One key to success: Hope your competition is as bad as the Eagles

In sports, as in business, there are two keys to success. One is obvious, the other often overlooked. First, be excellent yourself. Second, hope your competition stinks. You only control one. But you can wish for the other.

For years, the Redskins have had few lousy NFC East foes, certainly not the mean Eagles of Andy Reid who have dominated Washington, 18-8, for the past 13 years and won 16 of the past 21. In 2010, Mike Shanahan’s first season as coach of the Redskins, Philly smacked 59 points up on the Redskins’ own scoreboard.

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Redskins back on winning track: Washington defeats Philadelphia 31-6.

That’s over now, finally. All cycles turn. The Eagles make chaos look organized. The Iggles are toast. Crumble ’em up and use ’em in the stuffing.

Now, after plucking and basting the Eagles, 31-6, gobbling three turnovers and devouring rookie quarterback Nick Foles for dessert, it’s the Redskins who get to play a game on Thanksgiving Day in Dallas that has entertainment value. If anyone says “playoff push” about the 4-6 Redskins, he gets hit with a flying drumstick. Win on Thursday, then talk.

Until such a time, just enjoy what has become an almost extinct species at FedEx — the endangered Eagle. Now lame-duck Reid must drag his leftovers back to Philadelphia. Iggles fans may choke on this dry, crumbling 3-7 mess of a team after six straight losses.

After serving as Philly’s victim for so long, the Redskins have reversed this rivalry’s roles. Fans in green jerseys, many with names from the Eagles’ past, such as “Dawkins” or “Westbrook,” or players soon to be in the rearview mirror, such as “Vick,” began heading to the exits with the entire fourth quarter still to play. No doubt, they said, “Going to get another beer.” Leave them their pride. But that Week 16 trip to Philly now says: “Opportunity.”

Picking a date for Reid’s departure after this sixth straight loss is mostly a formality. “I don’t know if things can get much worse,” Eagles tight end Brent Celek said. “It makes me sick.”

Things are so dismal for Eagles fans that, studying the crowd of 79,327 in the final quarter, not a single brawl was visible. Capitulation, it’s beautiful.

Imagine the desolation that must grip loyal Iggles fans when they watch Robert Griffin III. On Sunday, he earned a perfect quarterback rating, completing 14 of 15 passes for 200 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions, plus 84 yards rushing on 12 carries.

“Except for the one incompletion, I thought he did okay,” deadpanned Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan, who actually smiled several times after his first win by more than 14 points in 42 games leading the team.

If Shanahan watches the tape, he’ll see himself say, “We did everything pretty good,” and even praise rookie Alfred Morris (on pace for 1,380 yards rushing) as “a big-time back. I can guarantee you that. If he can stay healthy, he will be a big-time back for a lot of years.”

Does Shanahan have to pay a team fine or wash his mouth out with soap for being so cheerful? Or is this just the 31-6 Shanny we’ve never seen?

Meanwhile, Foles, in his first NFL start, was 21 for 46 with a dismal 40.5 rating.