Here are the Eagles, the biggest favorite of Week 10 at 11 points over the Commanders. The Commanders go on the road up to Philly to face the 8-0 Eagles on Monday Night Football.
Interestingly enough, three of the last four NFL teams to get to 8-0 lost their next game. The 2018 Rams lost to the Saints 45-35. The 49ers were 8-0 in 2019 but lost to the Seahawks 27-24. Also in 2019, the 8-0 Patriots were clobbered in Baltimore 37-20. The Steelers broke the trend beating up the Bengals 36-10 in 2020 to go to 9-0.
In fact, that Steelers team made it to 11-0. How many of you recall what happened to Pittsburgh in their next game? Well, the Washington Football Team went up to Pittsburgh on December 7, 2020, and handed the Steelers their first loss of the season, 23-17.
Washington entered that game 4-7 but had won its last two games, defeating the Bengals 20-9 at FedEx Field and then the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day in Dallas 41-16.
So when Pittsburgh jumped on Washington 14-0 with two first-half Ben Roethlisberger touchdown passes, it seemed very likely that the Steelers would finish the night 12-0.
However, when Dustin Hopkins banged in a 49-yard field goal with 1 second remaining in the half, things changed in the minds of Washington players. They took the second-half kickoff, marched 82 yards for a Peyton Barber 1-yard run, and suddenly, it was a game. Washington now trailed only 14-10.
When the Steelers led 17-10 early in the final quarter, Washington drove 53 yards in 8 plays, with Alex Smith connecting with Logan Thomas from 15 yards, tying the game 17-17.
On their next possession, Washington drove 45 yards in nine plays, and Hopkins’ 45-yard field goal gave Washington their first lead at 20-17. Hopkins then added another 45-yard field goal for the final 23-17 margin.
Washington had won their third consecutive game and made it four consecutive, winning 23-15 the next week at San Francisco. On the final week of the season, Washington defeated the Eagles on Sunday Night Football 20-14 to finish 7-9 and atop the NFC East.
History may be on Washington’s side Monday Night. However, it will be a tremendous challenge to win this game in Philly. One thing for certain. the Commanders offensive line will have to perform MUCH better than the first Eagles game, a 24-8 rout by the Eagles at FedEx. On that Sunday, the Eagles sacked Carson Wentz 9 times, accumulating a mind-boggling 17 QB hits.