The Philadelphia Eagles are last in the NFC East and have yet to win a divisional matchup in 2016, but they’re hoping that changes in Week 14 against Washington. Both teams are now on the outside of the playoff picture, thanks to the 11-1 Cowboys and 8-4 Giants.
Eagles vs. Washington 2016: Time, live TV schedule for NFL Week 14 matchup
Both Carson Wentz and Kirk Cousins have something to prove in this NFC East matchup.
First-year Eagles head coach Doug Pederson and rookie quarterback Carson Wentz are looking for any glimmer of hope heading into the offseason with only a few weeks left to play. The Eagles’ first-round draft pick is coming off one of his worst games of the year, throwing three interceptions to the Bengals — giving him six in the last three games.
The offensive struggles can certainly be attributed to a lack of consistent wide receivers and an oft-injured group of running backs, but some are pointing to Wentz’s throwing mechanics as one of the culprits. Still in his first year, he has more leniency — from the coaching staff, not necessarily from fans — and can use the next four regular season games to highlight areas of improvement before the offseason. Despite his struggles, Wentz ranks second among NFL rookies with 2,901 passing yards and 12 touchdowns, and in Week 13 he tied the NFL rookie record with 36 completions.
Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins has been playing for a contract extension all season. He infamously trotted down a hallway yelling “you like that” at cameras, and most recently asked general manager Scot McCloughan “how do you like me now?” after the team’s win over Green Bay. Washington lost the next two games, and Cousins’s contract hinges on how he finishes the season — one in which he ranks third in the NFL in passing yards with 3,811.
Cousins is playing well, but he’s also fortunate to have a talented group of players around him. On the ground, running back Robert Kelley has 524 rushing yards this season, ranking third among rookies. In the air, Cousins has a plethora of experienced targets in Jamison Crowder, Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson — who could be headed back to the Eagles in 2017 — and tight end Jordan Reed.
With so many options for the Washington offense, the Eagles defense will need to be on its toes. Rivalries can bring out the best in players, and this tends to be the case with the Philadelphia secondary. Linebacker Jordan Hicks has snagged an interception in each of the past two NFC East matchups, and safety Malcolm Jenkins came up with one when Philadelphia faced Washington and Cousins earlier in the season.
Washington’s defense will have a little bit more room to breathe. Linebacker Ryan Kerrigan had 2.5 sacks against Wentz once this season, and is likely hungry for more. And with cornerback Josh Norman downfield, the already struggling Eagles receivers could have a rough day.
The last time these two teams met was in Week 6 and resulted in a 27-20 Washington victory. Both teams are on losing streaks and could use a late-season boost to make a playoff push.
How to watch
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Place: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
TV: FOX
Announcers: Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch, Pam Oliver
Online: Sunday Ticket, Fox Sports Go
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