PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Eagles have put ugly losses behind them earlier this season. Their challenge now is to do it again, on a short week.

“Two games left, it’s a do-or-die situation,” right tackle Lane Johnson said after the Eagles' 40-17 loss to the Cardinals. “Next week’s a big game. If we don’t win that, it’s not going to be good for us.”

The Eagles host the Redskins on Saturday with first place in the NFC East on the line. Despite losing four of their past six games -- three of them by a combined score of 130-48 -- the Eagles can still win the division by beating the Redskins and Giants.

“As bad and ugly as this game was, there’s still a chance,” Johnson said.

His teammates expressed similar sentiments.

“The playoffs start now,” tight end Zach Ertz said. “That’s the bottom line.”

Zach Ertz did score a touchdown in the Eagles' loss to the Cardinals. AP Photo/Matt Rourke

The Eagles lost to the Panthers, 27-16, on Oct. 25. They had their bye week after that. When they came back, they beat the Cowboys, 33-27 in overtime.

After that, Philadelphia lost three games in a row -- to Miami (20-19), Tampa Bay (45-17) and Detroit (45-14) on Thanksgiving Day. With an extra three days to prepare, they bounced back and beat the Patriots, 35-28.

They will need a similar turnaround this week. Washington is not nearly as formidable as New England, but the stakes are higher. And the Eagles will have only six days between games.

“I think the short week helps,” Ertz said. “There’s not as much time to think about it. We’ve been in this situation before.”

Last season, the Eagles played a Saturday game at Washington on Dec. 20. They lost, 27-24. Over the course of coach Chip Kelly’s three seasons, the Eagles have played on short weeks 10 times. They are 2-8 in those games.

“I didn’t really talk about what we were going to get forward to,” Kelly said. “Just kind of what our schedule is, where we are, what we have to get accomplished. But I think everyone is aware of what’s at stake and how this thing is going to shake itself out at this point in time.”