The Philadelphia Eagles secured a 26-18 victory over the Washington Commanders on Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field, scoring three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, two of which came from standout running back Saquon Barkley.
Barkley, who rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns, helped the Eagles extend their winning streak to six games, giving them a 1.5-game lead over Washington for first place in the NFC East.
Washington struck first in the opening quarter, with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels leading a 58-yard, four-play drive that resulted in a 7-0 lead. Daniels connected with running back Austin Ekeler on a screen pass, which moved the ball downfield, and Ekeler dodged a defender before being tackled for a 34-yard gain. Brian Robinson followed with an 18-yard run and then punched it in for a touchdown on an inside handoff near the goal line.
In the second quarter, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was briefly sidelined for a concussion evaluation after being tackled from behind by defensive back Quan Martin. Hurts’ head was forced into the turf as he fell forward. He was evaluated in the blue medical tent and returned to the field for the second half after being cleared by medical staff, despite the Eagles trailing 7-3 at the break. Hurts finished with 221 passing yards on 18-of-28 attempts, along with 39 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni emphasized the gritty nature of the game, noting, “It’s not about who’s tougher, but who is tougher longer.”
The game turned in the fourth quarter when, trailing 12-10, the Commanders opted to go for a fourth-and-two in field goal range. Daniels fumbled the snap and failed to convert, getting tackled near the sideline. Sirianni called the stop “huge,” as it led to a turnover and allowed the Eagles to capitalize.
On the next play, Barkley ran for a 23-yard touchdown to put the Eagles ahead 19-10. Philadelphia’s defense quickly followed up with an interception on the first play of Washington’s next drive, setting the Eagles up on the Commanders’ 46-yard line. Barkley took advantage once more, sprinting for a 39-yard touchdown that extended the lead to 26-10 with 4:38 left in the game.
Barkley, in his first season with the Eagles, reached over 1,000 rushing yards for the fourth time in his career, marking the fastest he’s ever achieved the milestone, doing so in just 10 games.
Washington responded with a late touchdown, as Daniels connected with tight end Zach Ertz for a five-yard score, but it wasn’t enough to mount a comeback.
Daniels finished with 191 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the loss, as the Commanders dropped their second consecutive game of the season.
The Eagles (8-2) will next face the Los Angeles Rams (4-5) on November 24, while the Commanders (7-4) will travel to Dallas to play the Cowboys (3-6).
