Jayden Daniels and the commanders wouldn’t give up.
It didn’t matter that they turned the ball over five times, with their starting quarterback throwing two interceptions and their skill players losing three more fumbles.
Daniels was nevertheless on second down and scored with six seconds left to send a tying touchdown to Jamison Crowder.
And when Daniels saw Jeremy McNichols separate from his defender during the two-point conversion? Daniels then found his man too.
In a 36-33 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, the Commanders improved to 10-5 with a 93 percent chance of making the playoffs in Daniels’ first year, according to Next Gen Stats.
Washington also kept alive its bid for an NFC East title, which the Eagles would have secured with a win at FedEx Field. Instead, Philadelphia fell to 12-3 and a game behind the Detroit Lions in the race for the NFC’s top seed and a playoff bye.
Daniels’ 339 yards and five touchdowns secured the victory.
The Eagles, on the other hand, lost quarterback Jalen Hurts to a concussion in the first quarter.
Hurts had gained 22 yards on the first play of Philadelphia’s second series, so two snaps later he tried to take advantage of the interior zone lanes again.
He did so, but when Hurts slid, his helmet hit linebacker Frankie Luvu’s helmet and then the ground. He stood with what appeared to be a slight wobble, and the look in Hurts’ eyes also raised concerns among officials.
Hurts was removed from the game for evaluation by an unaffiliated neurological consultant and quickly sent to the locker room while he attempted to put his helmet back on. He was ruled out midway through the second quarter due to a concussion.
The Eagles faced not only a change in quarterback, but also a change in game plan. Without Hurts, their signature quarterback snap was much less guaranteed in the red zone. Short-range plays on fourth were much less guaranteed, extending the previous goal distance by another two yards.
Kenny Pickett started strong, capping off the drive Hurts started with a four-yard touchdown pass to receiver AJ Brown on a slant route.
But the backup quarterback’s next throw wouldn’t reach Brown. Luvu pretended to hide and then fell back in to cover the route. The Commanders turned the interception and short field into Crowder’s first touchdown of the day from Daniels.
It would be a while before they replayed that connection for the win.
Eagles started stronger than error-prone commanders
Hurts’ injury was always going to hinder Philadelphia. But the Eagles maintained their lead thanks to the other key contributors. It looked like they would find a way to finish despite Hurts’ absence.
Running back Saquon Barkley dominated in the first quarter with 109 yards and two touchdowns, the latter a 68-yard blast down the left sideline after tight end CJ Uzomah cleared a path that blocked the lead.
By comparison, Commanders top defender Brian Robinson Jr. fumbled twice in the first 17 minutes of the game, with Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter forcing the first, while linebacker Nakobe Dean and defenseman Cooper DeJean wreaked havoc in the second .
Add in a pass from Daniels that sailed over Luke McCaffrey and into the lap of cornerback CJ Gardner-Johnson before halftime, and it looked like the game could slip out of Washington’s reach.
But Pickett was too inconsistent to extend Philadelphia’s lead. The Eagles’ run game lost its edge without the constant threat of a dangerously mobile quarterback. Before halftime, kicker Jake Elliott attempted a 56-yard field goal – and missed from 50+ for the sixth time in six attempts this season.
Eagles still maintained their lead for most of the second half
The early offensive resilience with Pickett did not continue in the second half. Although the Eagles were cleaner than the turnover-prone Commanders, Philadelphia did not score a touchdown after halftime.
Four more field goals — including Elliott’s first of 2024 from 50 — and a punt were almost enough to complement a defense that continued to destabilize Washington.
Receiver Dyami Brown lost the ball when linebacker Zack Baun’s tackle dislodged him in the third quarter.
Daniels attempted a risky throw down the middle of the field with 3:06 to play, with defensive lineman Josh Sweat’s hit knocking the pass off course just enough for cornerback Darius Slay to deflect it and safety Reed Blankenship to make the interception to grab.
Now the Commanders had turned the ball over five times, or six for those counting the failed fourth they opened the game with, leading to a turnover on downs.
The Eagles would score out of it, but only a field goal. Trailing by five points, the Commanders had a chance.
After all, Washington’s error-prone day was not without its highlights.
Daniels had sailed a 32-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin in the second quarter on the same drive on which his powerful arm had hit Dyami Brown for 51. Daniels was pressured often Sunday, but was also keen to exploit any sign of weakness. When Gardner-Johnson was disqualified after his second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, the Commanders turned to his replacement, hitting former Eagle Olamide Zaccheaus for two touchdowns.
In the latter, the Eagles mishandled their defensive substitutions, fielding 12 men, prompting the cornerbacks to try to force someone off the field. Zaccheaus alerted Daniels, who threw the ball to him for another explosive touchdown.
Daniels completed 24 of 39 passes for 258 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. He also led the Commanders with 81 rushing yards.
Pickett completed 14 of 24 passes or 143 yards, one touchdown and one interception, in addition to 13 yards on three carries.
Hurts completed one of four pass attempts (for 11 yards) before taking off, although he also scrambled for 41 yards.
Barkley led all skill players with 150 yards and two touchdowns, but only managed 27 of those after halftime.
The Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys next week with another chance to capture the division title. The Commanders host the Atlanta Falcons.
