After miraculous second-half comeback on Monday Night Football, tying it up in the fourth quarter and winning with a touchdown in overtime against the New York Giants, the Philadelphia Eagles now control their own NFL Playoff fate.
Run the table in the team’s final three games of the season and they will win the NFC East. A fact that suddenly makes this week’s NFC East rivalry game against the lowly 3-10 Washington Redskins a marquee matchup.
The Dallas Cowboys lost 31-24 to the Chicago Bears on Thursday to drop to 6-7. Right now, Dallas owns the tiebreaker over the equally 6-7 Eagles. But since the teams face each other in two weeks the chances they’ll end up tied seem slim.
Win and you’re in
The Eagles clearly have the easier schedule. After Washington, they’ll have the Cowboys at home on Sunday, Dec. 22. Finally, the Eagles will wrap up the NFL season at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey Dec. 29 against the same Giants team they just beat.
Dallas is at home this week against a suddenly resurgent Los Angeles Rams team sitting at 8-5 and hoping there’s a way they can keep their own playoff hopes alive. After going to Philadelphia, the Cowboys will finish up against the Redskins Dec 29.
The Eagles’ only way into the playoffs is by winning the NFC East. Although there are ways they can back into the division title if Dallas continues to lose, the most simple way to get it is for Philadelphia to win its next three games.
That all starts with the classic NFC East rivalry Eagles vs Redskins matchup Dec 15. at FedExField in Washington.
Eagles vs Redskins lines
FanDuel Sportsbook was the only one of the top NJ sports betting sites to post lines for the game prior to the Eagles’ Monday Night win. It was no surprise to see the Eagles as big road favorites.
DraftKings Sportsbook, PointsBet, and others caught up by Tuesday morning.
Here’s a look at the opening Eagles vs Redskins lines at popular sportsbook apps in NJ:
[odds-feed game=17199 sportsbooks=DraftKings,FanDuel,PointsBet,SugarHouseNJ styling=small]
Eagles vs Redskins history
There have been 171 Eagles vs Redskins games in NFL history. Washington actually leads the series with an 86-79-6 record.
However, the Eagles have won the last five games, including a 32-27 win in Philadelphia back in Week 1. Washington QB Case Keenum went 30 for 44 for 380 yards and 3 TDs in that one.
However, Eagles QB Carson Wentz got the last laugh. He went 28 for 39 for 313 yards and 3 TDs of his own, including a 53-yarder to DeSean Jackson in the third quarter that helped give the Eagles a lead they would not relinquish.
The last time the Redskins beat the Eagles was December 2016, but it did mark Washington’s fifth win in a row versus Philadelphia. Of course, the Eagles have since reeled off five Eagles vs Redskins wins in a row.
Can the Eagles keep this win streak over Washington going? Will Philadelphia keep its hopes of an NFC East title and playoff spot alive?
Bet on what you think will happen at the top NJ sportsbooks starting today.