An important Week 17 showdown pits two NFC East foes against one another. The Washington Football team (6-9) will look to come back from a blowout loss when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles (8-7).
According to the latest NFL odds, Washington (+3.5) will enter this contest as home underdogs. Washington has lost three in a row, slipping out of the NFC playoff picture. The Eagles have a lot at stake, currently sitting in the 7th and final playoff seed.
Can WFT get back on track in Week 17?
Game Information
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 2
- Time: 1:00 P.M. on FOX
- Venue: FedEx Field in North Englewood, MD
- Participants: The Philadelphia Eagles and The Washington Football Team
Recent Offensive Struggles
Washington has struggled on offense during their recent losing streak. The Football Team averaged just 17 points per game over the last three weeks.
After missing Week 15 against the Eagles, Quarterback Taylor Heinicke struggled in his return against the Dallas Cowboys. Heinicke completed just seven passes for 121 yards while throwing two interceptions. He has not thrown for over 200 yards in a game since Week 12.
Antonio Gibson has also struggled to get involved in the offense. Gibson averaged just 30 rushing yards the last three weeks on 2.9 yards per rush. He’s currently dealing with a hip issue and has had a shin fracture and toe injury as well this season.
For Washington to succeed this week, they need a much better performance from Heinicke. They may also need key contributions from their receivers, such as Terry McLaurin and John Bates.
Washington Football Team 2021 Scoring Trends
Here are some season-long scoring trends to consider for WFT:
- Washington averages 19.8 points per game (24th)
- Washington averages 21 points per game at home
- Washington ranks 14th in rushing, averaging 116 yards per game
- Washington ranks 20th in passing, averaging 208 yards per game
- Washington has scored 20 points or more six times
The Eagles Defense
The Eagles currently have the 12th-ranked scoring defense, allowing slightly over 21 points per game. The Philadelphia defense has come on strong over the past month, allowing only 14.5 points per game over their last four games.
We can attribute those impressive recent numbers in part to some weaker competition. Philadelphia faced the New York Giants twice, the New York Jets, and the Washington Football team without Heinicke.
The Eagles’ defense has been solid for the most part, but they have looked vulnerable against some top passing attacks, including the Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, and Kansas City Chiefs. They’ve given up an average of 38.6 points against these three teams.
With Heinicke back under center, the WFT offense should challenge the Eagles more than they did in Week 15.
NFC East Showdown
This matchup will have significant ramifications for the NFC wildcard race. While it has been a struggle for Washington of late, they still have some offensive playmakers that can help keep this game close.
If Washington can get a solid contribution from Taylor Heinicke, they could play a spoiler role in this game, but I’m not counting on it. I believe Washington will be lucky to score 20 points, so there are better options in this week’s King of the Weekend promotion.
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NFL Over/Under Odds at BetMGM
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