Washington Commanders vs Philadelphia Eagles Match Player Stats On Dec 11, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Dec 11, 2016

PHILADELPHIA -- Chris Thompson scored on a 25-yard run with 1:53 left to play to lift the Washington Redskins to a 27-22 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

The victory keeps the Redskins (7-5-1) in the hunt for an NFC wild-card playoff spot while the Eagles fell to 5-8 overall and 0-4 against NFC East rivals. Washington closes out the season with games against Carolina, at Chicago and at home against the New York Giants.

Philadelphia took a 22-21 lead on Caleb Sturgis' 41-yard field goal with 4:49 left to play, and the Eagles were forced to use tight end Trey Burton as the long-snapper after starter Jon Dorenbos and back-up Brent Celek left the game with injuries.

Philadelphia had a shot to pull it out at the end as they drove to the Redskins' 14 with 21 seconds left to play, but Redskins defensive end Ryan Kerrigan sacked Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz and forced a fumble that Washington recovered to end the game.

The Eagles had a golden opportunity to put the Redskins in a deep, early hole but failed to take advantage. They took the opening kickoff and drove to the Washington 27, but the drive stalled there and Philadelphia had to settle for Sturgis' 45-yard field goal.

Then, thanks for a 44-yard pass interference penalty, the Eagles moved the ball all the way to the Washington 3, but on third down Wentz's pass was intercepted in the end zone by safety Deshazor Everett.

The Redskins finally put together a complete drive in the second quarter, even though it started with quarterback Kirk Cousins being sacked by Fletcher Cox. Washington got back on track, however, and finally got on the scoreboard when running back Robert Kelley broke loose on a 22-yard TD run to give the Redskins a 7-6 lead with 4:11 left in the first half.

But the Eagles' offense finally woke up and they drove the length of the field, converting three third-down situations along the way, before Wentz found running back Darren Sproles in the back of the end zone with a 4-yard touchdown pass, and Philadelphia went into their locker room at halftime leading 13-7.

After that came a defining sequence in the game. Sproles returned a punt 78 yards for an apparent touchdown, but that was wiped out by an illegal block by Zach Ertz. The Eagles were forced to punt the ball back to the Redskins, and on second down wide receiver DeSean Jackson beat defender Leodis McKelvin deep and his 80-yard TD reception gave the Redskins a 14-13 lead with 9:14 left in the third quarter.

After the Eagles missed a 50-yard field goal, the Redskins moved in for another TD, on a 15-yard pass to wide receiver Pierre Garcon, to make it 21-13 as the third quarter ended.

Philadelphia got the break it was looking for when McKelvin intercepted a pass intended for Jackson and returned it 29 yards for a TD that made 21-19. The Eagles went for the two-point conversion, but Wentz failed to connect with Jordan Matthews in the end zone.

Notes: The Redskins played without two starters on their offensive line -- C Spencer Long (concussion) and LG Shawn Lauvao (groin) -- as well as starting FS Will Blackmon (concussion). They were replaced, respectively, by John Sullivan, Arie Kouandjio and Duke Ihenacho. ... The Eagles also had to shuffle their o-line when RG Brandon Brooks was a last-minute scratch. He was replaced by rookie Isaac Seumalo. ... Eagles WR Jordan Matthews and RB Ryan Mathews were back in the lineup after missing last week's game with ankle and knee injuries, respectively -- Jordan Matthews said it was the first game he has ever missed, including Pop Warner. ... Redskins TE Jordan Reed started after missing last week's game vs. Arizona with a shoulder injury. Reed came into Sunday's game tied for the team led in receptions, with 59, even though he has missed three games. ... Long-snapper Jon Dorenbos played in his 162nd consecutive game with the Eagles, tying the club record set by WR Harold Carmichael from 1972 to 1983. He later left the game with a wrist injury.