Eagles’ mistakes prove to be costly and season-ending in 27-24 loss to Redskins

Eagles’ mistakes prove to be costly and season-ending in 27-24 loss to Redskins

The Eagles find themselves out of the playoffs and searching for what went wrong.

The 2014 Philadelphia Eagles certainly resemble last year’s Eagles squad that won the NFC East in many ways. For one, both teams featured Chip Kelly-run, high-octane, pedal-to-the-metal offenses that created mismatches on offense and exploited defensive weaknesses. Another similarity was the winning: the Eagles went 10-6 en route to winning the division last year, and this Eagles team entered Saturday’s contest against the Washington Redskins with a 9-5 record, with playoff hopes still very much intact.

However, while Philadelphia went an impressive 6-2 on the road last year, this year’s team has struggled away from home, going 3-4. And Saturday’s 27-24 road loss at Washington not only highlights some of the team’s most glaring problems, but also spelled the end of the season for a team that appeared headed for big things. One thing is certain: the Eagles will not return to the playoffs, as the Dallas Cowboys’ 42-7 thumping of the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday guarantees the Cowboys the NFC East crown for the first time since 2009.

What went wrong for the Eagles on Saturday that has consistently been an issue throughout the season was first and foremost, turnovers. The Eagles came into the game with the most turnovers in the NFL. Quarterback Mark Sanchez – who had a penchant for turning the ball over as quarterback for the New York Jets from 2009-2012 – had a first quarter fumble and a brutal, tide-turning interception in the fourth quarter. Both turnovers led to Redskins field goals, including the game-winner from Kai Forbath.

Another problem for the Eagles was inconsistency in the running game. The up-tempo Chip Kelly offense that produced a league-leading 160.4 rushing yards a game (and the NFL-leading rusher in LeSean McCoy) in 2013 has slipped to seventh in 2014. McCoy has not been nearly as dominant or shifty as he was last year; he has four 100-yard rushing games this year, while he had seven in 2013. And against the Redskins, McCoy and the Eagles ran effectively – but not dominantly – against a pedestrian Washington defense.

Yet the biggest problem for the Eagles on Saturday was the number of penalties the team committed: 13, in all. The 13 penalties were the most that the team committed since 2010. Three of the penalties were roughing-the-passer calls which helped the Redskins score three touchdowns.

Perhaps most startling was the level of play from both teams considering each team’s respective position. The Redskins entered the game with a 3-11 record, their season a complete disaster. For the second consecutive year, in-house fighting and controversy reared their heads. New head coach Jay Gruden and quarterback Robert Griffin III did not exactly seem simpatico, and the team appeared listless in some recent losses as part of a six-game losing streak.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, was fighting for the playoffs. It had everything to play for, going against a team that had simply nothing meaningful at stake. Yet the Eagles sank to their competition, as turnovers and 13 penalties doomed them. And now they find themselves just like the Redskins, out of the playoffs and searching for answers.

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