Kickoff: Monday, Sept 18th at TBD
TV: Stream
Spread: Eagles -1
The NFC East figures to be a hotly contested division this season so all matchups between the four teams will be of the utmost importance, starting with an opening one between Philadelphia and Washington. The Redskins hope to start this season off better than they finished 2016 – losing a virtual layup game at home that would have clinched a playoff berth to a Giants squad that already had secured its postseason destination.
Three Things to Watch
1. Kirk Cousins, his decisions & his new weapons.
The Redskins spent quite a bit on their offense this off-season including forking out over $20 million to Kirk Cousins but also giving him some new receiving options like Terrelle Pryor. It will be key to see Kirk Cousins manages the game and if his poor decision making in the red zone continues over from last year.
2. Defensive Youngsters
The Redskins have some youngsters in the secondary and Carson Wentz will surely try to take advantage of that by taking some shots downfield. The Redskins are going to have to stay pat and play disciplined defense and avoid giving up the big play if they hope to end the game victorious.
3. Suspensions & Injuries
The Redskins have Trent Murphy out for the first 4 games of the season due to a PED violation and the first 4 teams on the schedule will surely attempt to take advantage of the hole left by his absence. The team is also without defensive back/safety veteran DeAngelo Hall. Hall, who was more than likely going to backup both safety spots, was lost for at least the first 6 weeks of the season by early indications. With both players being on the defensive side, and the team already dealing with a young secondary, this defense could be in for some trouble this season.