National Football League

Washington Redskins: 5 Questions With Inside The Iggles' Ryan Quigley

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:06 p.m. ET

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Oct 4, 2015; Landover, MD, USA; A Philadelphia Eagles player

It is almost game time for the Washington Redskins. We here at Riggo’s Rag caught up with Inside The Iggles’ Ryan Quigley to talk about the upcoming contest.

The Washington Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles are less than 24 hours away from playing in their first matchup this season. The Skins are coming into the game with a 3-2 record while the Eagles sit a half game ahead of them at 3-1. Both teams could use a win to propel them towards the top of the division.

To get a better understanding of how the Eagles were doing, we here at Riggo’s Rag got in touch with Inside The Iggles. Site co-expert Ryan Quigley answered five questions for us to further brief us on the start to the Eagles’ season. So without further ado, here is a look at what Ryan had to say.

Oct 9, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) scrambles out of the pocket during the first quarter of a game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

1. Do you think Carson Wentz will continue his early season success against the Redskins secondary?

The things Wentz has been able to do through the first four games of his NFL career are astonishing. He’s reading defenses, anticipating throws and making smart decisions; some of which are far beyond the capabilities of even some of today’s top signal-callers.

I do believe this will continue against the Redskins, simply because no other team has been able to stop him thus far. Will Wentz be perfect? I don’t think so. The Redskins are a very opportunistic team and I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Wentz ended up throwing a rare interception. However, I also see him making a lot of plays against a vulnerable Washington defense that currently ranks 27th in the league.

Oct 9, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson stands on the sidelines during the second half of a game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

2. How is new Head Coach Doug Pederson looking after four games in charge of the team?

I was not excited about the hiring of Doug Pederson. It almost seemed as if the Eagles had to settle for him when Adam Gase chose to join the Miami Dolphins and Ben McAdoo decided to remain in New York as the Giants’ new head coach.

Now I’m laughing at myself.

Pederson has exceeded just about everyone’s expectations this season. His play calling has been superb, as has his time management skills. What impresses me most about Pederson, though, is his ability to make adjustments at half time. Through the Eagles’ first four games, they’ve scored 66 points and only allowed a grand total of 13 points following halftime, which is pretty incredible.

No one really knows if Pederson really was the Eagles’ “guy” like they said he was following his hiring, but no one is complaining with how he’s handling his first year as a head coach.

Oct 9, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Ryan Mathews (24) runs the ball against Detroit Lions free safety Glover Quin (27) during the fourth quarter at Ford Field. Lions win 24-23. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

3. How do you expect the Eagles to utilize their running game on Sunday? Will they have a lead back or a committee approach?

I’m expecting more of a committee approach against the Redskins. Ryan Mathews had a game against the Lions that he probably wants to forget and I think it’s safe to say that he will lose a few of his snaps to players like Kenjon Barner and rookie Wendell Smallwood against Washington, both of whom have looked very good this season. Also expect a heavy dose of Darren Sproles, who will get a lot of looks on screen plays.

Oct 2, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson (11) is held by Cleveland Browns defensive back Joe Haden (23) while attempting to catch a pass in the fourth quarter at FedEx Field. The Redskins won 31-20. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

4. What will the Eagles do against DeSean Jackson? Do you think playing against his former team will motivate him?

Jackson always seems to perform well against his former team. I don’t think things will boil over too much and it certainly won’t be like the 2014 game that saw Jason Peters start that awesome mosh pit in defense of Nick Foles, but things will probably be interesting nonetheless and I expect Jackson to be right in the middle of it.

The Eagles know what kind of speed Jackson brings to the table, so I think they are going to utilize Malcolm Jenkins a lot as a security blanket in case Jackson beats Jalen Mills deep, which I’m absolutely expecting.

Sep 25, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson talks with tight end Brent Celek (87) during the second quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

5. What is your final score prediction and why?

The Redskins seem to have a hard time finishing and that will come back to haunt them this week. Washington will have some success offensively, but missed opportunities will keep them from walking away with a win. I’m taking the Eagles here 27-23.

Special thanks to Ryan for joining us for this week’s question exchange! Be sure to keep up to date on the latest Eagles news at Inside The Iggles. For all of your Redskins news, you can stay tuned in here at Riggo’s Rag.