Commanders end winless streak over Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles travelled to Northwest Stadium on Sunday night looking to halt a losing streak that had already all but derailed their season. The Eagles entered the NFC East matchup at 2-5, having lost 5 consecutive games, and in the midst of an injury crisis, but remained with Tanner McKee as their starting quarterback.

The Washington Commanders, meanwhile, had managed just 1 victory through its opening 6 games and desperately needed a result of its own. With both teams struggling to find consistency, the divisional clash offered an opportunity for one side to finally build some momentum in a poor division.

Philadelphia made the brighter start and quickly put Washington under pressure. After Drew Stevens missed an early kick for the Commanders, Jake Elliott opened the scoring with a 40-yard field goal before Saquon Barkley extended the advantage with a 3-yard rushing touchdown out of the wildcat formation, after a Chig Okonkwo fumble handed Philadelphia the opportunity to take control.

Washington eventually responded through Stevens, who converted a 56-yard field goal late in the opening quarter to get the home side on the scoreboard. However, the Commanders continued to encounter problems.

The Eagles were unable to turn their opponents’ mistake into further points, and Washington gradually began to find its footing. Jayden Daniels connected with Stefon Diggs for an 8-yard touchdown midway through the second quarter, bringing the Commanders level. Diggs provided a much-needed spark to the passing offense, while Daniels settled in and began to look more comfortable in the pocket.

Washington then took the lead for the first time just before halftime. Daniels moved his team into Eagles territory, using his mobility to keep the drive alive before Stevens converted a 39-yard field goal with just 19 seconds remaining. The Commanders had scored 13 unanswered points to turn an early deficit into a 13-10 advantage at the break.

The momentum remained with Washington after the restart. Philadelphia’s offense struggled to make progress, with McKee repeatedly facing heavy pressure. The Commanders’ defensive front began to dominate the line of scrimmage, recording sacks and forcing the Eagles into difficult 3rd down situations.

A particularly costly moment arrived midway through the third quarter, when McKee was brought down by Dorance Armstrong and lost possession of the football. Commanders defensive lineman Charles Omenihu recovered the fumble, giving Washington excellent field position. Although the Eagles’ defense prevented a touchdown, Stevens converted a 25-yard field goal to extend the lead to 16-10.

Philadelphia’s problems continued on its next possession, with McKee taking further punishment behind an offensive line that struggled to contain Washington’s pass rush.

The Commanders also began to find opportunities downfield, as Daniels connected with Treylon Burks for a 53-yard completion to move his team deep into Eagles territory. Stevens added another field goal, this time from 42 yards, early in the fourth quarter to push the home side’s advantage out to 2 scores, which Philadelphia looked highly unlikely to come back from.

The Eagles were handed an opportunity to respond when they drove into Washington territory, but a series of penalties proved costly. After an illegal formation penalty wiped out a successful 36-yard field goal attempt, Elliott was forced to try again from 41 yards and struck the left upright. It was a significant missed opportunity for the visitors, who remained 9 points behind with the clock ticking down.

Washington then delivered the decisive blow. Rachaad White broke free for a 33-yard carry, before finishing the drive himself with a 1-yard rushing touchdown to cap off an emphatic victory. Austin Ekeler added a successful 2-point conversion, extending the advantage to 27-10 and putting the result beyond doubt.

The Eagles were unable to produce a late response, with Washington securing its first victory in over a month. The result lifted the Commanders to 2-4-1, while Philadelphia dropped to 2-6 and suffered its sixth consecutive defeat, its longest losing streak since 2012.

Looking completely lifeless on both sides of the ball and with injuries continuing to mount, Philadelphia’s season is as good as over now. There’s been 5 consecutive seasons with playoff football for the Eagles, but that will be coming to an end in 2026. 2 pivotal matchups await Washington if they are to make an unprecedented push towards the NFC East title and a return to the playoffs.

Touchdowns
Philadelphia: Barkley
Washington: Diggs, White

Top Performers
Philadelphia: Lemon, Baun, Carter
Washington: Burks, Daniels, Omenihu, Stevens, Armstrong

Injuries
Philadelphia: N/A
Washington: N/A

Crowd: 64,195 @ Northwest Stadium