The Washington Commanders will continue their division stretch to close out the season with a home matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Here are three keys to them pulling off an upset.
1. Keep feeding the running backs.
The Commanders leaned on their run game against the Giants, and it paid off in the form of 146 yards and a touchdown in a 29-21 win. Jacory Croskey-Merritt had his best game of the season with 96 yards, showing off the vision and quickness that he had earlier in the season.
The Eagles are an obvious step up in competition from the Giants, but they are not quite the defensive juggernaut they were last season. They can be taken advantage of on the ground and have given up 4.5 yards per carry -- tied for seventh highest average in the league -- and are tied with the Commanders with the seventh most rushing touchdowns allowed this season (14).
It seems like the best approach is to use a blend of speed and power against the Eagles' run defense. The Chicago Bears, for example, rushed for 285 yards with D'Andre Swift and rookie Kyle Monangai each rushing for at least 120 yards and averaging 5.9 and 6.9 yards per carry, respectively. The Commanders have that combination with Chris Rodriguez, who has the size and power to pick up short yardage, and Croskey-Merritt's quickness. There's also Jeremy McNichols, who can provide a bit of both skill sets.
The Commanders tend to be successful when they rely on their run game. Although the Eagles' secondary isn't quite as dominant as it was last season, the scheme is still designed to prevent offenses from getting production through the air. The runs might not always result in chunk yardage, but it's certainly where the Eagles are the most vulnerable.
2. Don't get overwhelmed by the number of Philadelphia's weapons.
Like their defense, the Eagles still have one of the better offenses in the league but aren't as successful as they were last. For starters, Saquon Barkley isn't on pace to rush for 2,000 yards like he was in 2024. Their ground attack, while still good, is only averaging 119.5 yards per game. It's a similar case with their passing game; DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown are still one of the best duos in the league, but the Eagles' offense ranks 22nd in passing yards per game.
Still, Philadelphia's offense will be a daunting task for a Commanders defense that is undermanned and has underperformed all season. Dallas Goedert has proven himself as a reliable tight end, and even players like former Washington wideout Jahan Dotson have had success in the Eagles' system. There's also Jalen Hurts himself, who might not be as proficient of a passer as other top quarterbacks in the league but does have a strong arm and can use his legs to extend plays.
It will be important for the Commanders to avoid getting overwhelmed by the sheer number of playmakers on Philadelphia's offense. They'll need to rely on players like Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw to close up running lanes, which haven't been as wide open for the Eagles as they were last year because of how Cam Jurgens and Tyler Steen have played. They can't overpursue Hurts in the pass-rush because of how Hurts can escape the pocket.
It won't be easy for the Commanders to spoil the Eagles' potential division-clinching win, but if they stick to their game plan, they have a shot to keep things competitive.
3. Challenge Adoree Jackson.
Quinyon Mitchell is playing like one of the best cornerbacks in the league this season. He's allowed just 10 receptions for 99 yards in man coverage with a passer rating of just 61.4. He and Terry McLaurin battled hard last season, and it's likely that the two will see plenty of each other on Saturday.
Jackson, on the other hand, has not been as effective. His 57.7 cover grade is the second lowest of his career, and he's allowed quarterbacks to complete 60.3% of their passes when they target him. Although the Commanders could lean heavily on their running backs this weekend, Jackson could be a player they try to take advantage of.
The Commanders will need to find a player to replace Noah Brown, who was placed on Injured Reserve for a second time earlier this week. Two possible candidates could be Treylon Burks, who has not made a catch since his impressive one-handed touchdown against the Denver Broncos, and rookie Jaylin Lane. Lane has proven himself as the team's answer at punt returner but has yet to consistently flash as a wide receiver with just 225 yards this year.
The Commanders want to get a good look at their younger players before the end of the season. Not only can they do that this weekend, but the potential matchups with Jackson could help open things up in the passing game.
