Quarterback
Carson Wentz played arguably his best game in the last two months, completing 32 of 46 passes for 314 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately for the rookie, he also threw an ugly red-zone interception and ultimately wound up eating the five-point loss. Still, it feels like a step in the right direction for Wentz, who has really struggled to keep the team afloat. The protection was shaky and he has few weapons to work with, but he managed to lead the Eagles within 14 yards of a game-winning touchdown. So close, but also still so far.
Grade: B
Running backs
The Eagles had to be thrilled to have Ryan Mathews back in the lineup, especially once their other backs started dropping like flies. Mathews patiently grinded his way to 60 yards on 15 carries in his return, while Darren Sproles ran five times for 27. Sproles also made a four-yard touchdown catch, that is before Washington safety Deshazor Everett took his head off with an illegal hit on a punt return. Solid numbers overall.
Grade: A-
Wide receivers
On a positive note, no dropped passes this week. Nelson Agholor even drew a 44-yard pass interference penalty that helped set up a field goal. Unfortunately, Jordan Matthews was the only Eagles wideout with more than 22 yards receiving, and his five catches for 47 yards don't erase what could've been a first-quarter touchdown had he been able to get two feet in bounds. Wentz's interception was two plays later, so that play was kind of a big deal, and sort of overshadows the eight catches for 79 yards he did make.
Grade: C
Tight ends
Guess Zach Ertz came to play this week. After his heart and effort were questioned all week long, Ertz responded with his most productive outing of the season, hauling in 10 passes for 112 yards. Trey Burton continued to take on an active role in the offense as well with a career-high seven catches for 65 yards, and even Brent Celek pitched in two for seven. Ertz was called for a block in the back to nullify a 72-yard punt return for for touchdown, which was boneheaded if not exactly flagrant, but cost the Eagles six regardless.
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Grade: B-
Offensive line
Once Allen Barbre left the game with a hamstring injury, the Eagles were down to their fourth right tackle in Matt Tobin. Third-round rookie Isaac Seumalo was also thrust into a starting role at right guard for the second time in three weeks due to Brandon Brooks' recurring illness. Given all the changes up front, the Eagles averaged 3.7 yards per rushing attempt, while Wentz was hit 10 times on 52 dropbacks. Penalties were kept to a minimum as well, making for a respectable performance overall.
Grade: B-
Defensive line
Fletcher Cox finally showed signs of life, albeit against a depleted Washington interior. 1.5 sacks and one tackle for loss is the most productivity in the opponents' backfield the Eagles have seen form the Pro Bowl tackle since September. That wasn't really indicative of the rest of the line's performance as a whole though, as Bennie Logan's half-sack and Beau Allen's tackle for loss were the Eagles' only other negative plays. Washington averaged nearly 5.0 yards per carry on the ground, while quarterback Kirk Cousins was hit just four times.
Grade: C-
Linebackers
Very quiet day in the middle of the field. Jordan Hicks led the Eagles linebackers with just three total tackles. Then again, sometimes quiet is good. Washington has one of the best tight end-tandems in the NFL in Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis, yet the dynamic duo was limited to two rceptions for 11 yards. Receivers out of the backfield didn't fare significantly better either, with two catches for 25 yards. Credit Nigel Bradham in this effort as well, as he's been strong all season.
Grade: A-
Defensive backs
Leodis McKelvin's unspectacular season seemed destined to continue on Sunday after the ninth-year veteran was burned by DeSean Jackson for an 80-yard touchdown. McKelvin came up huge in the fourth quarter though, taking an interception 29 yards to the house to breathe life back into Lincoln Financial Field, not to mention was credited with four pass breakups altogether. The cornerbacks are still far from lockdown, as Nolan Carroll allowed a score as well, but the unit gave the Eagles a fighting chance on Sunday — especially given the lack of help up front.
Grade: B
Special teams
Obviously, Ertz's block in the back was costly, while an injury forced Celek to take over for Jon Dorenbos at long snapper, a substituion that may have cost the Eagles three points on a field-goal try they never even got off. But when Celek got hurt and the time came for Burton to step in as the emergency-emergency long snapper, somehow Donnie Jones got the ball down and Caleb Sturgis hit a 41-yard field goal to take a 22-21 fourth-quarter lead. It was just too little, too late.
Grade: B-
Coaching
With a depleted offensive line and stable of running backs, an injury to the long snapper, and plain old bad wide receivers and cornerbacks, the coaching staff did just about all it could have to put this team in position to win on Sunday. Doug Pederson used challenges effectively, the run-pass ratio was reasonable given the circumstances and the Eagles controlled the football for over 36 minutes. Perhaps most importantly, neither Pederson or defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz appears to have lost the locker room, as some speculated this week.
Grade: B-
