Even though it has lost some luster over the past decade with the addition of Sunday and even Thursday prime-time games, there is still something about Monday Night Football that sets it apart from other NFL games.
In its 46th season, how many times a team appears on MNF is still considered a symbol of status, quality and popularity.
By those standards, the Eagles’ meeting Washington at 8:30 p.m. fits the profile. The Birds (5-1) have the best record in the NFL. Washington (3-2) is one of nine other teams with only two losses.
Given the historic rivalry between the franchises that will play for the 168th time since 1934, it would make sense that the game’s being at Lincoln Financial Field might be the tipping point in the Eagles’ favor.
Actually, considering its recent history on Monday Night Football, Washington might welcome the fact that the game is in Philadelphia and not at its home, FedEx Field.
In an astonishing contradiction of the benefit of playing at home, Washington is 1-16 at FedEx on MNF since 1998.
Coming into this season, only the Miami Dolphins, with 22, had more home losses in the entire history of Monday Night Football than Washington in the previous 18 years.
Over this span, Washington has had Monday home losses of 35, 33, 31, 30, 22 and 21 points. Only six losses were by one score.
The spotlight of “prime time” at FedEx Field just hasn’t seemed to mix. In addition to the Monday fiasco, Washington is 5-6 on Sunday night, 2-1 on Thursday and 0-2 on Saturday.
Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins is 0-5 as a starter on Monday Night Football but 2-1 against the Eagles in Philadelphia.
This will be the 30th meeting between the teams since Lincoln Financial Field opened in 2003 and fifth on a Monday night. The Eagles are 3-1 on MNF against Washington since 2003, but they lost the only one at the Linc, 20-12, in 2007.
Overall, Washington has not been leery of coming to Philadelphia since the Eagles moved from Veterans Stadium. Since 2003, Washington is 7-7 in South Philly, including wins in three of the last four.
Where to tune in
If you don’t have a ticket to Lincoln Financial Field, the game will be televised on ESPN and PHL17 with Sean McDonough on play-by-play, Jon Gruden on color and King of Prussia’s Lisa Salters on the sidelines.
For the local take, legendary Eagles radio voice Merrill Reese will call the game with former Eagles receiver Mike Quick doing analysis on 94.1 WIP.
Philly.com will have a live chat during the game. Click here to find the link a little before kickoff.
NBC Sports Philadelphia will kick off a full night of coverage beginning with Philly Sports Talk at 5 p.m., featuring columnist Marcus Hayes. Next there will be Quick Slants at 6-6:30. Coverage will move over to NBCSP+ at 7 p.m. for Eagles Pregame Live, and will conclude with Eagles Postgame Live after the final whistle around 11:30 p.m. back on NBCSP.
AP
What I’m reading
When you are the quarterback of the team with the best record in the NFL and you statistically rank around the top five, you automatically become a MVP candidate. Staff writer Zach Berman says Carson Wentz is no exception, even if he doesn’t think about it.
Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins makes no apologies for the hectic work he does when he’s not on the football field. Columnist Bob Ford writes that the way Jenkins performs means he does not have to.
Staff writer Paul Domowitch is wrong when he says these are all the stats you could possibly need going into the Eagles game against Washington, but it’s most of them.
Liz Clarke of the Washington Post gives the storylines to watch in tonight’s game from the Washington perspective.
Staff writer Zach Berman gives the storylines to watch in tonight’s game from the Eagles perspective.
It’s game night and our Eagles beat writers make fearless predictions for the matchup with Washington. It’s not quite unanimous.
Because of his status as a free agent after the season, Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins is a hot name in a quarterback-starved league. John Keim at ESPN.com writes that Cousins is still looking for a signature win.
Washington likes to do a lot of movement with its defensive front. Staff writer Les Bowen notes that the Eagles offensive line has to be prepared for that.
OK, party people, this is what not to do while tailgating before the Eagles game. As a matter of fact, don’t do it during or after the game, either.
YONG KIM / Staff Photographer
The riff
The Eagles are 5-1 going into their Monday Night Football encounter with Washington.
The Flyers are 5-3 with 10 points to start their NHL season.
The Sixers, the team that had generated the most preseason heat in Philadelphia, however have stumbled out of the block to a 0-3 start.
It’s way too early to panic. It doesn’t mean things can’t turn around as quickly as tonight with the Sixers play at the Detroit Pistons at 7 (TV: NBCSP; radio: 97.5 The Fanatic).
Still, there’s something a bit distressing about the way the Sixers have performed, especially in the last two games, that raises some concerns.
For the most part, this team has played with little sense that it knows what it wants to do on the court or how to make anything happen.
The rotations don’t make a lot of sense, there’s no flow in the half-court offense and the defense is less than inspiring.
The Sixers are 29th in the NBA with a point differential of -16.4.
This team is young and unfamiliar. It’s understandable that it’s going to take some time for things to come together. The problem is that the NBA can unforgiving and it doesn’t take much for a slow start to become a deep hole.
Tonight’s schedule
TV/Radio
NFL
Redskins at Eagles, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN, PHL17; WIP-FM 94.1)
NBA
76ers at Pistons, 7 p.m. (NBSSP; WPEN-FM 97.5)
Raptors at Spurs, 8:30 p.m. (NBA TV)
NHL
Sharks at Rangers, 7 p.m. (NHL Network)
Local Events
NFL
Eagles vs. Redskins, 8:30 p.m., Lincoln Financial Field
Changes in listings: Comcast SportsNet has changed its name to NBC Sports Philadelphia (NBCSP). The Comcast Network is now NBC Sports Philadelphia+ (NBCSP+).
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