The Philadelphia Eagles have moved on to the NFC Championship game this Sunday. They will play the Washington Commanders, who pulled off the upset this past weekend over the Detroit Lions, scoring 45 points. This game will be the third time these teams play against each other this season. However, this may be the first actual matchup. In the first game, Jayden Daniels was dealing with a rib injury on a short week on Thursday Night Football. The Eagles won that matchup 26-18. In the second game, Jalen Hurts left with a concussion, only 11 plays into the game. The Eagles proceeded to lose 36-33.
Jalen will not be at full strength in this game but will be playing. There has been plenty of footage of Jalen in practice making the rounds this week. The only conclusion from the reports and footage this week is that he will play, and he is not one hundred percent. Nothing more and nothing less from the footage until he takes snaps on Sunday. He is also expected to be wearing a knee brace during the game. So, it will be interesting to see how much mobility will be affected, similar to the end of the Divisional game. Hurts’ limited mobility can hamper the offense in a game where they can’t afford to fall behind. The Eagles’ injury report also included two other key offense members this week.
Getting Healthy:
Jalen Hurts wasn’t the only one to find himself on the injury report this week. Dallas Goedert and Cam Jurgens also found their statuses in jeopardy against the Commanders. The good news is that Goedert practiced in full on Friday and will be ready to go. The potential bad news is that Cam Jurgens is questionable after a limited practice and could miss this week. In that scenario, Landon Dickerson would slide over to center. He took snaps there on Thursday. Tyler Steen would then slide into the left guard spot. Dickerson has experience playing center at the college level, where he predominantly played in his last year at Alabama.
Dickerson was also supposed to be Jason Kelce’s heir apparent. However, injuries to starting guards forced Dickerson to play right and left guard in his rookie year. He eventually stuck at left guard because of his level of play there. So, while he does have experience at the center position, the Eagles and fans alike will hope to see a notification that he is playing on Sunday.
Shutting Down Jayden Daniels:
Sunday’s primary key is shutting down the Offensive Rookie of the Year, Jayden Daniels. The rookie shredded the Eagles’ defense last month in week 16 despite the offense having five turnovers. Daniels is on a magical run and looking to be the first rookie quarterback to start in a Super Bowl. He has also been flawless thus far in the playoffs. The offense has committed zero turnovers in the playoffs and only one since week 17.
Jayden Daniels vs. the Eagles this season:
🏈 449 pass yards
🏈 6 TD – 3 INT
🏈 99 rush yards📺 Eagles vs. Commanders Sunday on NFL Game Pass on DAZNpic.twitter.com/GZdEhJZKN6
— NFL on DAZN (@NFLonDAZN) January 25, 2025
They also have secured two road wins as underdogs, primarily due to Daniels and the offense. Washington will look to make it three in a row but will face their toughest test yet in Philadelphia. It also does not help that right guard Samuel Cosmi tore his ACL against the Lions. Backup Trenton Scott will now have the tough test of going against Jalen Carter, who is coming off his best game as a pro. Carter had three quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, two sacks, and a pass deflected. He also saved the game for the Eagles with his sack and pressure on the last two downs against the Rams.
Carter and the rest of the Eagles’ defense must also be extraordinary in guarding Daniels and company on fourth downs. The Commanders have the highest fourth-down conversion rate in the league. That includes tying the most fourth-down conversions in a playoff game in both of their games this postseason. Washington has converted six crucial fourth downs this postseason. Five of those drives ended in touchdowns.
Philadelphia will have to stick to its game plan of breaking down the defense with Saquon Barkley and the run game. However, its defense can significantly help the offense by not letting Daniels prolong drives. Dan Quinn knows he must play risky to beat Philadelphia at home. If it gets to that point, he will put his rookie quarterback in his hands to decide this game, and he has shown that time and time again.
Prediction Eagles vs Commanders:
This game has all the makings of the NFC title game when the Eagles played the Minnesota Vikings. The Commanders are coming off an improbable victory that shocked the country like the Vikings. The only difference is that the Vikings were favored heading into the game. However, both were incredible victories. After scoring 45 points against the number one seed Detroit Lions, this feels like a classic letdown spot for the Commanders in this game. No matter how this game ends, they should be incredibly proud of extremely outperforming expectations with a rookie quarterback.
I was wrong several times when I said that their roster needed another offseason to round out, and I can admit that. It shows people how much a great quarterback can elevate the roster. The Commanders will have the third most cap space this offseason, so they will have a fantastic chance to improve their roster and be a thorn in the Eagles’ side for years. That said, I am still taking the Eagles by two scores in this matchup.
The Commanders’ most difficult challenge this postseason is the Eagles’ defense. Philadelphia boasts the league’s best defense. Many fans point to that game in week 16; however, that game might have played out differently if Jalen Hurts had not gotten injured. The situation placed additional pressure on the defense after many unsustained drives.
Final Thoughts on Eagles vs Commanders:
I believe this will be the game Jalen Hurts silences the doubters unless he is injured more than the public knows about. He is going up against a defense that has allowed the sixth most expected points added in the playoffs per drop back. The team had the tenth most points added in the regular season. Despite their excellent yardage statistics, they are still susceptible to getting beat by the pass.
Saquon is also poised for another incredible game as he approaches the record for most rushing yards across a season. (including postseason) Terrell Davis holds the record with 2,476 yards. Saquon is only 148 yards away, and he could break that in this game, then add on in the Super Bowl. His prop total suggests he could come close against a below-average run defense in the Commanders. The rushing line is at 125.5 yards. All it takes is one big run, and he is most of the way to the 148 rushing yards he needs.
With Nick Foles as honorary captain, this game plays out similar to the NFC title game against the Vikings, and the Eagles will face the Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl Rematch.
Final Score: Philadelphia Eagles 31, Washington Commanders 17
