Eagles vs. Football Team Top Plays (Week 17, 2022)

This one was for the entire season. Washington and Philadelphia were essentially both fighting for a playoff spot. I personally expected more against a team that got blown out by 50 the week before. Washington was falling apart due to internal drama on defense and the Football Team hadn’t scored more than 20 points since November 21. Perhaps it’s my fault for expecting more out of a rebuilding team, or perhaps my standards were increased this week because it’s a division rivalry. Whatever the reason, the Eagles won. Instead of questioning the how (as I so often do), let’s celebrate the what. Here are the Eagles vs. Football Team top plays from their Week 18 matchup in Landover, MD.

Use promo code TheBirdsBlitz when you sign up for ParlayPlay today and receive $10 FREE on signup + up to $50 deposit match! > > >

Individual Plays

4th Down Stop

This highlight was partially thanks to a highly questionable decision from Ron Rivera: going for it on 4th and 5 on the Eagles’ 49 with eight minutes left in the game. I’m not sure what the analytics look like, and I’d even appreciate the aggressiveness if it was a fourth and one, but the outcome leaves me no choice but to label the move as idiotic. All this is to say that going for it in this situation was high risk, low reward. Fortunately, the Eagles didn’t give Washington the chance to ask themselves what could have been. Avonte Maddox (PHI CB, #29) broke up a pass intended for Dax Milne (WAS WR, #15).

Greg Ward Catch

This play is the exact reverse of Rivera’s head-scratcher at midfield: a bold play on an early down that netted a positive outcome. Though, I will admit the whole play looked wonky. As good as Hurts (PHI QB, #1) is at extending plays with his legs, the sudden starts and stops in directions made me feel like Hurts was panicking in the pocket, trying to make something out of nothing. However, as I rewatched the play and considered the context of when it happened, I found myself being more forgiving of how weird the whole sequence seemed. Ironically, Hurts looked less panicked on the Twitter highlight clip than he did in person. Since the theme of not dwelling on things with positive outcomes is the theme of this article, so I won’t dwell on it this highlight too long. I’ll end on a positive: it took a bit to get there, but the needle Hurts threaded to Greg Ward was just beautiful.

Devonta Smith Catch

Smith, Goedert, and Scott were the big three on offense for this week (not including Hurts). There were other plays that were technically more significant, but few managed to go for as many yards as Devonta Smith (PHI WR, #6). Over half of the yards he gained on the day (3 catches for 54) were on this one catch (30 yards). Some people might find it infuriating that Smith only had three catches, but again, positive outcome trumps things that I might take issue with. In fact, this play was almost quintessential Smith: low-volume use, high-volume productivity on the targets that he had. The only thing missing from this highlight is a ridiculous sideline toe-drag. Although, Smith did take a defender’s ankles without laying a hand on him, so I guess that’s a good stand-in.

Dallas Goedert Catch

There were actually a few big plays by Goedert (Eagles TE, #88) this week (as to be expected from the game’s leader in receiving yards). To use another sport as a frame of reference, this play was like a lob in volleyball. Goedert’s catch put the Eagles in good position to score, even if he didn’t manage to hit paydirt on that snap. This play likely means less if the Eagles didn’t score shortly after, but this isn’t the place to delve into hypotheticals, as the theme of this article is, well, y’know.

Josh Sweat Sack

Watching the Eagles on Sunday doubtless led to lots of hair being torn from fans’ heads. Even when the Eagles had opportunity to capitalize on pressure, someone always managed to miss or whiff on their assignment. Enter Josh Sweat (PHI DE, #94) who, thanks to a collapsing pocket, was able to take Heinecke (WAS QB, #4) down for a sack. Granted, the Eagles almost missed on another opportunity to get off the field on this play alone, but the result ended up being a net positive. 

Genard Avery Sack

Avery (PHI DE, #58) was holding out on us, my God! The Eagles were missing potential sacks all day, but on a couple of instances, Philly got home. Avery caught underneath Heinecke’s arm, so the tackle looked awkward, so I thought that the latter got hurt when he was taken to the ground. Fortunately, Heinecke popped up seconds later and jogged off the field. The real highlight from this was that nobody got hurt. Washington fan or not, nobody deserves to get hurt (apart from Vontaze Burfict, but that’s a different story).

Anthony Harris Pass Break-Up

Anthony Harris (PHI DB, #28) ended the first half with a big play (or rather, lack thereof). While I was in my seat, I predicted that Washington was going to launch it deep with 11 seconds left to try to get a touchdown before halftime. Lo and behold, I was right. This seems obvious, but Ron Rivera proved later in the game that he’s not immune to defying wisdom regarding situational football. Washington sadly ended up scoring on this drive, but as anyone who saw the final score can attest, this four point swing might’ve just saved the game, just like how Washington could have used those four yards they lost on a reverse sweep. Spoilers: at the end of that drive, the down & distance was 4th and 4.

Boston Scott TD #1

Boston Scott (PHI RB, #35) against the NFC East is just a different animal. Scott owning the Giants has been known since 2019, but more unexpected was Scott tacking on two touchdowns, both coming on a fourth down within two yards of Washington’s goal line. This is admittedly quite a specific set of circumstances, but one that I will allow for, as those were the only touchdowns scored all game. This particular touchdown is below Scott’s second because I would argue that not only was the former less impressive, but also less high-stakes.

Boston Scott TD #2

I was sitting in the stands when this play happened, muttering to myself “this is the season” as I waited for the Eagles to put me out of my misery (one way or another). Either the Eagles would choke and betray fans for having hope, or the suspense of watching Taylor Heinecke carve our defense in the last minute of the game. The Eagles were down two scores at this point, and I’ve spoken in the past about how small moments in a game can swing momentum for better or for worse. On the last opportunity the Eagles had for that drive, Jalen Hurts fell while flipping the ball to Boston Scott, who cut to the edge and flipped into the end zone for six to bring Philadelphia a step closer to saving their season.

Rodney Mcleod Interception

This was the biggest play of the game bar none. Not only that, but McLeod (PHI S, #23) might just have had the play of the season. Taylor Heinicke drove the Washington offense down the field and put his team in position to win the game with around 30 seconds left. If Heinicke doesn’t badly overthrow his receiver, the Eagles are singing a different tune right now. And yet, all of the negative critiques that I could conjure become irrelevant with five simple words: we’re going to the playoffs.