The Washington Commanders appeared to be in desperate position against the streaking Philadelphia Eagles. They found themselves down by a 21-7 margin in the first quarter and they would turn the ball over five times in the game against an opponent that had won 10 games in a row. Nevertheless there was no give-up in the Commanders or their rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, and Washington pulled off a spectacular 36-33 victory.
The Commanders got the ball back with 1:58 remaining and trailing 33-28. Daniels led a 9-play, 57-yard drive that culminated when the quarterback connected with with Jamison Crowder on a 9-yard TD pass with 6 seconds left in the game. Washington succeeded on its two-point conversion and survived the ensuing kickoff to clinch the triumph.
Veteran wide receiver Terry McLaurin was in awe of his quarterback’s performance against the powerful Eagles. Daniels completed 24 of 39 passes for 258 yards with 5 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He also ran the ball 9 times for 81 yards.
“I’ve never seen that from a rookie,” McLaurin said.
The wide receiver was one of Daniels’ top targets in the game and he caught 5 passes for 60 yards and a touchdown. The top receiver in the game was Olamide Zaccheaus, who caught 5 passes for 70 yards and 2 touchdowns. Crowder only caught two passes, but both resulted in touchdowns.
Eagles suffer key injury after hot start
The Eagles scored on their opening possession of the game as quarterback Jalen Hurts directed an 8-play, 49-yard drive after the Commanders had been stopped on downs on its first possession. Running back Saquon Barkley pounded the ball in from 2 yards out to give Philadelphia a 7-0 lead.
The Eagles forced a turnover on Washington’s next possession and they were able to add to the lead with another touchdown. However, Hurts suffered a concussion during the middle of the 8-play, 57-yard drive and backup Kenny Pickett was forced into action. Pickett finished the drive with a 4-yard TD pass to A.J. Brown.
Pickett ended up completing 14 of 24 passes for 143 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Hurts was 1 of 4 for 11 yards before suffering the injury.
The Eagles could have clinched the NFC East title if they had been able to hold on for the victory. They fell to 12-3 with the defeat and Hurts’ status for the final two games of the season has not been determined. The Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17.
The Commanders improved to 10-5 with the victory, and they are on the verge of making the playoffs. Washington hosts the Atlanta Falcons in its Week 17 game.
