By Tony Moss, NFL Editor -- (Sports Network) - The national pundits will consider it the "other" game being played between NFC East teams this week, but Sunday afternoon's tilt between the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles at FedEx Field figures to be every bit as critical as Giants/Cowboys for two teams still setting their sights on the postseason.

The host Redskins polished off a 5-3 first-half with an important 23-20 overtime win at the Jets last Sunday, a game that helped boost team morale following an unsightly 52-7 loss at New England the week before. Joe Gibbs' squad, which rebounded from a 17-3 deficit to secure the win, moved within a game of the Giants for second place in the NFC East, and also stayed just one back in the current Wild Card standings.

The Skins' five wins match their entire output of victories for the entire 2006 season, and helped the team put together its best first half of a campaign since Gibbs returned to the sideline in 2004.

The Eagles, meanwhile, find themselves in a far less advantageous position as Week 10 begins.

Philadelphia's 38-17 home loss to Dallas last Sunday put the cap on a lackluster 3-5 first-half for Andy Reid's crew, and kept the Eagles firmly in last place in a division they have controlled for much of the current decade.

The only cause for optimism for the Eagles as they begin the second half is the memory of how Philadelphia finished up under similar circumstances in 2006.

The Eagles rebounded from a 5-6 start and a season-ending knee injury to quarterback Donovan McNabb last year, winning their final five games to score an unlikely division title and trip to the postseason.

Included in that five-game run was a 21-19 road win at Washington.

SERIES HISTORY

The Redskins hold a 75-64-5 lead in their all-time series with the Eagles, including a 20-12 Monday night win at Lincoln Financial Field in Week 2. Philadelphia swept last year's home-and-home, taking a 27-3 home decision in Week 10 and the aforementioned 21-19 triumph at FedEx Field in Week 14. Washington swept a 2005 home-and-home with Philly, including a 17-10 home win.

In addition to their regular season advantage, the Redskins won the only postseason meeting between the clubs, a 20-6 road triumph in a 1990 NFC First- Round Playoff.

Gibbs is 20-12 against the Eagles in his career, including the aforementioned playoff victory. Philadelphia's Reid is 11-6 versus the Redskins since taking over in 1999, including 4-3 against Gibbs.

WHEN THE EAGLES HAVE THE BALL

The Eagles have been a frustrating team to watch offensively this year, as they rank a solid ninth in NFL total offense (349.6 yards per game), 11th in passing offense (236.4 yards per game), and in a tie for 14th in rushing (113.2 yards per game), but have not been able to consistently score the football. The Birds are averaging just 19.5 points per game, 18th-best in the league, and minus a 56-point performance against Detroit, that number slips to 14.3 per game. McNabb (2044 passing yards, 9 TD, 4 INT), who has been sacked 28 times and has thrown multiple TDs in just one game all year, has been the symbol of that ineffectiveness. The perennial Pro Bowler will have to get wideouts Reggie Brown (27 receptions) and Kevin Curtis (37 receptions, 4 TD), along with tight end L.J. Smith (7 receptions), involved early against Washington. Running back Brian Westbrook (601 rushing yards, 49 receptions, 6 TD) has been Philadelphia's most reliable offensive weapon all year, and comes off a game in which he tied a franchise record for receptions with 14 against Dallas. Westbrook, who had 90 yards through the air and 65 on the ground, has a chance to become just the third player in NFL history to both rush and receive for 1,000 yards in a single season, joining Roger Craig and Marshall Faulk.

Washington's 5-3 start has had much to do with the work of a defense that is somewhat underrated due to less-than-dominating defensive numbers. The Redskins rank just 10th in total defense (310.6 yards per game) and 15th in scoring defense (20.0 points per game), though both of those numbers were inflated by one uncharacteristically terrible effort, New England's 486-yard, 52-point game in Week 8. Throwing out the Patriots loss, Washington is surrendering just 15.4 points per game in its seven other outings, which would be good for second in the NFL. A rejuvenated run defense led by linebackers London Fletcher (74 tackles, 2 INT) and Rocky McIntosh (68 tackles, 3 sacks) along with tackle Cornelius Griffin (24 tackles, 1.5 sacks) has set the tone, helping the Skins rank ninth against opposing ground attacks (95 yards per game). But fear of the Washington "D" is due to the hard-hitting secondary, one led by NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidate Sean Taylor (38 tackles, 5 INT) and fellow safety LaRon Landry (57 tackles, 1.5 sacks). Taylor is tied for the NFL lead in interceptions as Week 10 begins. The Redskins pass rush has also performed well in 2007, notching 20 sacks, including a team-best six from end Andre Carter (30 tackles).

