On the NFC side of the playoffs, two teams are left standing, and both of those teams hail from the NFC East. It’s been a memorable run for the Washington Commanders already and against all the odds, they find themselves playing for a spot in the Super Bowl. The Philadelphia Eagles on the other hand, due to their monumental run game and defense, find themselves playing in the NFC Championship for the 2nd time in 3 years. It’s part 3 of Eagles vs Commanders this season but the stakes are ten times higher in this colossal game between long time rivals.
The Commanders’ playoff run has been nothing short of remarkable. If someone told me at the beginning of the season that the Washington Commanders would be fighting for a Super Bowl spot late in January, I’d call them crazy and tell them to stop dreaming. But that was before Jayden Daniels was part of the organization. He’s made all the difference and has given the fanbase many game winners, hope, and a Hail Mary for the ages. His name echoes through the mouths of Washington’s fans a thousand times a day and he’s become a quick icon in D.C. In the NFL, success depends on quarterback production and Daniels is a living example. He’s turned this franchise around with a snap of his finger and his stats in the Divisional Round were smashing against Aaron Glenn’s defense. Against Detroit, he had a 70% completion, 91.8 QBR, 350 total yards, 122.9 passer rating, no turnovers, and kept the ball for 33:59 minutes (ESPN). The offense flows so smoothly with Daniels at the helm and Kliff Kinsgbury’s uncomplicated play calls are so effective for this young offense. They run many wide receiver screens, quick curls, slants, read option run plays, and mix it up with the deep shot throw. It’s one of the most simplified offenses in the league but all the fundamentals in these calls are mastered to near perfection. Their aggressiveness also plays a role and it’s a huge confidence booster when Quinn trusts Daniels with massive 4th down calls. The run game is also starting to come back as Brian Robinson Jr. was productive against Detroit with 5.1 yards a carry (ESPN). It’s a stout Eagles defensive line and Robinson Jr. needs to play notably better because he had a rough outing last time out against Philadelphia. He committed 2 turnovers and only averaged 2.4 yards a carry in the Commanders’ 36-33 win (ESPN). It’s all coming together for Washington’s offense and it’s transformed them to one of the best offenses in the entire National Football League. Their productiveness as of late directly correlates into the fact that they’re not giving the ball away and they have to play a mistake-free game this time around against Philadelphia.
The Commanders won the game against the Lions because their defense showed up at the right moments. They allowed 31 points but forced 5 key turnovers against Detroit’s stellar offense. The Eagles don’t give the ball away often so even one turnover by the Commanders’ defense will have a gargantuan impact. The main concern for the Commanders is stopping the run. In the two games against Philadelphia this season, they’ve allowed 296 rushing yards to Barkley and 4 rushing touchdowns (ESPN). Last week against the Lions, Gibbs was tearing apart Washington’s run defense with a flattering 7.5 yards a carry (ESPN). This run defense is a clear vulnerability of the Commanders but in this game, I want to see them load the box to prevent the run. They need to have 3 linebackers, bring safety help, or have 5-6 pass rushers. They simply cannot allow the Eagles to beat them up on the ground game.
For an Eagles team that is loaded with talent everywhere you look, their playoff performances so far have been subpar. The defense has been scintillating but the offense, I know they have more to give. Other than Saquon Barkley and the offensive line, the rest of the offense has disappeared. The run game could carry them all the way to a championship ring but with the stars Philly has available, they should be more dominant than they are. They need to get A.J. Brown going and feed him more because, like Barkley, Brown can take over a game. Over the last two games, Hurts has averaged 129.5 passing yards and that is why the games against the Packers and the Rams were close. In these final games of the season, only complete teams hoist the Lombardi trophy and as of right now, the Eagles’ passing game is bringing them down.
The Eagles’ defense was feasting last week against the Rams as they forced 2 fumbles and sacked Matthew Stafford 5 times (ESPN). It’s a group that plays with a buzz of energy and they’re so sound in all three areas of the field. They have Jalen Carter pass rushing, Zach Baun at linebacker in the middle, and the secondary with Reed Blankenship, Cooper DeJean, and Quinyon Mitchell. All the Eagles players have great speed which will be so crucial against a mobile quarterback like Daniels. In addition, they have to be wary of the read option that the Commanders do such a good job with. It’s a signature 3rd/4th down call of Kingsbury’s on short yardage and it kills defenses who get fooled by the fake. Philadelphia has to put duress on Daniels and shatter the young quarterback’s calmness.
My prediction for this game is that the Commanders will win 30-27. I might be biased as I’m a Commanders fan but the way Daniels is playing, another upset win is certainly on the horizon. This game could get out of hand if Barkley has his way and the key for the Commanders is to force Hurts to throw the ball more than he’d like. Daniels is visibly the better quarterback between him and Hurts and if Washington can turn this into a QB duel, the Commanders will win against Philadelphia. Time of possession is also a factor in this game and as they’ve done all postseason, Washington has to control that department. It’ll be a long and tiresome game for the defense if the Eagles can rattle off 8-minute drives time and time again. I don’t believe the crowd will be a defining factor in this game because of a couple of reasons. It’s a mid-day/late afternoon game and in my opinion, crowds are way more intimidating at night. In addition, Daniels has already flourished in Tampa Bay and Detroit, two stadiums with immense crowd noise. Daniels has shown us through the 19 games he’s been part of this season that he doesn’t get rattled or thrown off his game by the crowd. It’ll be a tight encounter from Lincoln Financial Field but I got Jayden Daniels’ Commanders beating Jalen Hurts’ Eagles. You can watch this game at 3:00 PM EST on FOX.
A Super Bowl appearance for the Eagles or the Commanders rests on this paramount game. The winner faces the Kansas City Chiefs or the Buffalo Bills. Will Jalen Hurts lead the Birds to his 2nd career Super Bowl appearance or will Jayden Daniels continue his unprecedented rookie season by giving the Commanders a chance to play for the coveted Lombardi Trophy in New Orleans?