Final UKHTTC thoughts leading into the Eagles

History 

The all-time record between the teams: played 179 times (including 1 postseason game), with the Philadelphia Eagles winning 85 games and the Washington Commanders winning 89 games. There have been 5 tied games.

Look back game: week 11 and on a short week, the Commanders held up pretty well on DEF through three quarters, but the Eagles threat on the ground proved too much, especially given that Washington really stalled in OFF through the second and third quarters. The Eagles went over three times in the fourth quarter, including two Barkley TDs from distance. Score: 26-18 to Philadelphia who went for over 430 yards.

Watch out for

Although Saquon Barkley rightly is the headline RB in Philadelphia, the #2 back for the Eagles Kevin Gainwell can be an explosive player. With just four carries in the last match up – he went for more than 40 yards.

Matchups

There are not many weak spots on the Eagles roster.

This is a team that have been really well put together and in some ways a blueprint for this Commanders franchise. Sometimes, you have to turn to a veteran vs rookie match up and hopefully experience wins out! Cooper DeJean has arguably been in DROY form in Philadelphia, but he had a less than stellar showing vs the Commanders in Week 11.

If Washington OC Kliff Kingsbury can scheme up ways to isolate DeJean in coverage, then Jayden Daniels has the accuracy for a chunk play or two.

New WR KJ Osborn has ability on crossers and against a predominantly zone coverage Eagles DEF, and if he can avoid the drops which occurred in New England, he could be a surprisingly productive target on Sunday.

Keys to win 

Cut out the penalties. The Commanders are around the middle of the pack in total penalties in the 2024 season. However, last week vs the Saints the burgundy & gold gave away nine penalties and the game before vs Tennessee they gave up seven.

Against a team like the Eagles you have to play near-perfect and especially avoid the holding calls along the OL – the return of Centre Tyler Biadasz should help in that regard.

Get to Jalen who might be hurt? The Eagles OL is maybe the best in the business for a running game and make the life of QB Jalen Hurts and Saquon an easier one. Hurts has above average ability with his legs/off schedule plays and Barkley can pop up anywhere to score.

Might the addition of Lattimore give the Commanders DL that fraction of a second more to get to the left-hand injured Hurts? Whilst you have to be disciplined vs the Eagles, can the roving Frankie Luvu and third down pass rush specialist Dante Fowler Jnr create pressure off the edge vs Lane Johnson and Becton?

Spotlight players

Brandon Coleman. Did Washington draft a starting LT for the long-term? Well, a big test awaits on Sunday facing the disruptive Jalen Carter & company. The OL plays better with a healthy Biadasz at Centre and bend don’t break might be the order of the day.

Perhaps a surprise here: but veteran WR Jamison Crowder remains a good twitchy player off the LOS and may allow Daniels to get the ball out quickly and accurately.

Extra point player: Luke McCaffrey showed some promise as a returner; in a match up like Sunday, a home run return might go some way to an upset!

Score prediction

The Commanders might be going up against the most rounded team in the NFL right now. Whilst Hurts might not be a top 5 QB, he isn’t a weakness either and the Eagles OFF has a star RB and two stud WRs.

And that is coupled with the best DEF and arguably the best OL. Ouch!

The burgundy and gold don’t quite have the firepower to win this one and put up 17 to the Eagles 28.