Gameday Graphic for Game on 10/26/2009

Washington's season continued its downward spiral on Monday night--and now a national television audience knows the depth of the team's struggles.

The Redskins lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 27-17 at FedExField, dropping their record to 2-5 on the season. They have lost three consecutive games and their last five prime time contests.

Adding injury to insult, the Redskins lost tight end Chris Cooley to a fractured ankle in the second quarter. Cooley is expected to miss significant time as he rehabs the injury.

Frustration is setting in, too.

Clinton Portis was seen throwing his helmet to the Redskins' bench after a fourth quarter drive came up empty.

Last week was one of change for the Redskins with Sherman Lewis assuming play calling from Jim Zorn. The results were not far different from previous weeks, though.

For the seventh time this season, the Redskins were unable to score more than 17 points. The offense mounted 308 yards and 62 rushing yards and converted just 3-of-12 third downs.

It didn't help that the Redskins fell behind early, trailing 17-0 just a few minutes into the second quarter. The offense had to play catch-up against a tough Eagles defense.

That proved to be a tough task for Campbell and the beleaguered pass protection units, as Campbell was sacked six times.

Campbell's numbers are respectable--he completed 29-of-43 passes for 284 yards, two touchdowns and one interception--but those numbers were padded in the second half as the Redskins tried to get back in the game.

His interception was costly. The pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage by safety Quintin Mikell and intercepted by linebacker Will Witherspoon and returned for a touchdown.

The Redskins' defense was solid--except for two big plays by wide receiver DeSean Jackson.

In the first quarter, Jackson took a handoff on a wide receiver reverse and raced 67 yards for a touchdown. In the second quarter, Jackson beat the Redskins' secondary and caught a 57-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Andre Carter, Albert Haynesworth and Reed Doughty each recorded sacks on McNabb, who completed 15-of-25 passes for just 156 yards.

After a week of turmoil at Redskins Park, Philadelphia put pressure on the Redskins early, scoring on their opening drive.

McNabb faked a handoff and then gave the ball to a streaking Jackson on a wide receiver reverse. Jackson got past LaRon Landry and DeAngelo Hall and raced down the left sideline for a 67-yard touchdown run.

It was an early blow for a Redskins team seeking momentum.

Offensively, the Redskins' struggles continued on their opening drive, as Campbell fumbled a snap on third down. He recovered the fumble, but the Redskins were forced to punt.

Late in the first quarter, the Redskins were operating deep in their own territory. Campbell dropped back to pass at the 11-yard line. His pass was batted in the air by Mikell and picked off by Witherspoon.

Witherspoon, picked up by the Eagles in a trade with the St. Louis Rams last week, raced into the end zone for a 9-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Next series, Witherspoon struck again, sacking Campbell from behind and stripping the ball. Witherspoon quickly pounced on the ball for a fumble recovery.

The turnover helped set up a 47-yard field goal by David Akers.

Down 17-0, the Redskins finally showed signs of life midway through the second quarter.

Rock Cartwright returned the ensuing kickoff 28 yards and a penalty on Philadelphia put the ball at the Eagles' 45-yard line.

Campbell connected with Santana Moss for a 13-yard pass for a quick first down. Later, Cartwright picked up 11 yards bursting past a block by Derrick Dockery to the Eagles' 3-yard line.

One play later, Campbell threw to a wide open Devin Thomas for a 2-yard touchdown pass, narrowing the Eagles lead to 17-7.

Momentum had shifted.

It shifted back quickly.

The Redskins' defense forced the Eagles into a 3-and-out, but Antwaan Randle El muffed the punt as the ball caromed off his face mask. The ball fluttered away and into the arms of Eagles' Sean Jones at the 25-yard line.

The turnover helped set up another Akers field goal, this one a 44-yarder, to give the Eagles a 20-7 lead.

Late in the second quarter, the Eagles struck again with another big play.

Doughty had just sacked McNabb, forcing the Eagles into a 3rd-and-22.

