1st we had the Barry Cofield Bowl; next the Tim Hightower Bowl; then the Stephen Bowen Bowl, followed by the Otogwe Bowl and now, we have the Sav Rocca Bowl. Yes, each one of the Redskins 1st five games have featured a key member of our team going up against the team he left last year to join our hometown heroes. So far, if not for 3rd and 21, things would have worked out perfectly. But still, 3-1 ain’t too shabby.
This interesting statistic however has not persuaded many people to believe that the Redskins will win this weekend against the Eagles. For most, this lack of confidence comes from a lack of respect given to the quality of players the Redskins have on the field this year. Fans like me worry less about the players on the field this year and more about the recent history of the Redskins in games like this here at home at FedEx Field.
This is a game where the Redskins have an opportunity to essentially bury the Eagles and their so called ‘Dream Team’ season and in the process put ourselves in a very advantageous situation as we embark on the 2nd quarter of our season. While this game is huge for Philly, it is equally huge for us.
History guides my fear and the sick feeling that I left with on so many recent occasions as I slogged by to my old man’s car after a crushing defeat to a division opponent is something that I will never forget . Let’s go back on a trip down bad memory lane.
In 2008, the Redskins went into a crucial game at home against the Cowboys where we entered the contest 6-3 and the Cowboys 5-4. A victory would have put us 2 games ahead of the Cowboys, 1.5 games against Philly (who had tied Cincy earlier that day) and only one game behind the Giants. We lost 14-10.
In 2007, we entered a early-season contest against a floundering Giants team that looked a lot like Philly does entering this game – their defense couldn’t stop anyone as they were adjusting to their new defensive system and Manning was turning the ball over like it was going out of style. Entering the game, we were 2-0 and the Giants were 0-2. A win would have ended their season. Despite our 17-3 halftime lead, we lost the game 24-17.
That same year, we entered a week 10 match-up against Philly with a 5-3 record while the Eagles were floundering at 3-5. A win would have given us a 6-3 record and would have buried the Eagles on yet another occasion since a loss would have put them at 3-6 and 3 games behind us. And yet again, we came up short, losing 33-25 relinquishing a late 4th quarter lead.
So this is why I fear us losing. Have we beaten the Eagles before at home? Sure, many times. Have we done it when we were riding high and had a chance to deal a knock-out blow to their season? Nope. And that’s what scares me.
The Redskins however do have some key match-ups in our favor. We run the ball well and the Eagles can’t stop the run. We have Fred Davis and the Eagles don’t have someone who can cover him. On offense the Eagles are explosive, but have a terrible o-line. We get after the quarterback well, but Vick, a.k.a the Philly cry-baby, is not a usual kind of QB as we all know. (It’s funny, by the way, that since Vick has been throwing for 400 yard games that he no longer is complaining about calls not going his way. But when he gets shut down a little, all of sudden the refs are swallowing their whistles). So our defense will have to contain the speed of Vick and his unpleasant, arrogant cohorts in DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Macklin. (I don’t know much about LeSean McCoy, but I’ll assume that his only personal fault is being on the Eagles, which is something I can’t say for Vick, Jackson and Macklin.)
Then of course, we have Sav Rocca. After all, this is the Sav Rocca bowl. Mr. Rocca, a.k.a. Australian for punter, has been great this year and I would expect that his booming punts should limit Jackson’s effectiveness as a punt returner. On the flip side, Banks, who has seemed to have lost a step the last 2 weeks, has had a week to heal and I expect him to be at his speedy best.
History is doomed to repeat itself. That’s what so many think and what all of us Redskins fans have come to expect as our reality. But sometimes, the world and history regenerates itself into something new and breaks the mold created in the annals of dusty newspapers and ancient heartbreak. So, it will be this week as the Redskins will win 23-21.
