Eagles Face Tough Test This Week

The NFL season is going on? I thought October was for baseball. The Eagles will have a very important game this Sunday against the pesky Washington Redskins. No, this game is not as important as any game the Phillies will play in the near future, but the Eagles are 2-2 and would love to get a divisional win against the 'Skins this season.

Some good news for the Eagles is that Brian Westbrook (above) will most likely play this week. Westbrook participated fully in team workouts today. He will give the Eagles a big lift in this game. If Westbrook would have played last week, the Eagles would have scored when they were in the red zone, and they would have beaten the Bears.

The Redskins are coming off a BIG win over the Cowboys. Jason Campbell looked great, and is clearly maturing each week. The Eagles will have to be careful with him, because he can definitely throw the deep ball.

The Eagles defense has looked very good through the first four games. They are third in the NFL in total defense, and first in rushing D. The young linebackers (Stewart Bradley, Omar Gaither, and Chris Gocong) look like they have been playing together for years. The Eagles D-line has really pressured the passer so far.

The Eagles really have to avoid the stupid mistakes that caused them to lose their last two games. Desean Jackson really has to get his act together. I do think Andy Reid is putting to0 much pressure on him to carry the offense. But who was he going to trust to carry the offense? Westbrook wasn't playing, and I'm not exactly comfortable with Lorenzo Booker being the main playmaker. But it's not like Jackson is dropping passes. He is fumbling the ball and making mental mistakes, and it HAS to stop.

Donovan McNabb really has to avoid throwing interceptions and fumbling the ball on key drives. Sometimes it looks like the Eagles are going to take over the game, but then McNabb throws a pick or coughs up the ball.

My Pick: Eagles 24, Redskins 17