Paul Domowitch: Slow defensive start costly for Eagles in loss to Redskins

You hold a team to 17 points it's supposed to be a recipe for victory. You hold a quarterback to eight completions you're usually going to walk away a winner.

Usually, but not yesterday.

The Eagles defense played three pretty good quarters of football and one not so good one against the Redskins. That one not so good one was enough to help dig their grave in an ugly, 17-12 loss.

After giving up just seven first-quarter points in their first three games, the Eagles gave up touchdowns to the Redskins on each of their first two possessions. They recovered sufficiently enough to hold them to three points, 10 first downs and 191 net yards the rest of the way, but the damage was done.

"We were on our heels from the beginning," said strong safety Quintin Mikell. "They had that long punt return [a 53-yarder by Brandon Banks] right out of the gate to give them good field position. But we've got to say as a defense, 'Look, we've got to hold them to a field goal.' But we just didn't execute."

The blame for that starts with Mikell, who gave up the Redskins' first touchdown when running back Ryan Torain, a guy who was on the practice squad just 2 weeks ago, ran right over him on his way to a 12-yard touchdown that gave the Redskins a 7-0 lead 3 minutes into the game.

"It was just a bad tackle," he said. "I came up too high. He got lower than me. Stuff happens. At the end of the day, man, I've got to make that tackle. I'm not proud of that play.''

A stunned crowd at the Linc watched the Redskins make it 14-0 on their next possession when they drove 78 yards on nine plays. Torain and Clinton Portis pounded the body for 33 rushing yards on the drive, then Redskins tight end Chris Cooley took advantage of a busted coverage to split the Eagles' linebackers on a seam route and haul in a 31-yard touchdown catch from Donovan McNabb.

"That was just a coverage miscommunication," said middle linebacker Stewart Bradley, who watched helplessly as Cooley split he and weakside linebacker Ernie Sims on the play. "Once I saw him streaking, I tried to scramble over there. But it was too late."

Yet another botched coverage in the second quarter led to the Redskins' other three points. Wide receiver Anthony Armstrong got behind rookie safety Kurt Coleman for a 57-yard completion that set up a 26-yard field goal by Graham Gano.

"That was more of a technique issue on that play," Mikell said. "It's something we've got to get better at. We had a young guy back there. We kind of knew they were going to try and throw it deep on us. But we've got to have guys there to make the play."

The Redskins entered the game as the league's most inept third-down offense. They had converted just six of 33 third-down opportunities in their first three games. Against the Eagles, they converted five of 11.

None were bigger than a third-and-4 from their own 22 with 4 minutes left in the game. The Eagles had just scored on a 5-yard pass from Kevin Kolb to tight end Brent Celek to close the gap to five points. They had momentum and just needed the ball back.

They held Torain to 6 yards on two runs. They had McNabb's receivers blanketed on third down, but allowed him to break containment and scramble for 18 yards and a dagger-to-the-heart first down.

"We had a blitz on," Mikell said. "He felt the pressure. Everybody was covered on the back end, and he just slipped out. He's done that for a lot of years."

Bradley had the best shot at McNabb, but couldn't catch him.

"If you cover everybody and you don't keep him contained, he can hurt you with his legs," Bradley said. "I saw him squirting and trying to run. I got my shoulder chipped a little bit. I thought I was in good position [to get him]. But he's quick enough that if you're not [in good position], he'll pick up the first down."

The Eagles were gashed for 169 rushing yards by the Redskins, which is just 54 fewer than they managed in their first three games. It's the third time in four games that the defense has allowed 130-plus rushing yards.

"Give them credit," said defensive coordinator Sean McDermott. "They controlled the line of scrimmage in the first quarter. You've got to come off the ball and play physical and get off blocks and make the tackle. We didn't do that well enough today."

Said defensive end Juqua Parker: "We've been stinking it up against the run. Hopefully, we can get this thing turned around where we won't be giving up 100 rushing yards every week."

