In this NFL Game Previews and Picks, the Washington Redskins (7-7) head to Lincoln Financial Field to square off with the Philadelphia Eagles (6-8) this week. Philadelphia has won two of its last three, showing signs of life in what has been a relatively disappointing season. The game will air Saturday, Dec 26 at 8:25 p.m. ET on NFLN.
The last time the Eagles and Redskins met was in Week 4, when Washington won a close one over Philadelphia 23-20. Sam Bradford had a good outing through the air in that game, connecting on 15 of 28 pass attempts for 270 yards and three TDs. Kirk Cousins had a solid outing passing for Washington, connecting on 31 of 46 pass attempts for 290 yards and one TD.
Philadelphia is a three-point favorite against the Redskins. According to the oddsmakers, the Over/Under (O/U) is currently at 47 points.
Sitting at 6-8 for both Straight Up (SU) and Against The Spread (ATS), the Eagles will look to improve heading into Week 16. In their five most recent matchups, the Eagles went 2-3 for both SU and ATS. Philadelphia faces a Washington run defense that ranks 28th in the league with 129.8 yards allowed per game. As for the Philadelphia defense, a few key matchups could decide this game. An important aspect of the game will be if the Eagles can benefit from Washington’s propensity to give away the football. The Redskins currently lead the league with 2.5 turnovers per road game. The Eagles hope to continue the trend of striking early against Washington’s defense during the first quarter, when it allows a league-worst 7.8 points per road game. With an average of 72.3 plays per game, Philadelphia has one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL., ranking first this season.
Across the field, the Redskins head into Week 16 with records of 7-7 for both ATS and SU. Over their last five games, the Redskins have a SU and ATS record of 3-2. The Redskins average the best completion percentage in the league at 69.6%. Moving on to the Washington defense, it has some favorable matchups that it may be able to take advantage of as well. The Redskins can do damage if they force turnovers from the Eagles. The Eagles rank 30th in the league in turnovers with two per game. It shouldn’t be too hard for the Redskins to start fast this week with Philadelphia’s defense allowing 5.9 points in the first quarter of home games. When they play on the road, Washington’s special teams excels. A league-best, the team averages 122.7 return yards per away game.
Predictions: SU Winner – Phi, ATS Winner – Was, O/U – Under
Notes
Philadelphia is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia’s last 5 games.
Philadelphia is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games.
Philadelphia is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games at home.
Philadelphia is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games at home.
Philadelphia is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Washington.
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Philadelphia’s last 9 games when playing at home against Washington.
Philadelphia is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against Washington.
Washington is 5-2 SU when leading at the start of the fourth quarter this season. Philadelphia is 4-1 SU when leading at the end of the third quarter.
Philadelphia is only 1-6) SU in games where it wins the turnover battle, yet 5-1 SU when losing the turnover battle.
The Philadelphia ground attack is ranked 13th in the league, while the Washington rush defense is only ranked 28th. The Redskins’ rushing game is ranked 19th, compared to the 30th-ranked run defense of the Eagles.
