Redskins rock Eagles, 31-6

LANDOVER, Md. - Heads were buried in hands in a crowded, near-silent locker room at FedEx Field. When the Eagles did speak, they couldn't explain what just happened.

A season that seemed promising after one month has plummeted out of control, with the lowest point coming in Sunday's 31-6 loss to the Washington Redskins.

"Can't get worse than this," wide receiver Jeremy Maclin said.

Maybe.

When it appeared that their season could not sink lower, the Eagles continued to find ways to outdo their own futility. The 31 points the Redskins scored is the most the defense has allowed all season, and the Eagles defense were completely overmatched by Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III.

The Eagles also could not score a touchdown with rookie Nick Foles making his first NFL start. A team that was 3-1 with wins over the Baltimore Ravens and the New York Giants at the end of September is 3-7.

"We didn't look better today," coach Andy Reid said.

They never looked this bad under Reid before, and the six consecutive losses are the most since Rich Kotite's final season of 1994. And it's appearing even more likely that this will be Reid's final season in Philadelphia, with the team apparently unraveling before his eyes.

When Reid was asked if he intends to finish the season as Eagles head coach, he answered, "We need to get ready for the Monday night game."

That would be next week's meeting against the Carolina Panthers. But the remaining six games might be playing out the string. No team has ever rebounded from a 3-7 start to make the playoffs.

"Maybe we can do something that no one else has done," safety Nate Allen.

They need to stop an opposing quarterback first. Griffin completed 14 of 15 passes for 200 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 84 yards. Since Todd Bowles took over as Eagles defensive coordinator during the bye week, opposing quarterbacks threw for 910 yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions in four games.

Griffin capitalized on an Eagles defensive breakdown when he connected with a wide-open Aldrick Robinson for a 49-yard touchdown in the second quarter and found Santana Moss in double coverage for a 61-yard touchdown in the third quarter to make the score 24-6 and put the game out of reach. Yet some Eagles defensive players continue to insist it's just a few plays they fail to make, and the issue, they say, is neither talent nor effort.

"Nobody has lined up and just beat us," cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie said. "No. It's just mental mistakes."

The Eagles offense isn't much better. Foles, replacing the injured Michael Vick, completed 21 of 46 passes for 204 yards and two interceptions. DeSean Jackson had two catches for five yards, and Maclin did not have a single catch against a Redskins pass defense that entered the game ranked No. 30 in the NFL.

"When you have . . . a guy making his first start in the league, other guys have to elevate their game, and I felt like as a team we didn't do that," Maclin said.

The leading receiver for the Eagles was running back LeSean McCoy, who had 67 receiving yards in addition to 15 carries for 45 yards and a fumble. McCoy suffered a concussion with 1 minute, 45 seconds remaining in the game.

The Eagles were forced to play from a deficit after Foles threw interceptions on the first two drives. His first interception deflected off Brent Celek's hands, and he threw the second one up for grabs. It was a disappointing performance for Foles, whose performance the remainder of the season could factor into who plays quarterback for the Eagles next season.

"I didn't play well at all. I know that," Foles said. "I know me as a person, I'm going to work hard. I'm going to learn from it, and I'm going to get better for it."

At this point, it's unlikely anything can salvage the season. Veterans on the team have never seen the franchise this low before. Reid's future with the organization has never been in more doubt. Eagles fans have never had more of a reason to believe an overhaul is near.

"I wouldn't be happy if I was [upper management]," Celek said. "I'm sure they're not. This is a talented team, and us players, we're not making plays. I don't get it."