McNabb dropped back to pass and had time in the pocket. Downfield, Jackson put a move on Carlos Rogers and found himself wide open downfield. McNabb's pass was on target and Jackson beat Chris Horton to the end zone for a 57-yard touchdown catch.

The Redskins managed a late second quarter drive to get into field goal range.

Campbell completed an 18-yard pass to Fred Davis on 3rd-and-16 and then found Randle El across the middle for 17 yards to the Eagles' 29-yard line with 6 seconds left in the half.

Shaun Suisham connected on a 47-yard field goal and the first half ended with the Redskins down 27-10.

Neither offense generated a lot of momentum in the second half.

Campbell was sacked on successive drives, once by defensive end Jason Babin and once by defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley. McNabb was sacked by Carter and Haynesworth.

Late in the fourth quarter, Campbell guided the offense downfield against a somewhat passive Eagles defense.

He completed a 21-yard pass to Thomas and a pair of 12-yard passes to Moss to set up the offense at the 3-yard line.

Two plays later, Campbell threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Davis with 1:43 left in the game.

It was too little, too late for the Redskins' offense, though.

With the bye on the horizon, there's plenty of time to search for answers. And maybe even mull more changes.

PRE-GAME COVERAGE

The Redskins resume NFC East play on Monday, Oct. 26 when they host the Philadelphia Eagles at FedExField. Kickoff is 8:30 p.m. ET.

The Redskins-Eagles game is presented by GEICO: 15 minutes could save you 15 percent or more on car insurance. Visit **www.GEICO.com**.

FedExField is a natural grass surface. The stadium seats 91,704.

It's the first nationally televised, prime time matchup for the Redskins this season.

The Redskins, in last play in the NFC East through Week 6, are 0-1 in the division. They lost to the New York Giants 23-17 in Week 1 at the Meadowlands.

This is the first divisional game of the season for the Eagles.

Last year, the Redskins were 3-3 in the NFC East, including a pair of wins over the Eagles.

The Redskins are 2-1 at FedExField this season. They beat the St. Louis Rams 9-7 on Sept. 20 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16-13 on Oct. 4 while losing to the Kansas City Chiefs 14-6 on Oct. 18.

The Eagles are coming off a 13-9 loss to the Oakland Raiders.

The Redskins-Chiefs game will be televised to a national audience on ESPN. Mike Tirico handles the play-by-play with color commentary provided by Ron Jaworski and Jon Gruden. Suzy Kolber and Michele Tafoya serve as sideline reporters.

On radio, the game will be broadcast locally on the Redskins Radio Network. Larry Michael calls the play-by-play with former Redskins and Hall of Famers Sonny Jurgensen and Sam Huff adding color commentary. Former Redskin Rick 'Doc' Walker reports from the sidelines.

Jorge Andres and Mario Alfaro call the game in Spanish on ESPN Deportes 730, with Cristina Cruz reporting from the sidelines.

Redskins Examiner GameDay Preview (PDF)

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS

SERIES HISTORY

Washington and Philadelphia have met a total of 149 times over their long rivalry, which dates back to 1934. They have played a home-and-home series every year since 1936.

The Redskins hold the series edge at 78-66-6. Since 2000, the Eagles have won 11 of 18 games.

The Redskins defeated the Eagles twice last year. It was the first time since 2005 that Washington swept the season series.

In Week 16, the Redskins defeated the Eagles 10-3 at FedExField, as LaRon Landry and Fred Smoot combined on a tackle of wide receiver Reggie Brown at the goal line just as time expired in the game.

Eleven weeks earlier, the Redskins defeated the Eagles 23-17 at Lincoln Financial Field. Clinton Portis rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown, part of a 203-yard rushing day for the Redskins' offense. Chris Cooley caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from Antwaan Randle El as the Redskins came back from a 14-0 first quarter deficit

The Redskins and Eagles have clashed once in the postseason, with Washington winning 20-6 on Jan. 4, 1991 at Veterans Stadium in the Wild Card playoff round.

