When the Philadelphia Eagles travel to take on the Washington Redskins in a week six battle, it could be a war. Both teams are looking to maintain pace in a what is now a strong division. Can the Redskins continue with 4 in a row or will the Eagles get back on the winning track? Here is a buy/sell done with Mark Wilson and myself.
Wentz vs. the Redskins Secondary
Mark
Sell: The Redskins secondary is not that good, to begin with. And to be honest, what secondary has Wentz had his way with this season? The Redskins are still 21st in the NFL in passing yards allowed, and the Eagles rank 20th in yards, but that has a lot to do with them coming off the bye week. Most teams have already played 5, while the Eagles have played 4. If Wentz can continue to attack the middle of the field, he should be okay. The offense is not setup for him to have 500-yard games. I expect him to have a good day, but he will not embarrass the Redskins secondary.
Sean
When it comes to the Redskins secondary, there has been an improvement over the past couple of weeks. Yeah it gives up some plays but what secondary doesn’t. That is why when it comes to Carson Wentz against the Redskins secondary, I am selling. I think there will be enough coverage, on the average receivers of the Eagles to confuse the rookie QB of the Eagles.
If the Redskins continue the man coverage that they played vs. the Ravens, they should be able to pressure the Eagles receivers and cause some mistakes by the young Wentz. There should also be some good underneath coverage by the Redskins linebackers as well. All in all, it should be a tough day for Carson Wentz.
Cousins vs. The Eagles Secondary
Mark
Sell: Cousins is up and down. You never know which QB you will get on a week-to-week basis. While Cousins has a few weapons, he is also a bit of a turnover machine with seven interceptions already. The Eagles have surrendered only 3 TDs through the air and with Cousins shaky record, in big moments, you should expect that number to remain the same by games end.
The Eagles secondary surrenders 181 yards per game, so, my money will not be on Cousins being the breakout fantasy player this week. And besides, we are still talking about a team that has sacked the QB 14 times in 4 games.
Sean
The surprise of the Eagles defense is one of the biggest thus far in 2016. Kirk Cousins, however, has had some of his biggest games against the Philadelphia Eagles. Think back to 2014 and last season to win the NFC East. Cousins was phenomenal. This year could be the same thing that is if the Redskins can run the football. That is why I am selling Kirk Cousins this week. I do not think the Redskins have a true dedication to running the football. If they do not, this hurts the passing game of the Redskins. Also, there is a strong possibility that the Redskins will be without Jordan Reed. These two things are strong negatives against the Redskins offense.
Eagles hold Redskins under 80 Yards rushing
Mark
Buy: You cannot run on his Eagles defense. It doesn’t matter who they have played, what matters is how quick they are up front. On average, they surrender 73 yards per game and with this being a division meeting you can expect the lanes to be clogged with big bodies, forcing Cousins to beat the up top.
Sean
At this point in the season, the Washington Redskins are not consistent enough at running the football. The Eagles defense is has been exceptionally strong. That is why I am buying this. I hope that I am wrong. However, the Washington Redskins do not run the ball frequent enough to keep the Eagles off balance and make the game go at their pace. If the Washington Redskins are even to think about breaking the 100-yard mark rushing the football they will need to run the ball 30 times at a minimum. Something that they have done only once this season.
Eagles leave Fed Ex Field 4-1
Mark
Buy: The Redskins may be contenders for the division crown and the playoffs but their run defense is weak, and the QB play has been inconsistent. If not for a costly mistake by Ryan Mathews, late last week, the Eagles would be heading into this matchup 4-0. But that first loss may have been the worst thing that could happen to the Redskins. This young team has enjoyed winning and will look to take their frustration out on a Redskins team that has had trouble with consistency.
Sean
This is hard not to buy given what I have written up top. However, I believe that the defense of the Washington Redskins will do enough to keep it in the game and possibly win it. Therefore I am selling this. At the end of the day, the Washington Redskins will be at worst, second place in the NFC East. If the Green Bay Packers do their part, there will be a 3-way tie at the end of Sunday.
The Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles always have significant battles. This time, even though it is week 6, is important for both teams. It could mean the difference between first or third by the end of the night. ALWAYS HTTR!!!!