PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles took control of the NFC East with a 26-18 victory over the Washington Commanders Thursday night, and the game wasn’t as close as the score indicated. The Eagles outgained the Commanders 434-264 and averaged 6.2 yards per play compared to the Commanders’ 4.2.
Philadelphia (8-2) is two games ahead in the loss column against Washington (7-4) with the victory, as the Eagles have won six in a row. Washington has lost two games in a row after a 7-2 start, losing two games to Philadelphia in the division standings in five days.
Is the NFC East race over? Are the commanders identified? Which overreactions are really overreactions following Thursday’s confrontation and which are reality?
The Eagles finished the NFC East with a victory
Overreaction or reality: Overreaction
While the Eagles’ win over the Commanders was impressive, it wasn’t a game that determined the winner of the NFC East. It’s fair to say that this was a “must-win” game for the Eagles to take control of the division, one in which they are two games ahead in the loss column with seven games to go. play.
The Eagles had a sizable lead in the NFC East after Week 11 last season before collapsing, but this team is a lot different. It’s not about what the Eagles will or won’t do in the final seven games. The Commanders have a pretty straightforward schedule before facing the Eagles again in Week 16.
Washington faces Dallas and Tennessee at home before its bye week. A road game at New Orleans follows the schedule before the rematch against Philadelphia in Week 16. Washington then finishes with a home game against Atlanta and an away game against Dallas. Four of the next five games will be at home and the next three games will be against teams with losing records.
Philadelphia has road dates in Los Angeles and Baltimore, before home games against Carolina and Pittsburgh before the Week 16 showdown in Washington. Due to the Commanders’ schedule, the NFC East is far from over.
Jayden DanielsThe commander’s offensive has been determined
Overreaction or reality: Reality
In the last two games, the Commanders have faced two top 10 defenses Steelers and the Eagles. The results haven’t been good for offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s unit. Washington averaged just 253 yards in those two games, averaging just 4.1 yards per play, while converting 30.8 percent of its third downs. The biggest indicator of their struggles is the number of rushing yards quarterback Jayden Daniels has totaled over the last two games – just 23.
With Daniels limited in running the football, this takes away the biggest strength of his game. During this two-game stretch, Daniels completed 59.1% of his passes for 393 yards with one touchdown to one interception and one passer rating of 73.9 – and that touchdown came in the final minute on Thursday with the game already decided. The Commanders lost both matches.
Daniels and the Commanders will likely get things back on track against the sub-.500 teams they face over the next few weeks, but they still have to prove themselves against the very good defenses. This is the next step for Kingsbury and Daniels.
Saquon Barkley should be a favorite for MVP
Overreaction or reality: Overreaction
Lamar Jackson exists, making the case for MVP not as strong as in years past. Still, there’s no denying what Barkley has brought to this Eagles offense.
Barkley had 26 carries for 146 yards and two touchdowns (5.2 yards per carry) and two catches for 52 yards, giving him 198 yards from scrimmage on the night. Thursday was Barkley’s fourth game this season with 140-plus yards, which is the most by a running back through 10 games since Shawn Alexander in 2005 (when Alexander won MVP). Barkley leads the NFL in rushing yards (1,137) and scrimmage yards (1,347) this season, while totaling 738 of those yards on the ground and averaging 7.2 yards per carry in the second half of games. He leads the league in both categories.
The Eagles offense, while inconsistent, continues to move the football because of Barkley. They also end games because of Barkley. Without Barkley, the Eagles wouldn’t be one of the elite teams in the league. NFL.
Jackson is the favorite for MVP, but Barkley has a much better case than most think. He’s not among the favorites yet, but he’s getting there.