TALE OF THE TAPE

FAMILIAR FACES ON THE EAGLES

Linebacker Jeremiah Trotter played for the Redskins in 2002-03. He signed with Washington as an unrestricted free agent after four years in Philadelphia. He returned to Philadelphia in 2004 and has spent the bulk of his career with the Eagles.

Kicker David Akers played for the Redskins in 1998. His first NFL game was with the Redskins, on Sept. 20, 1998 vs. Seattle.

Defensive end Chris Clemons played for the Redskins from 2003-05. He joined the Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2005.

Cornerback Dimitri Patterson played for the Redskins from 2005-06. He played in three games in the 2005 season and posted one interception.

Defensive tackle Antonio Dixon was on the Redskins' roster during 2009 training camp and preseason, but was released by the team in final roster cuts. He originally joined the Redskins as an undrafted rookie in May 2009.

Pro scout Louis Riddick served as director of pro personnel and pro scout with the Redskins from 2001-07.

REDSKINS ON MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Since the inception of Monday Night Football in 1970, Washington is 26-30 all-time playing in the nationally televised Monday contests.

The Redskins made their MNF debut in 1970 in a 34-10 road loss to the Oakland Raiders.

The last time the Redskins played on Monday Night Football was against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 3, 2008. The Steelers defeated the Redskins 23-6.

Washington is 16-12 playing at home on Monday Night Football.

The Redskins' last home win on MNF was a 21-16 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 13, 1997.

The Redskins and Eagles have played five times on Monday night, with the Redskins holding a 3-2 edge.

The last time the Redskins and Eagles played on MNF was on Sept. 16, 2007. The Redskins won 20-12 at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Eagles are 25-22 all-time playing on Monday Night Football. They are 9-11 on the road.

REDSKINS-EAGLES NEWS & NOTES

-- Portis And the Century Mark

Portis is coming off his best game of the season last week when he logged 15 rushes for 109 yards in last Sunday's 14-6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

It was the 44th career 100-yard rushing effort by Portis, the most of any player since 2002.

The performance was Portis's 26th 100-yard game as a Redskin, extending his franchise record.

Portis had a 78-yard run in the third quarter of the game. It was the longest run of his career. His previous long, which also came against Kansas City, was 65 yards on Oct. 5, 2003 when he was a member of the Denver Broncos.

It was Portis's first 100-yard rushing effort since Nov. 23, 2008 against the Seattle Seahawks.

Portis now has 9,649 career rushing yards and 6,550 rushing yards as a Redskin. Entering Week 7, he trails Redskins great John Riggins by 922 yards for most rushing yards in franchise history.

-- Westbrook Brothers

Redskins cornerback and special teams player Byron Westbrook is the brother of Eagles running back Brian Westbrook.

They both hail from Washington, D.C., and attended DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Md.

Byron, 5-10 and 202 pounds, earned a roster spot on the Redskins coming out of preseason. He was the Redskins' practice squad the last two years and he often served as his brother on the scout team during Redskins practices.

Westbrook was asked last year if there was any downside to being Brian's brother.

"The only negative thing is that people expect me to fill his shoes," Westbrook said. "But I'm not a running back, I'm a cornerback. I play on a defense. I'm trying to hit him."

He added with a smile: "And if I'm on the Redskins, I'd have the chance to get back at him two times a year for all the years he's been punishing me since I was a baby."

-- Orakpo Making His Mark

Brian Orakpo, the Redskins' first-round draft pick (13th overall) last April, has helped upgrade the defense's pass rush.

With a sack last Sunday vs. Kansas City, Orakpo has recorded at least a half-sack in four consecutive contests.

By doing so, Orakpo becomes the first Redskins rookie to have at least a half-sack in four straight games.

He becomes the first Redskins player with a half-sack in four straight games in one season since Marco Coleman accomplished the feat in 2000.

He also is the first NFL rookie to have at least a half-sack in four straight games since Chicago's Mark Anderson in 2006.

Overall, the Redskins have 15 sacks this season, compared to eight at the same point in 2008. The defense has eight sacks the last two games, the most in a two-game span since Weeks 3-4 of the 2007 season.

-- Redskins Team Captains

The Redskins have elected captains for the offense, defense and special teams.

