Nick Foles, LeSean McCoy pace surging Eagles past Redskins
PHILADELPHIA -- For the Philadelphia Eagles to go worst-to-first in the NFC East, they had to win at home.
Nick Foles threw for 298 yards and spun free for a touchdown, LeSean McCoy ran for two scores and the Eagles snapped a 10-game losing skid at Lincoln Financial Field with a 24-16 victory over the Washington Redskins on Sunday.
A year after finishing 4-12 under Andy Reid, Chip Kelly had guided his Eagles (6-5) to the division lead. They're a half-game ahead of idle Dallas (5-5).
The defending division champion Redskins rallied in the fourth quarter but fell short, dropping to 3-7.
"I don't look at it globally," Kelly said. "We have five games in December and we put ourselves in position where those games are meaningful. We'll see where we're at Dec. 29."
The Eagles hadn't won at home in 413 days since defeating the New York Giants on Sept. 30, 2012. They'll enter their bye week on a three-game winning streak, having turned things around after consecutive home losses last month.
"Not one person on this team was defeated," Foles said. "Everybody in our locker room believed we can win and if you feel that way, it's something special. We have to keep the momentum going."
Down 24-0 in the fourth quarter, the Redskins rallied behind Robert Griffin III's TD passes of 62 yards to Darrel Young and 41 yards to Aldrick Robinson and both 2-point conversions.
RG3 then drove the Redskins to the Eagles 18 before his pass off his back foot was intercepted by Brandon Boykin in the end zone.
"I was trying to throw the ball in the back of the end zone," he said. "It didn't get to where I wanted it to go. Obviously I was on my heels. Something I can definitely learn from."
Foles didn't throw any TD passes after tossing 10 in the past two games. But he still hasn't thrown an interception this year, extending his streak to 199 passes without a pick. Foles tied an NFL record with seven TD passes in a win at Oakland two weeks ago and followed it with three more in a victory at Green Bay.
McCoy finished with 77 yards rushing and 73 receiving. He leads the NFL with 1,009 yards on the ground. Foles had a career-best 47 yards rushing.
"We're all playing as one," McCoy said. "Earlier in the year, the offense was playing good and defense wasn't or defense was playing good and offense wasn't. Now we're clicking.
The Redskins started their last drive at their 4 with 3:26 left after a 70-yard punt by Donnie Jones. Griffin completed a 28-yard pass to Santana Moss on third-and-25 and Washington eventually moved to the 18 before the pick.
Griffin was 17 of 35 for 264 yards and ran for 44 yards.
"Took us until the fourth quarter to make a couple plays," Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said. "We had our opportunity at the end. Just couldn't take advantage of it."
A 33-27 win at Washington in the season opener kick-started the Kelly Era and raised expectations in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year. The Eagles lost the next three games before winning five of seven. Foles replaced an injured Michael Vick in the first half of a victory at the Giants on Oct. 6, and has led the Eagles to a 4-1 record since.
The Redskins couldn't generate much offense until Griffin connected with Young after scrambling early in the fourth quarter. He hit Nick Williams on the conversion.
Robinson made a nice adjustment to catch Griffin's underthrown deep pass for the next score, and RG3 dived in from the 2 for the conversion.
But Washington couldn't complete the comeback.
Foles ran in from the 4 for a 7-0 lead, even showing some athleticism with a spin move after getting hit at the 2 and then reaching for the end zone. A 49-yard pass to McCoy set up the score.
One play after Brent Celek turned a tight-end screen pass into a 42-yard gain, McCoy ran in untouched from the 1.
The Redskins drove to the Eagles 8 before Griffin was sacked by Connor Barwin and fumbled. The ball popped straight up and was recovered by Fletcher Cox.
The Eagles turned that into a 24-yard field goal by Alex Henery to make it 17-0.
McCoy left briefly after injuring his right hamstring in the second quarter and scored on a 1-yard run to put the Eagles up 24-0 in the third.
Game notes
LB Mychal Kendricks (knee), S Earl Wolff (knee), and CB Bradley Fletcher (pectoral) were Philadelphia's injured defensive starters. ... Redskins TE Jordan Reed (concussion), DEStephen Bowen (knee) and WR Leonard Hankerson (knee) left the game. ... The Eagles lost their first four home games this season.
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Nick Foles, LeSean McCoy pace surging Eagles past Redskins Updated at :
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Sunday, November 17, 2013
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