The Eagles have won five in a row, and are in first place in the NFC East!
Philadelphia struggled early, as they have all season, and did not score first-quarter points, which included a Jake Elliott field goal miss. They continue to be their own worst enemy on offense.
Two drives ended; one by an uncharacteristic drop by Smitty and the other by a holding penalty on Becton. The defense played well in the first half to keep it close, only one wide receiver for the Commanders had a reception, and it was 4 yards.
The Commanders went for it on 4th down in the 4th quarter instead of kicking a 44-yard goal to take a one-point lead. With that decision, Dan Quinn out Sirianni’d Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni. The game went wildly out of control after that.
Philadelphia is 20–5 in one-possession games after Thursday’s 26–18 win.
Eagles Offense
Nick Sirianni is 6–0 since shaving his head. Coincidence? I think not.
Kellen Moore utilized motion early and slant plays early, then went away from them as the Eagles ground game took over. The receivers also ran into one another on a mesh play near the endzone. I have not seen that happen all season.
The Eagle’s offensive line dominated the Commanders in the second half after having trouble with them in the first. The Eagles ran the ball for 228 yards.
Jalen Hurts was ineffective for most of the first half and was checked for a concussion as the half ended. He was 10/19 for 101 yards and sacked twice in the first half, but Hot Hurts arrived in the second half like he has often this season. He went 8 of 9 for 120 yards and avoided pressure to stay clean. Most importantly, no turnovers.
Saquon Barkley only had 14 carries when the Eagles played Dallas 4 days earlier, but he was on a full workload Thursday Night. He carried the ball 15 times for 56 yards in the first half. You could see the effects of having to tackle Barkley start to wear down the Commander’s defense as early as the 3rd quarter. Barkley had 11 second-half carries for 90 yards, including a 23-yard TD run with 4:58 remaining in the game and a 39-yard TD with 4:38 left following a Commander turnover. Saquon also added a 43-yard reception on a 3rd and 6 in the 3rd quarter.
He has rushed for over 140 yards four times this season and could be on his way to career highs in both rushing and receiving yards. He finished the game with 28 touches, good for 198 yards and two touchdowns. Fans were thanking the NY Giants during the post-game broadcast on Amazon. Saquon is having an MVP season.
Kenneth Gainwell had a good night relieving Barkley when he needed a breather and finished the game with back-to-back-14-yard gains. He finished with 43 yards on four carries.
A.J. Brown’s 1st reception came via motion; the 2nd reception utilized a slant, and then the offense went away from that. He finished the game with five receptions for 65 yards. The passing game never got going in this one, much brighter days are ahead for A.J.
DeVonta Smith celebrated his birthday with a win but only four catches for 29 yards. This would anger a lot of receivers in the NFL, but not Smitty. There is no diva in him.
Facing his former team, Jahan Dotson was the recipient of the 1st play of the game, an 8-yard reception. That would be his only reception. He has not exceeded two receptions in any game since joining the Eagles.
Dallas Goedert hauled in 5 balls on five targets for 61 yards and almost made a costly turnover in the fourth quarter. Aside from the fumble, he has been effective since returning from injury.
Grant Calcaterra potentially saved the game after a Dallas Godert fumble in the fourth quarter, preserving a long 31-yard gain. That is the type of play shown to high school football teams across the country to demonstrate never giving up or being mentally out of the game.
Jake Elliott missed his first and second field goal attempts on the night and has missed five on the season. He also missed a PAT. They will need a better version of Jake down the stretch and in the postseason.
Eagles Defense
Vic Fangio’s defense continues to confuse opposing QBs and their wide receivers. Terry McLaurin did not have a single target in the first half. Jayden Daniels finished the game passing for 13 of 21, 146 yards, 0 TD, and one interception. The Washington receivers were barely involved.
Brandon Graham added to his sack total in the 2nd quarter and has 2.5 on the year. The Eagles are playing him the right amount of snaps, and he is benefitting as an edge rusher from the strong play of Jalen Carter inside.
Josh Sweat followed B.G. in the 2Q with a sack of his own, his sixth of the year. The system that Fangio has the defense working in has Sweat playing some of his best football. A contract extension seemed unlikely this off-season, but he may be earning one in Philadelphia.
Nolan Smith made a big sack in the 3rd quarter to end a Commander drive, he has 3.5 on the year. He was all smiles after the play, and fans are starting to see why the Eagles coveted him in the 2023 NFL Draft. He has also been fantastic against the run, setting the edge and tackling the ball carrier all season.
Jalen Carter played every defensive snap in the game. That is a nightmare scenario for opposing offenses. He wrecks interior offensive lines every week, and with his increased conditioning, he rarely leaves the field to give the other team any break. He could be the best DT in the league and is playing his way into the Defensive Player of the Year conversation.
Zack Baun led the team in tackles this week with 15. His contributions have become so expected it is not surprising to see his lofty totals and impact every game.
Reed Blankenship called the game with his interception with less than 5 minutes left. His takeaway came in spectacular form as always. With the ball almost skimming off the turf, he always finds a way to get his hands underneath to secure the pick.
Quinyon Mitchell is shutting down half the field. The rookie sensation has put fear into opposing QBs, and they do not even throw his way. Washington’s number one receiver, Terry McLaurin, ran 20 routes versus Q. He was targeted zero times. He should easily be the DROY, but teams are not challenging him, and putting up stats will be difficult. For those who watch Mitchell every week, you see a CB locking down every WR in the league. Something the stat sheet will never illustrate.
The Coaching
The job that Christian Parker has done for the defensive backfield can not be overstated. The improvement from the veterans and the way the rookies have been integrated has been special. The on-field communication reflects great coaching. Coach Parker is a difference-maker on the team and has the DBs playing their best ball.
Linebacker coach Bobby King has been a revelation. I do not believe there was anyone in the fanbase or the league who projected the development of Nakobe Dean and Zaun Baun. The LB duo are calling out the offensive plays before the snap. Dean and Baun work in concert, and the film study is evident every time they get on the field.
Looking Ahead:
The 8-2 Philadelphia Eagles are in sole possession of first place in the NFC East. They make their last flight of the regular season in a showdown with the Rams in Los Angeles on Sunday Night Football.
As always, Thank you for reading.
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Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
