Emotional Eagles Clip the Redskins : NFC: Philadelphia’s 24-22 victory deprives Washington of reaching some team goals.

The Washington Redskins had four goals when they faced the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday--win, tie for most victories in a season, set a new sacks-allowed record and stay healthy for the playoffs.

They accomplished one: They went home to prepare for the playoffs in good health.

Coach Joe Gibbs, of course, wasn’t happy with the 24-22 loss to the Eagles on Roger Ruzek’s 38-yard field goal with 13 seconds left. But he seemed happy that his team came away in one piece.

The Eagles (10-6) played with emotion and intensity, venting their frustration over watching the playoffs on television.

The Redskins, with home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, were buffeted and battered by a defense that unofficially became the fifth in league history to lead in overall defense and against the rush and pass. The Eagles also led in turnovers, sacks and against third downs.

Washington couldn’t go through the defense, so the Redskins kicked over it, with five field goals by Chip Lohmiller. But the Eagles’ offense, dormant most of the game, came to life for 17 final-period points.

Gibbs said that while he wanted to win the meaningless game, he didn’t want anybody hurt before the playoffs. He pulled starting quarterback Mark Rypien for backup Jeff Rutledge in the third quarter with the Redskins leading, 13-7.

Rypien, who completed 10 of 27 passes for 130 yards and had one pass intercepted, wasn’t as calm as his coach about the loss.

“I can’t take anything out of this game,” he said. “It’s a loss and I don’t like to lose. We played a good team and we didn’t play well.”

The Eagles’ Ruzek summed up his team’s feelings.

“We’ve been waiting for this game ever since the first one when Washington beat us (23-0) and kicked that field goal at the end,” Ruzek said.

“We didn’t make the playoffs, but we deserved to. This kick (the game winner) was for the team,” Ruzek said.

Jeff Kemp led the Eagles’ winning drive from the team’s 21 with six pass completions, the longest for 21 yards.

Washington failed in its effort to become only the third team to go 15-1 since the 16-game format started in 1978. The Redskins also missed breaking the league sacks-allowed record when the Eagles got three sacks.

Only the 1984 San Francisco 49ers and the 1985 Chicago Bears compiled 15-1 records, and each won the Super Bowl.

Washington equaled its previous best record of 14-2 in 1983, when it lost to the Raiders in the Super Bowl.

Before Sunday, Washington had lost only to Dallas. The Redskins appeared to have the Eagles wrapped up when Lohmiller kicked a 35-yard field goal with 2:34 left for a 22-21 lead.

But the Eagles took the kickoff to their 21 and Kemp completed six passes in a drive to the Washington 21. Ruzek soon kicked the game-winner.

The Eagles, trailing 19-7 after three quarters, drove 87 yards, with Kemp passing two yards to Keith Jackson for a touchdown that made the score, 19-14 with 12:08 left in the game.

Moments later, cornerback Otis Smith blocked Kelly Goodburn’s punt and Philadelphia took over at the Redskins’ seven.

Keith Byars gained one yard and then passed six yards to Maurice Johnson in the end zone to send the Eagles ahead 21-19.