The Philadelphia Eagles faced the Washington Commanders in Week 16 for their final road game of the regular season. They exploded to a 21-7 lead through the first quarter, but quarterback Jalen Hurts was injured on the Eagles’ second offensive possession and didn’t return due to a concussion.
The Eagles’ defense forced five turnovers, but the offense could only muster four field goals after the quick first-quarter start. Here are five takeaways from the Eagles’ heartbreaking and unconventional 36-33 Week 16 loss to the Commanders:
Hurts kept the ball and rushed for a 13 yard gain during the team’s second drive of the game. His head hit the ground hard, so he was taken out of the game to get evaluated for a concussion. 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett came into the game in relief of the Eagles’ franchise quarterback.
It looked like Hurts was set to return to the game after being checked on the sidelines. He was brought back to the locker room before heading back onto the field and was eventually ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Hurts helped orchestrate an eight-play, 49-yard touchdown drive on the Eagles’ opening possession to take a 7-0 lead. He was only 1/4 for 11 yards, but he rushed the ball three times for 41 yards before leaving the game. Pickett finished the drive he replaced Hurts during, throwing a four-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver A.J. Brown. The Eagles took an early 14-0 lead and looked to be on their way to a blowout victory.
Pickett showed some flashes but is nowhere close to the threat that Hurts is on the field. The former Pittsburgh Steeler was 14/24 for 143 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He had only 13 rushing yards and was sacked three times.
The Commanders’ defense had no answer for Saquon Barkley and the Eagles’ running game while Hurts was still at quarterback. Barkley had seven carries for 109 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter. He had just 41 yards on 22 carries for the remainder of the game. The Eagles win that game with Hurts at quarterback.
Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was disqualified in the third quarter after receiving his second unsportsmanlike penalty. The ref’s reasoning for the penalties and ejection was head-scratching.
Losing a player of Gardner-Johnson’s caliber doesn’t benefit the team. His replacement, Tristin McCollum, allowed a touchdown shortly after his ejection. The secondary struggled against the Commanders’ offense in the second half, something that likely doesn’t happen if Gardner-Johnson was on the field.
Not only did Gardner-Johnson get ejected, but the Eagles were called for 10 penalties in the game. It’s unacceptable for that to happen, especially for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
The Eagles’ defense has been one of the best units in the NFL this year. They came up with big plays against the Commanders in Week 16, forcing five turnovers. However, that wasn’t enough to win the game.
The defense collapsed in the fourth quarter. They allowed 22 points, including the game-winning touchdown after a nine-play 57-yard drive in the game’s final two minutes.
The Eagles took a 30-28 lead with 3:48 remaining after a 50-yard field goal by Jake Elliott. Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels was intercepted by Eagles safety Reed Blankenship on the third play of the following drive.
On 3rd & 5, Pickett found a wide open DeVonta Smith in the middle of the field. Unfortunately for the Eagles, the usual shore handed receiver dropped the pass that would’ve resulted in a first down and an Eagles win. Instead, the Eagles had to settle for a 40-yard field goal to take a 33-28 lead, giving the ball back to the Commanders with 1:58 left on the clock.
The Eagles were in prime position to take over the top seed in the NFC heading into Week 16. The Detroit Lions lost a shootout to the Buffalo Bills in Week 15, handing them their second loss of the season. The Lions improved to 13-2 in Week 16, and the Minnesota Vikings did as well.
The Eagles dropped to a 12-3 record with two games remaining. The No. 1 seed in each conference gets a first-round bye and home-field advantage. The Eagles will now need some help from other teams to have any hope at that.
Looking Ahead
The Eagles failed to clinch the NFC East in Week 16 against the Commanders, but they only need to win at least one of the final two games to be crowned division champions. They’ll host the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17 before wrapping up the regular season at home against the two-win New York Giants in Week 18.
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