With a Washington Football Team Week 17 game scheduled against the Philadelphia Eagles, all eyes will be on the two NFC East foes as they prepare for their second and final clash of the year. Ahead of the Washington-Eagles game, we'll be making our Washington Football Team Week 17 predictions.
At 6-9 the Washington Football Team is now on the brink of elimination from the playoff race. If that wasn't enough to make Washington fans disappointed, the team's last two losses certainly are, as they have lost two straight divisional games by double-digit points, a 27-17 loss to the Eagles followed by an embarrassing 56-14 defeat at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys.
After Washington's blowout loss to Dallas, it is the red-hot Eagles, winners of three straight games, up next on the schedule. The Football Team was soundly beaten by the Eagles two weeks ago, as Philadelphia ran for over 238 yards on Washington's defensive line. Fortunately, Washington, who was without several key players on the reserve/COVID list for that game, will have some players back, including quarterback Taylor Heinicke. However, in some addition by subtraction, the Football Team will also have to take on the Eagles without starting running back Antonio Gibson. Look for a healthy Heinicke, along with a defense motivated to redeem themselves, to defeat the Eagles in a surprising upset.
Washington likely won't make the playoffs but they can still gain back some dignity after their awful loss to Dallas. With that in mind, here are our Washington Football Team Week 17 predictions.
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Washington Football Team Week 17 Predictions
4. Jaret Patterson will have the best game of his career
The Washington Football Team running back room is up against it after the recent update on starter Antonio Gibson, who was placed on the reserve/COVID list. That leaves the rookie Jaret Patterson, as well as veteran Jonathan Williams to lead the charge against the Eagles. Patterson, who ran for over 1,000 yards in each of his three seasons at Buffalo, will show the makings a future lead back on Sunday in the best NFL performance of his young career.
3. Taylor Heinicke will score 3 combined touchdowns
Washington Football Team quarterback Taylor Heinicke has likely heard all the noise about how the team needs a new signal-caller. Washington could be looking at these last two games as an audition of sorts for Heinicke, who has actually been solid at times this season. One of the underrated parts of his game is his ability to use his legs, which he will showcase against the Eagles in a great performance. Heinicke has just three games with three total touchdowns this year. He'll add to that total with two passing touchdowns and a rushing score against the Eagles.
2. The Washington defense will hold the Eagles to under 100 yards rushing
The Eagles are down running back Miles Sanders, while fellow back Jordan Howard isn't 100 percent. Quarterback Jalen Hurts is still nursing an ankle injury, so he might not be tasked with a run-heavy workload. Above all, the Washington defense, which prides itself on its run-stopping ability, was embarrassed by the Eagles two weeks ago. The Football Team run defense, perhaps inspired by the words of defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, will bounce back and hold the Eagles to under 100 yards rushing, a feat not accomplished since October.
1. Washington will upset the Eagles
The Football Team comes into the game as 4.5-point underdogs. After two embarrassing losses, everyone is counting out the Football Team. However, this is a group that has shown some fight for head coach Ron Rivera this season. Above all, the Football Team will be playing at home, where they've been better, notably beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this year while at their friendly confines. Washington has nothing to lose and will play like it on Sunday, shockingly upsetting the Eagles.
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