RedskinsNation needs to stay sane as this Sunday approaches. Even as its team takes on the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles — a team that will arrive at FedEx Field on a five-game losing streak — nightmares of Eagles’ wide out DeSean Jackson streaking down the field for 88 yards intensify as the day approaches. Pulses race as images of cherished rookie quarterback Robert Griffin, III helicopters in the air only to be landed on by Philly defensive end Jason Babin. Sweat breaks out as visions of healthy wide receivers (Santana Moss or Leonard Hankerson, for instance) getting roughed up by Eagles’ cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie dance in their heads.
Unfortunately, these scary possibilities aren’t all that could cause RedskinsNation to make appointments with local therapists. The fact that the Redskins have, several times, been toasted by rookie quarterback-led teams in games they should have won is worrisome. Eagles’ starting quarterback Michael Vick is most likely not going to play Sunday because of a concussion he sustained last week in their game against Dallas. Instead, rookie Nick Foles will be under center and — even though the Eagles have a lot of issues — he could present serious problems for Washington’s defense.
Foles’ stats aren’t outrageous but they’re very respectable. In three preseason games, he completed 36 of 57 passes for 507 yards, with six touchdowns and two interceptions. Last week when he took over for Vick against Dallas, he completed 22 of 32 passes for 219 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He ended up with a 68.8 percent completion percentage and an 85.3 rating.
Nicknamed “Shaggy” by teammates because of his resemblance to the character on “Scooby-Doo”, Foles should — if head coach Andy Reid is thinking clearly — have a lot of help from his Pro Bowl running back on Sunday. Eagles’ tailback LeSean McCoy, while not having his best season ever, is still one of the best backs in the business and Reid is no dummy. His offensive line is banged up and he knows that, no matter how badly the Redskins’ defense has looked this season, this is a division game and you never know what can happen.
Again, if Reid is in his right mind; recognizing the problems he has in the offensive trenches and because “Shaggy” is a rookie, he will put the ball in the hands of his play-makers. McCoy, wide outs DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Macklin; and tight end Brent Celek are all of the guys that can help take the pressure off of Foles.
As inconsistent as Vick has been this season — with both his health and in his play — Reid could be downright relieved to have Foles take over right now. The coach is saying all of the typical things one would expect to hear under the circumstances.
“We really have only seen three quarters on him in the real football part of it,” Reid said about Foles during a conference call with local media. “I can tell you he’s a smart kid and he’s a tough kid and he has a good arm. The players have respect for him.
“I think you have to be wired right to play in the NFC East as a quarterback,” Reid said, “and to deal with the media, to deal with the fans and to deal with the football part. That’s all part of it. I thought he could do that. He did well in college. He threw the ball around and utilized a lot of receivers, looked like he understood coverages and seemed like the players around him played hard for him.”
But that, of course, doesn’t give the game-planners in Washington much help in getting ready for Sunday. They have college game tape to watch, the preseason and three quarters of the game against Dallas last week. That is not much.
Foles, at 6’5”, 243 lbs., is big and has a powerful arm. He has a good pocket presence which may or may not make a difference as beat up as the Eagles’ O-line is. But he’s also known as a fighter so the Redskins’ defense had better step up on Sunday if there is any chance of the Burgundy and Gold winning this contest. In one college scouting report, he was said to be “deadly accurate with his with his short to intermediate throws” and “completes a high percentage of his passes.” If he gets at all comfortable in the pocket, that could be a deadly combination with the likes of Jackson and Maclin being the recipient of those passes.
Since 2000, the Redskins have been beaten by 13 rookie quarterbacks. Most recently, Washington was embarrassed by losing to the Carolina Panthers’ Cam Newton (2011), the St. Louis Rams’ Sam Bradford (2010) and the Detroit Lions’ Matthew Stafford (2009). These games were even more embarrassing because those teams were so bad when they met up with Washington. The Panthers were 1-6 (ironic), the Rams were only 1-2 at the time but were coming off of a 10 game losing streak from the previous season; and the Lions were 0-2 and had not won a single game the previous season. Enter Foles and the 3-6 Eagles, coming off the longest losing streak in Reid’s tenure with the team. They’re going to be desperate.
All things considered, it is imperative that the Redskins play well in this ball game coming up Sunday. There is more at stake than just a shot at the playoffs if they were to lose badly, i.e., looking awful as well as not getting a “W.” They could lose so, so many fans. How something like that could affect the locker room is downright depressing.
The things that have happened recently — what-with head coach Mike Shanahan’s “Evaluation Speech” ● the way the offense has fizzled and how some of the offensive play-calling has been called into question because of it ● the way the defense has collapsed ● the mysteriousness of Pierre Garçon’s injury ● the mishandling of Griffin’s “shake up” description ● the unexplained lack of discipline on the field ● the inability to protect the home turf ● Shanahan’s W-L record since joining the team (14-27) ● and finally, the way the organization has treated RGIII (like an MTV celebrity) — will come into extreme relief if Washington loses badly to the Eagles.
These things make for a very long list of things that concern those who bleed burgundy and gold and anyone who covers the team. All of this has conspired to give an air of pessimism not only within RedskinsNation but without. Even the national media see the Redskins as a place where bad teams go to get healthy and where rookie quarterbacks go to get wins under their belt. Why should Nick Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles feel any different?
They shouldn’t and they won’t. So, it’s up to the Washington Redskins to make sure that nothing on that list matters on Sunday.
There is more talent on this team than the masses generally think and there is a heck of a lot of character. If these players can draw on reserves that they must have… if they can focus on Philadelphia they way have to; realizing this game’s important implications, then they won’t worry that there is a rookie quarterback calling the signals.
This team swept the Super Bowl winner last year. It has the “Cowboy Killa” on its roster as well as one of the most talented football players in the league in Griffin. Put Moss on the field if Garçon is still hurt. The defense must get back to playing like it did early in the year and get to that rookie and get some turnovers. Kyle Shanahan must revert back to the scheme that had fans — and the team — so excited early in the year, letting Griffin be Griffin and running the ball with sensational rooking running back Alfred Morris throughout the game. Use all of the weapons available. If the offensive linemen will focus on their technique and not draw stupid penalties; if the offense and defense will play hard-nosed, smart, intense football for four quarters, it won’t matter what the Philadelphia Eagles think. And here’s a novel idea: how about if Mike Shanahan doesn’t defer this time if they win the toss? Get the ball first and score first.
This team can beat rookie quarterback Nick Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles and move on to their next must-win game… it just has to do it.
Thanksgiving and the Dallas Cowboys… that will be fun. They have a veteran quarterback back there.
Hail.
Diane Chesebrough is Editor-In-Chief, writer and photographer for SportsJourney Broadcast Network. Accredited media with the NFL, she has been a feature writer for several national magazine/periodicals. Follow her on Twitter: @DiChesebrough