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NFL
Dallas Cowboys

Reeling Eagles routed 31-6 in Foles' debut

Jim Corbett, USA TODAY Sports
Washington Redskins tight end Logan Paulsen drives into the end zone for a touchdown as Philadelphia Eagles free safety Kurt Coleman tries to hang on during the second half Sunday.
  • Eagles coach Andy Reid loses his sixth game in a row for the first time in his career
  • Rookie Nick Foles, starting in place of concussed Michael Vick, throws two interceptions
  • Foles' counterpart, Redskins rookie Robert Griffin III, threw four TD passes

LANDOVER, Md. -- So much for Philadelphia Eagles rookie quarterback Nick Foles providing a spark for coach Andy Reid's battered and doomed 3-7 team. With a sixth consecutive loss, their nightmare season keeps growing more dismal.

Two of Foles' first 10 passes were intercepted, and he never received help from the Eagles secondary, which was blistered by Washington Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III, who threw four touchdown passes in a 31-6 rout.

Things went from bad to worse when Eagles tailback LeSean McCoy was knocked out for a few scary minutes on a hit from safety Madieu Williams with 1:45 left. McCoy was carted to the locker room. Minutes earlier, Eagles tight end Brent Celek left the game with an apparent head injury.

Cornerback DeAngelo Hall intercepted Foles' second pass of the game, and two plays later, Griffin hit fullback Darrel Young on a 6-yard touchdown. It went that way for Foles, who could be under center for a while.

Eagles head trainer Rick Burkholder said Friday that Vick, concussed in the second quarter of a loss to Dallas, was "not very alert right now. He just doesn't have that energy.'' Burkholder added: ''He's tired all the time. He's slept a lot, and he's not getting rid of that fatigue.''

Vick has yet to undergo league-mandated baseline neurological testing.

"When I talk to him, he's just not the Michael Vick that I know when he's healthy,'' Burkholder said.

Losers of six straight, their longest skid since 1994 -- the Eagles are not the team fans are used to seeing during Reid's 14-year tenure. Reid fired defensive coordinator Juan Castillo at the Oct. 21 bye, only to watch his defense sink deeper. In four games without Castillo, the defense has allowed 11 touchdown passes, an 82% completion percentage and an opposition passer rating of 144.

Foles, who finished 21 of 45 for 204 yards with two interceptions, never really had a chance. He was hit and hounded behind an offensive line starting four backups, including veteran right guard Jake Scott, signed off the street last Monday.

One second-quarter play told the story of a pair of 3-6, NFC East rivals headed in opposite directions.

On first-and-10 from the Eagles 49 yard-line, faked a reverse handoff and roped a touchdown strike to wide-open receiver Aldrick Robinson. Griffin's second scoring pass put the Redskins up 14-3 and effectively proved the kill shot to the Eagles.

Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, who stopped running on that play, trudged back to the sideline, where he murmured something that left defensive coordinator Todd Bowles shaking his head.

The formula bit the Eagles again when Griffin fired a 61-yard, third-quarter touchdown pass to Santana Moss, who out-fought two defenders.

The 4-6 Redskins, who broke a three-game losing streak, looked revitalized off their bye. Griffin completed 14 of 15 passes for 200 yards and a franchise-record 93.3 completion percentage. The Redskins stay alive and relevant heading into a Thanksgiving Day game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Redskins are tied for second place in NFC East with four of their next six against NFC opponents.

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