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The Redskins, 5-6 after three straight heartbreaking
November defeats by a total of 10 points, have won four straight for the first
time in four years to put themselves on the brink of their first playoff berth
in six years.
However, Washington still has to sweep the Eagles for the
first time in 17 years or hope that Minnesota loses one of its last two or
Dallas loses to tanking St. Louis.
It's likely that the Redskins will start Patrick Ramsey
at quarterback at Philadelphia since Mark Brunell left the 35-20 victory over
the NFC East-leading New York Giants with a sprained right knee.
However, not only did Ramsey play well in the second half
on Saturday, Brunell hasn't thrown for as many as 200 yards in six games.
Despite Brunell's 22 touchdown passes -- the most by a Redskin since Brad
Johnson's 24 for the 1999 NFC East champions, the 35-year-old quarterback has
been far from the key to the turnaround.
What has changed is the offense's emphasis on running the
ball and the defense's newfound penchant for big plays.
As in their glory days under Joe Gibbs from 1981-92, the
Redskins are playing smashmouth football, averaging 173 yards on 37 carries
during their four-game winning streak.
Clinton Portis, who had just two games with more than 103
yards in the first 11 games, has averaged 115 yards on 25 carries since,
giving him a Redskins-record eight 100-yard days this season and moving him
within 28 yards of Stephen Davis' team season rushing mark.
The defense, which had forced just 11 turnovers and
recorded 18 sacks in the first 11 games, has forced 11 turnovers and recorded
13 sacks in the last four weeks.
If the Redskins get in the playoffs, they could make some
noise. They've beaten the Seahawks, Bears and Giants and came oh so close to
beating the Buccaneers. That 4-1 mark against higher-seeded teams makes
Washington dangerous.
Replay vs. Giants
The Redskins reversed their 36-0 whipping on Oct. 30 at
Giants Stadium -- the worst of coach Gibbs' Hall of Fame career -- with a
better run defense with healthy Cornelius Griffin and Joe Salave'a clogging
the middle, Gibbs' willingness to stick with the run through some rocky early
results and big plays by Pro Bowl receiver Santana Moss.
Washington survived Brunell's interception for a
touchdown which put New York ahead late in the first quarter, and then the
loss of Brunell to a sprained knee in the third quarter which forced former
starter Ramsey into meaningful action for the first time in 15 weeks.
The Redskins went ahead to stay, 14-10, on Moss' 59-yard
touchdown at the end of the first quarter and never looked back in improving
to 9-6 overall, 9-2 in the NFC, 4-1 in the division and 6-2 at home, all marks
they hadn't reached since their 1999 NFC East title season.
Player
Notes
-- QB Mark Brunell sprained his knee in the second
quarter and was replaced by Patrick Ramsey. Brunell's status for the regular
season finale at Philadelphia and possible playoff games is up in the air.
-- OG Ray Brown, at 43 the NFL's oldest lineman since the
1920s, started at right guard and held his own in place of the injured Randy
Thomas.
-- LB Lemar Marshall picked off Giants QB Eli Manning in
the second quarter to take the team lead with three interceptions.
-- DE Phillip Daniels had Washington's only sack, giving
him five sacks the last two weeks and giving him the team lead with seven.
Daniels last had more sacks in 2001 when he had a career-high nine for NFC
Central Division champion Chicago.
-- LB LaVar Arrington returned to the lineup after
missing two games with a bruised thigh and finished second on the defense with
six tackles.
