldon Brown is hobbling so badly out there (hamstring and ankle), you have to wonder why he’s not forced to give it a rest, too.

Tough game, strange game, fortunate to come out with the win…that’s how most Philly writers are describing it. I call it just another day in the NFC East. I told you this game would be no cakewalk, and the Redskins nearly left the cake out in the rain…

[Writer's Note: In our continuing experiment with on-line sports betting, we had bet the maximum $50 on the Eagles to cover the -9 spread against the Redskins. The Eagles failed to cover the spread, dropping our total bank back down to $100. At the end of the season, all winnings (if any) will be donated to a nationally recognized charity...Thanks for visiting Eagles Eye----T.J.]