All over Redskins Nation (including The Washington Post, the blogs, sports radio) today, the talk is about one thing: a chance to knock the Eagles out of the race for good this year. It’s an instant obsession with most ‘Skins fans. They’re really pumped for the shot to annihilate any reasonable hope left for the Eagles to recover their pinnings and escape the danger zone of a near-fatal 1-5 record.
“KNOCK OUT” screams the headline slugged at Redskins Burgundy Blog today… and features the above file photo.
The rhetoric that accompanies the photo is actually low-key and fairly analytical.
“…this week’s home game against Philly represents a very real opportunity for the upstart ‘Skins to effectively eliminate the division’s most talented roster from an already unpredictable race, leaving only the deeply flawed Giants and Cowboys standing between us and what would surely be received as the most gratifying division title in DC since the year before Burgundy Boy sprouted pubes. Moreover, depending on how brutally we all batter each other down the stretch, that title could potentially be had for an attainable 10 wins, or conceivably even nine.”
“Last year the Eagles came into Landover with confidence and momentum and put a bullet in our collective brain. This year they enter amid chaos and disbelief.”
“Sounds to me like a perfect time to repay the favor.”
As Eagles fans, we are tough enough to withstand the taunting, which quite factually we deserve based upon our own cocksuredness this past summer that the Redskins would be the least of our worries. Amazingly, that worm has turned.
But peeking in on some ‘Skins fans’ posts, I get a slight rush from the realization there are still many doubts among them as to the strength of their own team… Examples:
“…as much as I like what Shanny is doing with the Redskins, I felt the unconvincing Week 4 win at St. Louis exposed several gaping holes in our case for ‘legitimate’ playoff contention.”
“
Geez, that last one sounded like our own Woody !
I’m no pyschologist but I detect some angst and apprehension among the Redskins congregation.
We’ll take a closer look at the Redskins from a tactical angle later this week. Right now, I’m just trying to gauge the emotional barometer surrounding a Washington franchise facing its first divisional knockout opportunity in a long time.
As for the Eagles players?
“I think at this point it’s out of the coaches’ hands,” Vick said Sunday. “I think being 1-4, it’s the (fault) of the players because we’re the ones out there. The coaches can stress things like ball security all they want, but they are not out there in the moment. We’ve got to take control of this as players.”
“It’s frustrating to be in this situation, knowing we’ve had a chance to win all four games we’ve lost,” Jeremy Maclin said. “We’ve got to turn this season around right now.”
The Eagles will not have DE Trent Cole or LT Jason Peters for this game at Washington… having those guys healthy would possibly have made the Redskins’ KO chances a lot slimmer.
Eagles have to go the distance…and avoid the Knock Out.
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