Why the Eagles have been carrying just four wide receivers on their roster. They've only had four since releasing Hank Baskett last month and signing running back Joique Bell. The move came back to bite them in the butt yesterday when one of their four wideouts, Riley Cooper, suffered a concussion early in the game. Because they played three-wide receiver sets most of the game, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Jason Avant were on the field for most of the Eagles' 68 offensive plays. It showed at the end when a gassed Jackson could barely get off the line of scrimmage. Bell, meanwhile, was inactive.

Thumbs down

-- To Andy Reid for his screwup at the end of the first half that cost the Eagles a touchdown opportunity. He called a timeout with the ball on the 1-yard line and 23 seconds left, then got flagged for a delay of game when he was too slow getting his personnel on the field. The play clock expired before the Eagles were able to get a play off. They settled for a 23-yard field goal by David Akers.

-- To the Eagles' offensive line for yet another poor performance. They struggled to block the Redskins' front seven all day and were fingered for four holding calls, including two on left tackle Jason Peters, who couldn't deal with Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo's edge speed. If he makes the Pro Bowl again this year, there should be a federal investigation.

-- The Redskins' rookie left tackle, Trent Williams, was inactive yesterday because of a toe injury. He was replaced by Stephon Heyer.

-- Linebacker Andre Carter, who had 11 sacks for the Redskins last season, was benched. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Lorenzo Alexander.

-- The Eagles deactivated defensive end Antwan Barnes for the second straight game.

-- The Eagles' coverage units had another breakdown, giving up a 53-yard punt return to Brandon Banks that set up the Redskins' first touchdown.

-- Redskins running back Ryan Torain ran right over Eagles strong safety Quintin Mikell on his 12-yard first-quarter touchdown run. Torain, who was on the practice squad 2 weeks ago, rushed for 70 yards on 18 carries.

-- All of the missed tackles by the Eagles on the Redskins' first two scoring drives.

-- Tight end Chris Cooley got behind the Eagles' linebackers on a seam route on his 31-yard first-quarter touchdown catch.

-- Brodrick Bunkley had a kill shot on Donovan McNabb early in the second quarter and completely missed him.

-- Darryl Tapp may have saved a Redskins' touchdown with his tackle on McNabb on third-and-goal at the Philadelphia 10 in the second quarter. McNabb gained just 2 yards on the play and the Redskins had to settle for a field goal that gave them a 17-3 lead.

-- The apparent miscommunication by cornerback Asante Samuel and rookie safety Kurt Coleman on McNabb's 67-yard completion to Anthony Armstrong in the second quarter.

-- Redskins punter Josh Bidwell didn't make his first appearance in the game until midway through the third quarter.

-- Donovan McNabb used up two of the Redskins' three second-half timeouts before the second half was a minute-and-a-half old.

-- The problems that the Redskins' speedy edge-rushing linebacker Brian Orakpo gave left tackle Jason Peters. Peters was twice called for holding.

-- Cornerback Asante Samuel suffered a concussion when Redskins fullback Mike Sellers tried to hurdle him early in the fourth quarter and kicked him in the head.

-- Left end Juqua Parker got caught inside on that third-and-4 play in the fourth quarter in which Donovan McNabb scrambled for 18 yards and a first down.

-- With yesterday's loss, Andy Reid is now 14-9 against the Redskins and 42-31 against NFC East opponents.

-- For the fourth time in the last 9 years, the Eagles have started 2-2 or worse.

-- The Redskins converted five of 11 third-down opportunities against the Eagles (45.4 percent). In their first three games, they were 6-for-33 on third down (18.2).

-- The Eagles have failed to score on their first possession in all four of their games. They've recorded just one first down on their first possession so far this season.

-- The Eagles, who had given up just seven points in the first quarter in their first three games, gave up 14 yesterday.

-- Eagles running backs have just 63 rushing attempts in four games. Their quarterbacks have 28.

-- Punter Sav Rocca is averaging 48.1 yards per attempt. Fourteen of his 24 punts have traveled 50 or more yards. Seven have gone at least 55 yards.

-- Opposing quarterbacks have just a 63.9 passer rating against the Eagles this season. They've got a .520 completion percentage and are averaging just 6.02 yards per attempt.

-- The Eagles have six interceptions in their first four games. Last year, they had nine through four games.

-- Eagles opponents have converted six of eight red-zone opportunities into touchdowns, including one of two yesterday.