The Philadelphia Eagles are once again champions of the NFC East, clinching the division title with a hard-fought 29-18 victory over the Washington Commanders on a chilly Saturday night. The win, which saw a late-game brawl result in three ejections, was far from flawless but ultimately effective, securing the Eagles' place in the postseason.
A Sloppy Start and a Strong Finish
The game began inauspiciously for the Eagles, with Will Shipley fumbling the opening kickoff after a hit from Washington's Mike Sainristil. The Commanders recovered and capitalised with an early field goal. Philadelphia's usually reliable kicker, Jake Elliott, then endured a nightmare first half, uncharacteristically missing three field goal attempts, all wide left.
Despite the errors, quarterback Jalen Hurts steered the offence effectively, completing 22 of 30 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. He connected with DeVonta Smith for a six-yard score and later found tight end Dallas Goedert on a 15-yard pass to put the Eagles ahead 14-10 in the third quarter.
Barkley Dominates on the Ground
While Hurts managed the air, running back Saquon Barkley powered the ground game, delivering a stellar performance with 132 yards on 21 carries. His 12-yard touchdown run in the second half helped Philadelphia pull away from a Washington team that has now lost nine of its last ten games.
The Eagles' defence also contributed, with Cooper DeJean intercepting Washington's third-string quarterback, Josh Johnson. Johnson entered the game after Marcus Mariota, starting in place of the injured Jayden Daniels, left with a hand injury in the third quarter.
Late Melee Mars Celebration
The contest turned ugly in the final minutes. After Barkley scored a two-point conversion to extend the Eagles' lead to 19 points with roughly four and a half minutes remaining, a full-scale brawl erupted. The scrum involved numerous players from both sides and led to six penalties for unnecessary roughness.
In the aftermath, three players were ejected: Washington's Javon Kinlaw and Quan Martin, and Philadelphia offensive lineman Tyler Steen. Order was eventually restored following discussions between Barkley, Hurts, and Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner.
The victory ensures the Eagles (10-5) are the first team to win the NFC East in consecutive seasons since they achieved the feat from 2001 to 2004, ending the longest repeat-champion drought in any NFL division's history. They now head into the playoffs having righted the ship after a three-game losing streak with two straight wins.
