Commanders vs. Eagles: Can Washington Pull Off Another Playoff Upset?
The NFL Playoffs have reached their final four, with both the AFC and NFC Championship Games set for Sunday. On the NFC side, it will be an NFC East clash between the two-seed Philadelphia Eagles and the sixth-seed Washington Commanders, marking their third meeting of the season. A trip to Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans is at stake this time, as the game kicks off Sunday at 3:00 p.m. EST at Lincoln Financial Field. The Commanders, led by rookie sensation Jayden Daniels, have defied all expectations this season and have carried that momentum into the playoffs. After two road victories, first over the Buccaneers in the Wild Card and then against the top-seeded Detroit Lions last weekend, despite being nine-and-a-half-point underdogs, the Commanders have shown they're not your typical underdog. Now, with massive organizational changes behind them, the Commanders are one win away from advancing to their first Super Bowl since 1991.
This weekend’s matchup between the Commanders and Eagles sets up another classic David vs. Goliath narrative. The Eagles, who boast an impressive 14-3 record and have won 14 of their past 15 games, including their two playoff victories thus far, enter as the betting favorites for Sunday’s game, favored by six points. Meanwhile, the Commanders, who have already shocked the NFL world, will be playing with house money against a Philadelphia team that entered this season with expectations of competing for the Super Bowl. If the two teams' two regular-season meetings are any indication of what to expect on Sunday afternoon, another instant classic should be on the horizon. Both sides split their two meetings, each winning at home, including the Commanders’ thrilling comeback against the Eagles in Week 16, which snapped Philadelphia’s 10-game winning streak at the time.
The biggest indicator of whether Washington will be able to pull off another playoff upset will be determined by the Commanders’ defense’s ability to limit the Eagles' star running back, Saquon Barkley. The Eagles, who held the league’s second-best rushing offense, trailing only the Baltimore Ravens, have been reaping the benefits of signing the three-time Pro Bowl running back this past offseason. Barkley, 27, became only the ninth running back to surpass 2,000 rushing yards in a single season, falling just 100 yards short of breaking Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season rushing record. In their two meetings this season, Barkley had no issue taking advantage of the Commanders’ 30th-ranked run defense, recording over 100 yards in both games. As a result, if the Commanders hope to send their division rivals home on their turf, head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. will need to devise a game plan to contain the Eagles’ explosive running attack, spearheaded by Barkley.
Meanwhile, for the Commanders' offense, another shootout could be required for them to win the NFC Championship. If that’s the case, they won’t shy away from it, as Jayden Daniels and the offense have had no trouble putting up points this season, leading the league with 34 points per game and ranking as one of the most efficient offenses throughout the year. The Commanders' offensive success has carried over into the playoffs, with Daniels leading the way. The 24-year-old became the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to record 300-plus total yards in two playoff games. Daniels also boasts an impressive 116.2 passer rating, having thrown four touchdown passes without an interception, and completing nearly 70% of his passes this postseason. Facing the Eagles' top-ranked passing defense, led by defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, the Commanders' offense will once again have to break through Philadelphia’s stingy defense, as they did back in Week 16 when Washington scored 36 points. If the Commanders can get off to a quick start and apply pressure to the Eagles' defense throughout the game, that will be the recipe for success against a defense few teams have managed to overcome.
