(Sports Network) - From the perspective of an outsider, the Washington Redskins look like a dysfunctional mess.
MNF, 8:30 EST: Meet The Redskins, America
If Jim Zorn's team wishes to reverse that perception, a nationally-televised Monday night tilt against the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles would be the perfect opportunity to prove those observers wrong.
The Redskins will head into their Week 7 tilt just eight days removed from a 14-6 home loss to the formerly winless Kansas City Chiefs, a defeat that seemed to loosen Zorn's already-tenuous grip on his job as head coach.
Following that contest, in which Washington could muster only seven first downs and held the ball for just 22:50, Zorn was stripped of play-calling duties. On Monday, recently-hired offensive consultant Sherm Lewis was named play-caller in Zorn’s stead.
Lewis' job will be breathing life into a Redskins offense that has scored 17 points or fewer in each of its first six games of this season. Washington was 29th in the league in scoring offense (13.2 points per game) as Week 7 began, yet the team seems intent on sticking with starting quarterback Jason Campbell.
Campbell was benched at halftime against the Chiefs, after failing to lead a scoring drive in what was the a 3-0 game, but replacement Todd Collins wasn't much more effective. Collins led field goal drives on his first two series, but finished just 6-of-14 for 75 yards with two sacks absorbed, including one for a fourth-quarter safety.
Since a 6-2 start last season, the Redskins are just 4-10 in their last 14 games under Zorn.
Against that backdrop, the problems of the Philadelphia Eagles seem minor.
That said, the Eagles do head into Monday night with a bitter taste in their mouths after suffering a stunning 13-9 upset at the Oakland Raiders last week.
Philadelphia, a double-digit favorite in Oakland, couldn't even muster a double-digit scoring total. Quarterback Donovan McNabb was a subpar 22-of-46 for 269 yards while suffering six sacks during a game in which he was under near-constant duress.
Part of the team's protection problems stemmed from a knee injury suffered by left tackle Jason Peters in the first quarter, which kept the former Buffalo Bills Pro Bowler out of the lineup for the majority of the game. Peters' inexperienced understudy, second-year-man King Dunlap, struggled in relief of Peters.
Peters is expected to be back in the lineup on Monday night, however.
-- Preview via The Sports Network











