December 24, 2012
Ceci Ferrara
Sports Writer
Sports Insider
RG3 led the Redskins to a 27-20 win over the Eagles on Sunday, keeping them at the top of the division at 9-6. While the Eagles, 4-11, threatened in their final drive of the game, they came up short: quarterback Nick Foles was called for intentional grounding just five yards away from a touchdown. The win sets the Redskins up for an NFC East showdown against the Dallas Cowboys at FedEx Field next Sunday.
Although Griffin wasn’t the rushing threat the fans have become accustomed to (Coach Shanahan told reporters afterward he didn’t want to put added pressure on Griffin’s injured knee), he got the job done in the air, completing sixteen of twenty-four passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns. While the Eagles jumped out to an early 7-0 start, the Redskins scored two field goals before Josh Morgan scored on a Griffin pass in the third quarter. At halftime, Philadelphia had closed the gap to 13-10.
The Redskins pulled away in the third quarter to make it 20-13, and then looked to seal the deal when Griffin threw a twenty-two-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss, cushioning their lead 27-13. But the Eagles, who had nothing to lose and played like it, cut the deficit to just seven after a fourth-quarter Griffin interception.
That would be the last touchdown for the Eagles, who were unable to tie the game and force overtime. While they didn’t win, it was a significant game for the team, likely their last at home under Andy Reid. Reid, head coach to Philadelphia for fourteen seasons—currently the longest tenure of a head coach in the NFL—is widely expected to be fired sometime after the season ends. Despite bearing the brunt of fans’ anger, frustration, and booing throughout the season, Reid left the field to chants of “An-dy.”
While the Redskins could not have clinched the division in Philly, they could have secured a wildcard spot with losses by the Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, and New York Giants. While the Giants were easily defeated by the Baltimore Ravens, both the Bears and Vikings won, keeping the Redskins from sealing their playoff fate.
Midway through the season, no one ever thought it would come down to the Redskins and the Cowboys for the NFC East division title. But thanks in equal part to second-half resurgences by both teams and the epic collapse of the New York Giants, the two teams have gone from the basement of the division to the penthouse. The game is so hyped, it was announced late Sunday that the game has been moved from early afternoon to the Sunday Night Football slot.
The Redskins last won the division in 1999 and haven’t been to the playoffs since 2007. The electric rookie quarterback who has led this team through six straight wins and a possible playoff run remained humble and focused after the game. “You don’t have to celebrate wins at this point in the season,” Griffin said. “You just know what’s ahead of you, and all that is right now for us is the Cowboys.”