WHEN THE REDSKINS HAVE THE BALL

The Redskins' offense comes into Week 10 ranking just 20th in the league overall (310.2 yards per game) and tied for 20th in scoring (19.0 points per game), but may have finally found an identity in last week's win over the Jets. Washington handed the football to running back Clinton Portis (626 rushing yards, 6 TD, 19 receptions) a season-high 36 times in the contest, and Portis rewarded them with 196 yards, his highest output since arriving in Washington in 2004. The game marked Portis' second 100-yard outing since 2005. A Redskins aerial attack that showed encouraging signs of progress early has stagnated lately, with quarterback Jason Campbell (1520 passing yards, 6 TD, 7 INT) averaging just 144.7 passing yards over his last three starts with one touchdown and three interceptions over that span. Tight end Chris Cooley (27 receptions, 5 TD) has been Campbell's most reliable target all year, and contributed four catches for a game-high 58 yards to last week's win. Wideout Santana Moss (24 receptions) has battled injuries during a disappointing 2007 to date, and is still seeking his first touchdown of the year. Antwaan Randle El (27 receptions) leads the Redskins in receiving yards (479), but is a member of a wideout group that has yet to claim a touchdown in '07.

The Philadelphia defense had kept it in games for most of the season until last week, when the Eagles had little clue against Tony Romo, Terrell Owens, and the Dallas passing attack. Romo threw for 324 yards on 20-of-25 passing with three touchdowns on the night, and 174 of those yards and 10 completions went to the former Eagle Owens. Philadelphia did not manage a sack of Romo on the night, and cornerback Lito Sheppard (16 tackles) had the secondary's lone highlight with his first pick of the season. Safety Brian Dawkins (9 tackles) returned to the lineup after missing five games with a neck stinger, but managed just two tackles. Trying to break through to Campbell on Sunday will be a pass-rushing group led by end Trent Cole (42 tackles, 9 sacks), who is tied with Green Bay's Aaron Kampman for the NFL lead in sacks as Week 11 begins. Against the run this season, Philadelphia is a solid seventh overall (92.9 yards per game), with linebackers Omar Gaither (49 tackles, 1 INT), Takeo Spikes (45 tackles), and defensive tackle Mike Patterson (40 tackles, 1.5 sacks) playing a significant role in that total.

FANTASY FOCUS

The only two unqualified "must-starts" in this game are the Eagles' Westbrook and the Redskins' Cooley, who have both put up consistent numbers for teams that have decidedly hot-and-cold offensive attacks. Others to consider for Philadelphia are McNabb, who generally puts up passing yards even when he doesn't make big plays; wideout Kevin Curtis, who is a feast-or-famine fantasy player if there ever was one; and kicker David Akers, who has bailed out the red-zone-deficient Eagles offense with 17 field goals this year. On the Washington side, you might want to take a flier on Portis, who might be getting hot after last week's 196-yard effort; kicker Shaun Suisham, who nailed five field goals including a game-winner last Sunday; and/or a defense that has shown some ability in the sacks/forced turnovers realm this year.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

The striking thing about the Week 2 matchup between these teams was how much more physical the Redskins were than the Eagles, who were smacked around for 60 minutes and failed to match Washington's intensity. A seeming lack of focus and passion has been an almost weekly occurrence for this Philadelphia team, which makes it difficult to pick them to score a road upset against a quality opponent. Talent-wise, the Eagles match up well with the Redskins, but clearly, something's missing with this year's edition of the Birds. Look for Philly to hang around but not make enough big plays late to secure the victory.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Redskins 17, Eagles 12