The Philadelphia Eagles now have full control of the NFC East Division. The Eagles defeated the Washington Commanders 26-18 in an exciting ‘Thursday Night Football’ matchup, kicking off Week 11 in the NFL.
The Eagles have extended their win streak to seven games advancing 8-2, while the Commanders fall 7-4 extending their losing streak to two games.
However, despite recent losses, the Commanders have had a historical season and are not out of the race just yet.
Here are six takeaways from the 26-18 loss against the Eagles:
- Jayden Daniels Lacked Execution
Quarterback Jayden Daniels struggled in play execution against the Eagles.
A rookie in this league, with a lot to learn still, Daniels has played exceptionally well in the last 10 weeks, giving fans a glimpse of true promise for the franchise’s future. Nonetheless, in week 11, he struggled with throw accuracy and getting the run game going against Philadelphia.
Although there were times where Daniels was under pressure by the Eagles defense stopping a Washington play from forming, there were also times where he lacked in accuracy even when he had time to make a play.
In almost every game this season, there has always been a feeling that the Commanders could pull off late wins because of Daniels, but that was truly not the case against the Eagles. Additionally, his ongoing rib injury or the cut on his hand may be factors that stopped Daniels from leading the Commanders to a win.
- Head Coach Dan Quinn’s Decision on Fouth DownÂ
Washington’s Head Coach Dan Quinn made an aggressively bold decision midway through the fourth quarter, with his team trailing 12-10, as he made a choice to go for it on fourth-and-two on the 26-yard line. This choice considered Quinn’s confidence in his offense’s ability to convert the yard shortage leading to potentially setting up a game winning drive.
However, the Commanders ended up not being able to execute the convert making Quinn’s choice, instead, have a negative impact on the team’s overall circumstance to win. Although Quinn stood by his choice and isn’t really a coach to make poor decisions often, the Commanders, in struggle, had to pay the price. If Washington had put together a solid drive having kicker Zane Gonzalez complete the field goal, they would have taken the lead.
If Washington had then taken the lead, a touchdown by Philadelphia wouldn’t have made it impossible for a Commanders comeback. Instead, the Eagles’ touchdown made it a two-score game.
Further, it didn’t help that Daniels threw an interception right after that, resulting in another Philadelphia touchdown. This definitely took the winning mindset away from the Commanders, but they would’ve been in a better position if they originally took the points.
- The Eagles Offensive Talent Put On A Show
The Washington Commanders played hard in the tough matchup against the Eagles, however, the talent of Philadelphia’s offense cannot be ignored.
Running back Saquon Barkley is truly a key ingredient to the Eagles offensive success. He dominated against the Commanders with spin moves and breaking up tackles ending the night with 146-yards on 26 attempts. He now stands at No.1 in the NFL for rushing yards (1,137) passing Ravens Running Back Derrick Henry (1,120).
It is no secret that the Eagles have more experience in talent than the Commanders.
Let’s keep in mind that this is Washington’s first year of generating cohesive talent to compete with the type of caliber that a team like Philadelphia brings to the league.
It is truly extraordinary to see the Commanders go head-to-head with no fear against a healthy Philadelphia Eagles team in their prime. It was even more exciting for fans to see that the Eagles didn’t win by a blowout, but instead reclaimed the lead from Washington midway.
This upcoming offseason will allow General Manager Adam Peters and Coach Quinn to explore opportunities further in the talent sector for Washington.
- Running Backs Brian Robinson Jr. And Austin Ekeler Carried Commanders Offense
Brian Robinson Jr. made his way back onto the field in week 11 against Philadelphia after missing two games due to a hamstring injury.
Although the score didn’t reflect in favor of Washington, Robinson led in rushing with 63-yards on 16 attempts becoming the Commanders’ best offensive player of the game.
Running back Austin Ekeler was right behind him, leading the Commanders offense having the most receiving passes for Washington. Ekeler recorded eight passes for 89-yards, his season-high. His 34-yard completion even helped set Washington’s first touchdown scored by Robinson on the 1-yard line.
This caliber of performance in the backfield is what Washington’s fans have dreamed of seeing, and now the vision is clear through Robinson and Ekeler.
- Mike Sainristil Becomes Commanders Top Outside CornerbackÂ
Rookie Mike Sainristil has been turning heads for Washington in the best way. Although the Commanders have had to play him more in the outside cornerback position due to Emmanuel Forbes Jr.’s lack of performance, he is truly flourishing.
Sainristil went head-to-head against Philadelphia’s star receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. He shut them down on multiple plays as the pair only executed 94-yards and nine receptions. Also dominating in strong coverage— such as when Washington faced the Browns— it is no secret that Sainristil is the top option at the outside cornerback position for the Commanders.
- Linebacker Frankie Luvu Dominated Everywhere On That Field
Frankie Luvu ended the day being second for the Commanders with 10 tackles.
The aspect of his defense that stood out against the Eagles was the two sacks recorded, bringing Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts down.
Luvu dominated everywhere on the field with his defensive strength. His performance will only get stronger as the season progresses as this is what Washington envisioned for his performance when signing him.
The Commanders will be back home at Northwest Stadium for another NFC East division matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 24. Kickoff will be at 1 p.m.