| | | | | | | | Thursday, September 12, 2002
MNF Breakdown: Eagles-Redskins
By Mike Diegnan
ABC Sports Online
Reeling from a disastrous second half last week at Tennessee, the Philadelphia Eagles travel to Washington on Monday night looking to end Steve Spurrier's honeymoon with the Redskins (ABC, 9 p.m. ET).
With Shane Matthews running the offense like a Heisman winner, the Redskins put up 31 points against Arizona last week to keep Spurrier perfect in openers. In fact, Spurrier's teams have won at least their first three games in his first year there. In 1983, his Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL knocked off the Boston Breakers 21-17 en route to a 4-0 start. At Duke, his '87 Blue Devils crushed Colgate 41-14 and started 3-0. His '90 Florida team began with a 50-7 blowout of Oklahoma State as the Gators opened the season 5-0.
If the Redskins are to continue that trend, they will have to contend with a defense that limited Washington to 19 points in two games last season. And do it in the series' fourth Monday Night Football meeting.
So far, Washington has a 2-1 edge on Monday nights, including a thrilling 20-17 overtime victory on the night of Sept. 27, 1976 at Veterans Stadium. It was actually the Redskins defense that helped give George Allen his 100th NFL victory. Despite being outgained by the Eagles 418-230, the Redskins intercepted Mike Boryla five times and returned a fumble for a score. Eddie Brown's pick of Boryla late in overtime set up Mark Moseley's game-winning 29-yard field goal.
This Monday, both teams head into the contest with .500 records on Monday nights.
MNF record
Philadelphia: 15-15 (1-0 last season)
Washington: 24-24 (0-2 last season)
Season record
Philadelphia: 0-1 (2nd, NFC East)
Washington: 1-0 (1st, NFC East)
Head-to-head
Washington leads the all-time regular-season series 72-56-5.
The teams split last season with both teams winning on the road.
Notes
In six career games vs. Redskins, Eagles QB Donovan McNabb has rushed 43 times for 348 yards (8.1 avg.) and 1 TD. He had a career-high 125 yards rushing, including a career-long 55-yard run and 1 TD against Washington in 2000.
Redskins RB Stephen Davis has scored at least one TD in four straight games dating back to '01.
Shane Matthews was 11 of 11 for 120 yards and 1 TD on third downs last week against Arizona. He was later named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
The Redskins haven't opened a season 2-0 since their 1991 Super Bowl season.
| Philadelphia vs. Washington |
| |
 |
 |
| OFFENSE |
| Points/G (rank) |
24.0 (17) |
31.0 (T8) |
| Rushing/G (rank) |
80.0 (T17) |
122.0 (11) |
| Passing/G (rank) |
181.0 (25) |
320.0 (2)
|
| Yards/G (rank) |
261.0 (27) |
442.0 (3) |
| 1st downs (rank) |
17 (22) |
21 (T10) |
| 3rd down eff. (rank) |
7-15, 46.7% (14) |
9-16, 53.8% (T5) |
| 4th down eff. (rank) |
1-1, 100% (T1) |
1-2, 50% (10) |
| DEFENSE |
| Points/G (rank) |
27.0 (T19) |
23 (T23) |
| Rushing/G (rank) |
61.0 (7) |
70 (9) |
| Passing/G (rank) |
267.0 (24) |
187.0 (T9) |
| Yards/G (rank) |
328.0 (16) |
257.0 (T4) |
| Sacks (rank) |
1 (T21) |
0 (T29) |
| MISC. |
| Takeaways (rank) |
4 (2) |
1 (T15) |
| Giveaways (rank) |
3 (T27) |
1 (T4) |
| Turnover ratio (rank) |
+1 (T6) |
0 (T11) |
| Penalties (rank) |
10 (T27) |
7 (19) |
| Penalty yards (rank) |
113 (31) |
56 (18) |
Individual leaders
| Returns |
Kickoffs | |
Punts |
| NAME |
ATT |
YDS |
FC |
AVG |
LNG |
TD |
|
ATT |
YDS |
FC |
AVG |
LNG |
TD |
|
Brian Mitchell |
4 |
99 |
0 |
24.8 |
29 |
0 |
|
2 |
17 |
0 |
8.5 |
9 |
0 |
|
Kenny Watson |
2 |
50 |
0 |
25.0 |
28 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Jacquez Green |
1 |
22 |
0 |
22.0 |
22 |
0 |
|
3 |
26 |
1 |
8.7 |
15 |
0 |
| Kicking |
| NAME |
1-20 |
20-29 |
30-39 |
40-49 |
50+ |
TOT |
PCT |
AVG |
LNG |
XPM/A |
PTS |
|
David Akers |
0/0 |
0/0 |
1/1 |
0/0 |
0/0 |
1/1 |
100.0 |
30.0 |
30 |
3/3 |
6 |
|
James Tuthill |
0/0 |
0/0 |
0/0 |
0/0 |
0/0 |
0/0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0/0 |
0 |
| | |
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