The NFC East is incredibly tight with just one win separating three teams going into the games this weekend. Two of those teams are the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins, and they meet in what is going to be an incredibly important game on Monday night.
The Super Bowl winning Eagles have so far failed to fire this season when you compare their performances to what they did last season. They have made some changes to their roster, but a lot of the key pieces remain and the season so far has been a complete disappointment. They don’t need to be at their best for the entire season like we saw from them last season but if they are going to get going, they need to do it around now as we approach the final games of the regular season.
The Washington Redskins are above the Eagles, with a 6-5 record that has them tied at the top of the division with the Dallas Cowboys. This is an over-achievement for them, it was expected they wouldn’t be able to compete with the Cowboys and Eagles but so far they are going with them all the way. Their solid defensive play and a rejuvenation of Adrian Peterson has been the main driving force behind their success, Peterson has six touchdowns and over 700 ground yards in what has been a real bounce back year.
One thing the Redskins need if they are to make the playoffs is for Peterson to remain fit and healthy, we are coming towards the end of a long season for him, and his durability will be questioned. Without Peterson their offence lacks a lot, he is going to be the key to their success, if they have any, for the remainder of the season.
When you compare the two teams on paper, the Philadelphia Eagles are the better team. They have not been at their best though this season, and if they are going to get going, they need to do it now. I think that is what they will do and while a repeat of their Super Bowl win from last season looks unlikely, they are good enough to claim victory here and win this division. I am backing the Eagles to use home advantage on Monday night and beat the Washington Redskins to pull level with them in the standings in the NFC East.