Eagles-Redskins Should Answer Some Key Questions.

How fitting that during the week in which it holds a marquis slot, the rematch between the Eagles and the Redskins will also likely be one of the most compelling games to watch. Just look at the storylines that surround the matchup. On one side, a resurgent Michael Vick has returned to the field for the Eagles and is continuing his trend of making Philadelphia an all but unstoppable opponent. Meanwhile, the Redskins have been weathering the fallout from Mike Shanahan’s questionable decision to bench Donovan McNabb for two weeks and are a undoubtedly ready to put that wonderful chapter of their season behind them. But will they? Or will they just become the latest obstacle to be steamrolled by Michael Vick’s high-powered Eagles offense? Those are just a couple of the questions that this game will answer.

Here are some more storylines that this matchup should finally settle:

• Can the Eagles beat the Redskins if Michael Vick plays the whole game? In early October, when these two franchises last faced each other, Vick appeared to be leading the Eagles to a comeback after the Redskins had taken a 14-0 lead. And just when it looked like the rally was on, Vick suffered rib and chest injuries after being sandwich-tackled as he was diving towards the goal-line. The Redskins would go on to win, but many Philly fans felt that the game would have ended differently had Vick not left with an injury. And now they have a chance to see if they were right. Monday Night at Fedex Field, the whole nation will get to see if 60 minutes of Michael Vick can beat the Redskins. (My money’s on Vick this time.)
• How will Donovan McNabb respond in one of the toughest situations of his career? If all of the commentary and reports the talking heads and NFL rumor-mongers have producing during the last fortnight are to be believed, McNabb has been either been unbelievably insulted, publicly emasculated, or a interesting mixture of the two. While most of that dialogue was an exercise in outrageous overreaction (if you don’t believe me, go back and read exactly what Shanahan said and compare it to nearly everything that ESPN said. See the difference?), the fact remains that it probably hasn’t been the easiest two weeks for the Redskins’ quarterback. And he’ll be taking the field under a lot of pressure to perform like the player that he knows he is. So how will McNabb play under the lights this week? The last time he was benched, McNabb returned the following week to throw four touchdowns as the Eagles routed the Cardinals. Should Redskins fans expect the same to happen this week?
• What kind of team are the Redskins? With a record of 4-4, the ‘Skins are neither good nor bad. In four wins, they’ve beaten two division rivals, as well as two teams—Green Bay and Chicago—with legitimate playoff hopes. But in four losses, they’ve blown a lead against Houston, squandered an opportunity to beat the Colts, and have given up 30+ points to both the Lions and the Rams. This team needs to make statement about what kind of team it will be going forward, and there’s no better opportunity than a game against a division rival at home on a national stage.

This game just might be the most important game of either team’s season thus far. The Redskins need to keep themselves in the playoff race, and the Eagles need to win a division game to prevent them from falling even further behind the division-leading Giants. Expect this one to be closer than expected. I’m betting on a 23-20 Eagles win, but it’s always hard to pick division matchups.

Of course, when all is said and done, maybe the real winners will be ESPN. Depending on how this one ends up, they could be broadcasting the game of the year.