Redskins vs. Eagles, part 2: 5 keys to victory in Week 17
By Kyle Hundley
2. Redskins must do a better job controlling the clock this time
So much of the Redskins early season success was because they ran the ball, stopped the run, and controlled the clock. This was not the case in the first game, as the Eagles had the ball for almost 40 minutes. The offense couldn’t put together a drive, and the defense couldn’t make the stops they needed to to get off the field. It was a team effort. It will be a team effort this game to control the clock. It starts with the running game.
The offense finally had success running the ball last game, as Peterson had 26 carries for 116 yards. Being able to run the ball allowed them to control the clock for a little over 33 minutes. This, in turn, allowed the defense to stay fresh. Peterson must have similar success again this week.
The defense must do its part also and get off the field when they have the chance to. The Eagles were excellent on first-down in the first game. This early down success set them up to be successful on third down. If the Redskins can do a better job controlling the clock this time, they will put themselves in an excellent position to win this game.