In a must win match-up to stay alive in the playoff race, the Eagles hacked away at their own postseason chances as they lost to the Washington Redskins by the final score of 27-24.
Once again, the game did not come with a hot start for the Eagles offense. On the first drive of the game, quarterback Mark Sanchez was stripped by the Redskins’ Ryan Kerrigan for an early turnover. Despite the Redskins getting great field position with the fumble, the Eagles redzone defense held Washington to a field goal.
The eagles were able to respond to the early Redskins score with one of their own. Running back LeSean McCoy capped off a successful drive with an 11-yard touchdown run, his second first half touchdown run of the year. McCoy put up impressive first-half numbers with 69 yards and a touchdown off 13 carries along with an 18-yard reception.
The shootout in Washington began to heat up when the running back Alfred Morris rushed for a 28-yard touchdown. The score was set up by a huge 51-yard catch by former Eagle DeSean Jackson over struggling cornerback Bradley Fletcher.
It would not be long until the Eagles put up one more first-half score. Bouncing back from his early fumble, Sanchez led the Eagles on a 94-yard drive capped off by a three-yard touchdown pass to Riley Cooper. Sanchez finished the first half 17/23 for 172 yards, a touchdown, and a fumble.
On the other side of the ball, struggling quarterback Robert Griffin III finished the half just 7/12 for 95 yards.
The Eagles got a breath of life to start the second half as Malcolm Jenkins stripped Andre Robinson, giving the Eagles the ball deep in Redskins territory. The Eagles were not able to capitalize as Cody Parkey missed a 34-yard field goal.
The suffering continued into the next Redskins possession as two questionable roughing the passer penalties lead to a one-yard Darrel Young touchdown.
Young would repeat for another one-yard touchdown after a Nate Allen pass interference call. The touchdown was hugely credited to a 55-yard bomb from Griffin to Jackson.
Down by 10, the Eagles began to creep back into the game early in the fourth quarter. Showing shades of his impressive 2013 run, Cooper hauled in his second touchdown of the afternoon, this time for 16 yards. The comeback continued as a crucial interception by Allen set up a 22-yard Parkey field goal to tie the game up midway through the first quarter.
With everything on the line, the Eagles comeback was spoiled by a late Sanchez interception to Bashaud Breeland. The pick set up a late field goal by Kai Forbath to seal the win.
With the Eagles loss, they must now hope to tie Dallas’s record at the end of the season in order to make the playoffs.
Next week, the Eagles will close out the 2014 season at MetLife stadium when they take on the New York Giants. Kickoff will take place Sunday at 1 p.m..
[Photo: Getty Images]Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
