The Philadelphia Eagles hit the road in Week 16 for a matchup with the Washington Commanders, looking to clinch the NFC East with a victory. They would become the division’s first repeat winner since 2004, locking up a home playoff game in doing so. Between the stakes for the division, playoff seeding, and building off a big victory, there is a lot for the Eagles to play for against the Commanders.
Eagles vs Commanders
The Eagles played one of their most impressive games of the season in Week 15. The offense looked exceptional, while the defense had one of the best performances from any team this season. The Las Vegas Raiders are undoubtedly a bad football team. That needs to be considered when contextualizing this Eagles performance. Nevertheless, the Eagles stepped up offensively and defensively, doing exactly what they should by dominating an inferior opponent. Can they maintain the momentum, or will that prove to be an anomaly?
Eagles Offense vs Commanders Defense
Offensively, the Eagles were able to do some things fans had been begging for all season. One of the most notable changes was Jalen Hurts‘ impact on the game as a runner. Hurts ran on multiple occasions, while being effective each time. As we continue to get closer to the end of the season, the Eagles would be smart to continue running Hurts more. The offense clearly functions best when he is a major component of the run game. With time dwindling out, Hurts’ rushing ability could be the piece that was missing this season to elevate the offense.
The passing attack has also been better as of late. Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert were very efficient last week. If the Eagles are able to combine their improved passing and rushing attacks, they should continue to have success this week against a subpar defense.
After being a middle-of-the-road unit in 2024, the Washington Commanders’ defense has been bad in 2025. They currently rank second in yards allowed per game and seventh in points allowed per game. As is the theme with much of the Commanders’ roster, their team is very old and past its prime.
Many of the Commanders’ key players are not the players they once were. Bobby Wagner, Von Miller, and Frankie Luvu all fall into this category. While they are not bad players at this point in their careers, they should not be players that a defense is relying on heavily. The Commanders’ defense has been dominated in rushing and passing attacks this year. The Eagles should have another opportunity offensively to impress on Saturday night.
Eagles Defense vs Commanders Offense
The Eagles’ defense is rounding into form and playing some of their best football. There is a case to be made that they just turned in the most impressive defensive performance of the 2025 season. Yes, the Raiders are bad. But it is also no small feat to hold an offense under 100 yards in a shutout. This is a unit that is rounding into top shape at the perfect time.
On the other hand, the Commanders’ offense is a unit that has been disappointing in 2025. Led by Jayden Daniels, their 2024 offense was one of the league’s best. It was explosive, and they were one of the best teams in NFL history on 4th down. This season has been the opposite, though.
For one reason or another, Daniels found himself in a sophomore slump. He has dealt with injuries all season, which have no doubt had an effect on his play. When he has played, though, it has not been as impressive as his 2024 season. The Commanders recently shut him down for the rest of the season, so the Eagles will face his backup, former Eagles quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Mariota has been a serviceable backup when he has played for the Commanders. The offense as a whole has too many issues to succeed, though. They have a similar problem as the defense, with many aging players. Former stars like Deebo Samuel, Laremy Tunsil, and Eagles legend Zach Ertz were all expected to be major contributors this season. While they have had their moments, they are clearly shells of their former selves. Ertz is currently injured and will not play for the rest of the season. Combine that with their best playmaker, Terry McLaurin, starting the season with a contract dispute and many injuries throughout the season, and you get a unit that is underwhelming in almost every sense.
The Commanders’ offense vs the Eagles defense isn’t going to be a pushover. The Commanders still have some playmakers and have been competitive in most of their games this season. With that said, it is a matchup the Eagles’ defense should be able to win.
Playoff Picture
As previously mentioned, the Eagles can clinch the NFC East with a victory over the Commanders. Doing so would make them the division’s first repeat champion since 2004. They could also clinch with a Cowboys loss this weekend, but a win would help keep them in the race for the NFC’s two seed.
With their recent three-game losing streak, any hope of the one seed is likely gone. The Eagles now shift their focus to the two seed, where the Chicago Bears currently sit. The Eagles, Bears, and Green Bay Packers will battle it out for playoff positioning, with the Bears and Packers matching up this weekend.
Eagles fans should be rooting for whoever wins this matchup between the Bears and Packers to lose all of their remaining games. Those teams losing will open the door to climb to the two seed. For now, though, the Eagles’ focus will be on handling their business Saturday night against the Commanders.
Main Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
