The Washington Commanders have come a long way in less than a year. And in another season or two, they might be a Super Bowl contender.
The Philadelphia Eagles aren’t ready to give up the NFC East yet though.
The Commanders battled the Eagles hard but couldn’t generate much offense, fell way short on a pivotal fourth-down gamble and eventually fell to the Eagles, 26-18. Saquon Barkley played the closer, scoring on two long touchdown runs in the fourth quarter to put away the Commanders. The Eagles improved to 8-2 and for the moment they turned back the challenge of the Commanders (7-4), who are a game and a half behind Philadelphia in the division.
The Commanders are coming, with Jayden Daniels leading the way. But they still need at least one more offseason to build up the roster. The Eagles are already there, with a roster that has a star-filled offense and a defense that keeps improving and came up big Thursday night. While the Detroit Lions are the talk of the NFL, Philadelphia’s six-game winning streak has shown the Eagles are still a threat to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
Washington should be excited about its future. But the Eagles showed the Commanders that the present still belongs to them, at least for a little while longer.
A slow 1st half for both teams
The Commanders had a tough game against the Steelers last Sunday, but they were the team that looked more ready to play early on.
The Eagles had a decent drive on their first possession but missed a field goal. The Commanders’ defense dug in a bit, then Daniels led a touchdown drive. Brian Robinson Jr. was stood up at about the 2-yard line but drove the pile into the end zone for the score. That was an early statement.
Defenses led the way in the first half, or perhaps it was just typical rough play on short rest for a Thursday night game. The Eagles finally put together a drive inside the Commanders’ end zone late in the first half, but it stalled and they settled for a field goal. Jake Elliott, who missed two kicks in the first half, made the 21-yarder. The Commanders took a 7-3 lead into halftime.
Thursday night was supposed to be one of the best matchups of the entire season, a game between one of the league’s biggest surprises in Washington trying to take back first place of the NFC East. On a Sunday, it might have lived up to that. Through the first half, it was tough for either team to get into a rhythm.
Finally, in the fourth quarter, the Eagles woke up.
Eagles take a lead in 4th
The Eagles didn’t score their first touchdown until the fourth quarter. Barkley was tackled at the 1-yard line and a Hurts tush push was automatic from there. Elliott missed yet again, this time hooking an extra point wide left. The Eagles led 12-10.
The Eagles’ defense played well, and the Commanders made a decision that backfired. Robinson was stopped twice on second- and third-and-short. Instead of trying a field goal to take the lead, the Commanders went for it. Daniels bobbled the snap, tried to run wide but was stopped well short of the first down. That was a turning point in what was a close game.
The game got away from Washington after that. Barkley rushed for a 23-yard touchdown, then Reed Blankenship caught a rare interception from Daniels. Barkley scored a 39-yarder after that and a game that was close for three quarters, with the Commanders looking like they could pull off an upset, had turned into a blowout.
The Eagles have done a great job building a Super Bowl contender. They’ve drafted well. They have added key free-agent additions, including Barkley, who went over 1,000 yards rushing for the season on Thursday night and has given the offense the playmaker in the run game that makes the offense very diverse.
Washington could look at its opponent on Thursday night and see what it needs to do to win the NFC East in the future. The Eagles’ win was a reminder of how much work they’ve already put into being one of the NFL’s elite teams.
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Dallas Goedert comes down with the onside kick and that will do it. Quite a win for the Eagles after a slow start, and it’s their sixth straight.
Not so fast!
Replay shows Zach Ertz had both feet in while catching the ball on the two-point conversion and that means two points for the Commanders. That turns this into a one-score game and we’ll have an onside kick coming.
TOUCHDOWN: Commanders make final score moderately more respectable
Jayden Daniels finds the Eagles’ old friend Zach Ertz for a five-yard touchdown, but the two-point conversion fails. 28 seconds left.
TOCUDHOWN: Another for Saquon Barkley turns this into a rout
This went south quickly for the Commanders. Saquon Barkley scores from 39 yards out to put his team up 16 with 4:38 left. He’s up to 146 rushing yards, 52 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He’s visibly overjoyed on the sideline.
Jayden Daniels opens the Commanders’ drive with a pass straight to Eagles safety Reed Blankenship. It’s Daniels’ third interception of the season and that should just about do it.
TOUCHDOWN: Saquon Barkley rips off 23-yard run to give Eagles two-score lead
Yeah, this ain’t going well for the Commanders. Saquon Barkley makes them pay for their fourth-down decision with a 23-yard touchdown, which puts him at 100 yards for the night. Jake Elliott makes the extra point — barely — to put the Eagles up two scores with 4:58 left.
Eagles avoid disaster after the ball gets punched out of Dallas Goedert’s hands. Grant Calcaterra comes down with it at the Commanders’ 30.
Commanders go for it on fourth down, but Jayden Daniels gets hammered well short of the first down. The Eagles get the ball back on their own 26.
A field goal… would have been helpful there.
Saquon Barkley now has nine touches which have ended at the one yard line, most in all of football
The Eagles still make it to the end zone. Seven straight runs after the non-facemask results in Jalen Hurts punching it in from the one-yard line.
And then Jake Elliott misses the extra point. Woof.
We’re headed to the fourth quarter with the Eagles crowd very unhappy after the refs picked up a flag. Commanders DT Phidarian Mathis grabbed the underside of Devonta Smith’s helmet, which was initially called a facemask. However, it still should have been a personal foul.
Instead, the Eagles will have 3rd-and-8 when the fourth quarter begins.
Another short possession for the Commanders leads to a punt fielded at the Eagles’ 25. Jayden Daniels certainly looks like he’s playing with a hand that isn’t 100%.
Commanders hold the Eagles to another field goal. This still feels very much like a Thursday night game.
Meanwhile, Jayden Daniels had a cut on his throwing hand superglued.
Saquon Barkley’s biggest gain tonight was nine yards. He just ripped off a catch and run for 43 yards. Eagles in the red zone now.
Daniels’ pass falls incomplete on an another third down and the Commanders settle for a field goal, but only after a delay of game penalty changed it from a 40-yarder to a 45-yarder.
First big swing of the third quarter is a questionable pass interference penalty on third down. Eagles rookie Cooper Dejean grabbed Noah Brown’s jersey a little, but not nearly enough to affect a route that Jayden Daniels just didn’t hit.
Austin Ekeler returns the ball, Austin Ekeler fumbles the ball and the Commanders recover the ball, and we’re underway in the second half.
Jalen Hurts in medical tent
Jalen Hurts was being evaluated for a concussion, according to Kaylee Hartung. However, he appears to be all right, running to the locker room at halftime on his own.
