![\"b-west\"](\"http:\/\/bountybowl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/brian-westbrook1.jpg\")
<\/p>\nYes, the Eagles won yesterday to improve their record to 4-5.\u00a0 Yes, Brian Westbrook continued to show why he is one the elite running backs in football, with 183 total yards and one of his signature touchdowns, weaving 57 yards\u00a0through the entire defense, to give the Eagles the lead with 3 minutes to play.\u00a0 But the win wouldn’t have been possible if the Redskins hadn’t shot themselves in the foot in the red-zone on the drive prior to that Westbrook score.<\/p>\n
After Donovan McNabb fumbled with 8 minutes to play, Washington immediately drove down inside the Eagles’ 10-yard line.\u00a0 The Skins were up 22-20 and a touchdown would have basically ended the game.\u00a0 After a\u00a0penalty gave\u00a0the\u00a0Skins first-and-goal at the 3, the Eagles defense stepped up with\u00a0two big\u00a0stops\u00a0by Takeo Spikes and (shockingly) Darren Howard.\u00a0 On the ensuing third down, the Skins blew their best chance to win the game.\u00a0 Tight end Chris Cooley jumped offsides on a play where the Eagles didn’t have a chance to get the right personnel on the field and Brian Dawkins admitted after the game <\/a>that it would have been a sure touchdown:<\/p>\n “That was huge,” said free safety Brian Dawkins. “The play they ran, that was a touchdown. Thrash was open in the flat. That was my guy. I was really happy to see that flag.<\/p>\n “They did a zigzag motion in the backfield. They did it earlier in the game. The play went to the other side that time. I was anticipating them doing it again. But they came back to the tight end side. If they hadn’t jumped offsides, it would have been a real hard play to try and make. Because he had me.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n On the next play, Joe Gibbs sealed his team’s fate with an odd decision.\u00a0 It was third-and-goal from the 7-yard line and offensive coordinator Al Saunders called for a pass to the end zone.\u00a0 Gibbs overruled the call and changed it to a draw-play to Clinton Portis.\u00a0 Portis had no chance of making it in for the score, forcing the Skins to settle for a field goal and a tenuous five-point lead.\u00a0 That lead was erased when the Eagles got the ball in Westbrook’s hands a few minutes later.<\/p>\n So, yes, the Eagles did what they had to do and won the game.\u00a0 It didn’t inspire a ton of confidence going forward though.\u00a0 They have the very beatable Dolphins (0-9) next week, followed by the seemingly unbeatable Patriots (9-0) in two weeks.\u00a0 It looks\u00a0like they’ll be 5-6 and needing to win at least\u00a0four of their final\u00a0five games.\u00a0 It’s far from likely, but yesterday’s win makes the playoffs at least a possibility.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Yes, the Eagles won yesterday to improve their record to 4-5.\u00a0 Yes, Brian Westbrook continued to show why he is one the elite running backs in football, with 183 total yards and one of his signature touchdowns, weaving 57 yards\u00a0through … Continue reading