The Philadelphia Eagles survived the Los Angeles Rams in the snowy elements at Lincoln Financial Field during the NFL Playoff’s Divisional Round to advance to the NFC Championship Game. All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley rushed for 205 yards and two touchdowns, including an electric 78-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter that sent the Philadelphia crowd into a frenzy.
The No. 6 seed Washington Commanders went into Detroit to face the No. 1 seed Lions as significant underdogs and shocked the NFL world en route to a 45-31 victory. With that, the No. 2 seed Eagles are set to host their divisional rivals in the NFC Championship Game, the two franchises’ third meeting this year.
The Eagles and Commanders are no strangers. The two teams play in the NFC East and face each other twice a year. The Eagles came away with a 26-18 Week 11 win on Thursday Night Football, but the Commanders earned a 36-33 come-from-behind win in Week 16, breaking Philadelphia’s 10-game win streak.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts left the second matchup early in the first quarter with a concussion when the offense was firing on all cylinders, particularly in the run game and was replaced by Kenny Pickett. The Eagles were up 21-7 at the end of the first quarter, but the Commanders continued to chip away at the lead. Washington rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels led a 22-point fourth-quarter comeback, including a nine-play, 57-yard touchdown drive to take the lead as time expired.
The Commanders surprised the NFL world as a 12-win team in 2024. They’re a hot team riding a seven-game win streak heading into Championship Sunday. They’re also a team that finds themselves in many close games and fourth-quarter heroics.
Looking back at the Eagles’ Week 11 win at home, they dominated the Commanders. The defense held Washington’s offense to 264 yards, including 93 rushing yards as a team. The Commanders’ leading receiver, Terry McLaurin, was held to just one catch for 10 yards. Eagles safety Reed Blankenship intercepted Daniels late in the fourth quarter, resulting in a touchdown two plays later to put Philadelphia up by 16 points.
The Eagles’ offensive playmakers have succeeded against the Commanders’ defense this year in the previous two matchups. Barkley has 348 total yards and two touchdowns against the divisional foes, and Second-Team All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown has 162 yards and a touchdown. Hurts threw for 221 yards in the first matchup, the seventh most passing yards he’s had in a game this season.
Take away the Commanders’ 22-point fourth quarter in the second matchup and insert a healthy Hurts; the Eagles had Washington’s number this year. It was an uncharacteristic performance by the No. 1 defense in the NFL that allowed five passing touchdowns to Daniels, including three fourth-quarter passing touchdowns. The way Hurts, Barkley, and the run game looked before the quarterback’s concussion compared to how it looked after, the Eagles would’ve easily won that game with Hurts on the field.
The Commanders are an exciting team with a big-play offense and solid defense, but the Eagles are the better team. Suppose Hurts and the Eagles’ offense continue to protect the football and not commit unnecessary penalties. In that case, they’ll be victorious in the NFC Championship Game in front of their home fans and earn a trip to the Super Bowl for the third time in eight years.
The Eagles opened as 4.5-point favorites and sit as six-point favorites on most platforms as of Wednesday. Expect Barkley to continue his dominance against a sub-par Commanders run defense and the Eagles’ defense to rebound after their embarrassing performance in the loss a few weeks ago. Divisional games are always tricky and can go either way, especially with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
NFC Title Score Prediction: Eagles 31 Commanders 27
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