The Washington Redskins now know that they’re going to be playing most of the 2014 season without Robert Griffin III. How will they be able to adjust this weekend in Philadelphia?
Washington Redskins @ Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, September 21st – 1:00 PM ET
Odds: Philadelphia -6.5
Why The Redskins Will Cover
They aren’t going to suffer without Robert Griffin III, at least not nearly as much as many experts might think. One point that has to be mentioned is that even before he got injured, Griffin’s body had begun to show a lot of frailty, and Griffin’s explosiveness as a runner and all-around athlete had been reduced. Griffin made a spectacular debut in the NFL and dazzled fans with his full complement of skills, but as soon as injuries took their toll, RG3 has not been the same kind of player, and he failed to improve before his latest injury. The Redskins looked terrible on offense in their season opener against the Houston Texans and didn’t look to be turning the corner with Griffin in the lineup.
This team really can play well, and actually, it can even play better, with Kirk Cousins as the starting quarterback. Cousins is more of a classic dropback passer than Griffin. He doesn’t have RG3’s speed, but that’s not necessarily a problem. Cousins is familiar with the offense. In addition to that, he has filled in for Griffin in the recent past and enabled the Redskins to win games. He was very strong against Jacksonville last week, completing two-thirds of his passes without an interception. If Cousins plays well, Washington can exploit Philadelphia’s defense and get the jump on the Eagles.
Why The Eagles Will Cover
They are a fearless team that knows it can overcome any kind of situation. The Eagles trailed the Jacksonville Jaguars by 17 points in the first game of the season only to end up winning by 17 points. The Eagles then trailed the Indianapolis Colts by 14 points on the road on Monday Night Football. They were in huge trouble, and it seemed that their penchant for bad starts was going to get the better of them. Instead, they rallied and found a way to contain Indianapolis’ offense over the course of the fourth quarter. On offense, quarterback Nick Foles, whose fumbles led to that 17-0 deficit in week one against Jacksonville, once again rebounded from a tough start. He caught fire in the second half against the Colts and piloted his team’s offense to touchdowns on must-score drives. Foles has validated his place as one of the league’s new standout players at a very important position. He needed to show his teammates that he could build on last year’s breakthrough season. So far, he’s doing that, and as a result, the Eagles have to be very confident with him under center. With Washington having a more limited quarterback in terms of scrambling, the Eagles’ defense should feel a little more comfortable against the Redskins.
Outlook
If Philadelphia keeps falling behind by double-figure deficits, the Eagles are probably going to lose. However, they’re not very likely to fall behind Washington in this game. Philadelphia should be able to do what it wants, when it wants to do it.
Pick: Eagles -6.5
