LANDOVER, Md. _ For the second consecutive week, Carson Wentz took the ball late in the fourth quarter with a chance to play hero. But this week, there seemed to be little reason for confidence that the Eagles offense could rescue the game.
Because if the Eagles' 27-20 loss to the Washington Redskins on Sunday at FedEx Field showed anything, it's that the Eagles appear closer to the flawed team expected when they entered the season than the undefeated team that emerged from the bye week.
The Eagles dropped their second consecutive game and first NFC East contest to fall to 3-2 with the undefeated Minnesota Vikings visiting Philadelphia next weekend. But unlike last week, the Eagles never appeared on the verge of taking a lead. They did not have a lead throughout the game, and they were outplayed by their division rivals.
Washington had more than twice as many yards as the Eagles (478 yards to the Eagles' 239), and their defense kept the Eagles out of the end zone. Both Eagles touchdowns came from the defense and special teams.
Carson Wentz finished 11 of 22 for 179 yards. The leading receiver was Jordan Matthews, who had three catches for 75 yards. Ryan Mathews led all rushers with 60 yards. The Eagles committed 13 penalties one week after they were charged with 14.
The biggest story throughout the week was Halapoulivaati Vaitai replacing Lane Johnson at right tackle, and the Eagles' confidence in the fifth-round pick appeared unfounded on Sunday. Vaitai was overmatched against Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, allowing 2 { sacks in the first half.
Vaitai's problem slowed an offense that couldn't stay on the field in the first half. The Eagles scored two non-offensive touchdowns to stay in the game, but the offense's production was offensive. They had only three first downs, 41 total yards, and 20 offensive plays. The Redskins had 17 first downs, 285 total yards, and 39 offensive plays.
Although they were able to extend most of their drive, Washington needed only three plays to start its scoring late in the first quarter. DeSean Jackson, the Eagles' old friend, caught a 35-yard pass to bring the ball into Eagles territory. After a 15-yard rush by Jones, Kirk Cousins found Jamison Crowder, who beat Malcolm Jenkins, for a 16-yard touchdown.
Their next score was more time-consuming. After an Eagles three-and-out, the Redskins went 90 yards on nine plays. The big play was a 45-yard rush by Rob Kelley, but there were also two third-down conversions, including a 13-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis.
After the score, Davis was flagged for excessive celebration. That forced the Redskins to kick from their own 20-yard line. The kickoff landed at the Eagles' 14, where Wendell Smallwood waited. The rookie caught the kickoff and sprinted for an 86-yard touchdown to get cut Washington's lead in half.
The Eagles tied the game minutes later when Jenkins stepped in front of Cousin's pass attempt and returned the interception 64 yards _ allowing the Eagles to get back in the game without their offense even stepping onto the field.
The defense couldn't keep the momentum. The next time Wentz attempted a pass, the Eagles were down 10 points. Washington closed the half with a 13-play, 75-yard drive that finished when Jones rushed for a 1-yard touchdown. The drive was extended when Fletcher Cox was whistled for a personal foul after a third-down stop in the red zone. What would have been a Redskins field goal gave them a chance for a touchdown. It was the second consecutive week Cox was flagged for that penalty in that situation, and it cost the Eagles points both times.
Washington started the second half with possession and went 65 yards over six minutes for a field goal. The Eagles managed to stay in the game in the second half, with two field goals sandwiching one by Washington. The defense finally made a stop late in the fourth quarter to give Wentz possession down one touchdown with just more than four minutes remaining.
The drive was undone by pressure on Wentz, who was sacked twice to force an Eagles punt. The defense could not get the Eagles the ball back, and they'll return to Philadelphia on a two-game losing streak with a daunting schedule ahead.