For the offense, it's quarterback Jason Campbell and left tackle Chris Samuels.

For the defense, it's defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin and linebacker London Fletcher.

For special teams, it's running back Rock Cartwright and fullback Mike Sellers.

Sellers is the newcomer of the captains this year. The other five were also voted team captains in 2008.

-- Smith's Specials

Washington's kick coverage units, led by special teams coach Danny Smith, have been among the league's best in 2009.

On kickoffs, the Redskins are ranked fifth in the league with opponents averaging 20.1 yards per return.

The punt coverage unit is ranked fourth in the league with opponents averaging 5.4 yards per return.

Smith coached special teams in Philadelphia from 1995-96, then switched to defensive backs coach for the Eagles from 1997-98.

Smith coached in Philadelphia under Ray Rhodes, who was the Redskins' defensive coordinator in 2000.

-- Blache, Lewis And Reid

Greg Blache, Sherman Lewis and Eagles head coach Andy Reid worked on the same staff in Green Bay from 1992-93.

From 1992-93, Blache coached Green Bay's defensive line and Lewis was the offensive coordinator under then Packers head coach Mike Holmgren.

Also on that coaching staff were future NFL head coaches Andy Reid, Dick Jauron, Ray Rhodes, Steve Mariucci and Jon Gruden.

Blache also coached with the late Jim Johnson, the former Eagles defensive coordinator, while with the Jacksonville Bulls of the USFL in 1985 and the Indianapolis Colts froom 1994-97.

-- Strength of Schedule

Washington's strength of schedule for 2009 was ranked 16th in the NFL at .492. Their opponents' 2008 cumulative record was 125-129-2.

The Redskins play a total of seven games against 2008 playoff teams, with four of those games against NFC East foes Philadelphia and New York.

The Miami Dolphins have the NFL's toughest schedule at .594. Their opponents' 2008 cumulative record was 152-104.

The Chicago Bears have the NFL's easiest schedule at .414. Their opponents' 2008 cumulative record was 105-149-2.

-- Witherspoon Returns

The Philadelphia Eagles acquired linebacker Will Witherspoon in a trade with the St. Louis Rams on Tuesday, just a few hours before the trading deadline.

The Eagles sent wide receiver Brandon Gibson and a fifth-round draft pick to the Rams.

Witherspoon played against the Redskins in Week 2 as a member of the Rams. He led the defense with 10 tackles, but the Rams lost 9-7.

Witherspoon could end up playing the Redskins three times this season. In addition to Monday night, the Redskins and Eagles play on Nov. 29 in Philadelphia.

-- QB Rating vs. Redskins

In last Sunday's 14-6 loss to Kansas City, the Redskins' defense continued its NFL-best streak of not allowing an opposing quarterback to reach a QB rating of 100 or more.

By holding Matt Cassel to a 71.0 QB rating last Sunday, the defense improved its streak to 28 games. (The stat is based on a minimum of 20 pass attempts.)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was the last QB to post a 100 passer rating against the Redskins. He accomplished it on Nov. 18, 2007, in a 28-23 win over the Redskins at Texas Stadium.

-- McNabb vs. the Redskins

Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has an all-time record of 10-7 in games against the Redskins.

McNabb has completed 59 percent of his passes vs. Washington, for 3,533 yards, 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. His QB rating: 85.4.

McNabb has compiled 543 rushing yards and three touchdowns against the Redskins. In the last six games in the series, McNabb has rushed for 92 yards on 20 carries.

-- FedExField Attendance

FedExField is the largest stadium in the NFL with 91,704 seats.

It is more than 11,000 seats ahead of the second biggest stadium, the new Cowboys Stadium. (Cowboys Stadium is expandabe with standing room only to about 110,000.)

The Redskins set a franchise single-game attendance record--90,910--in a Dec. 30, 2007 game against the Cowboys.

-- What's Next?

The Redskins are on their bye week after the Eagles game.

After the bye, the Redskins travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Kickoff is 1 p.m. ET.

It's the Redskins' first trip to Atlanta since 2003.