Top photos from Eagles 55-23 win over Commanders in NFC Championship game

Top photos from Eagles 55-23 win over Commanders in NFC Championship game

The Eagles dominated every facet of the game and won the turnover battle while dominating the Commanders to advance to Super Bowl 59. Philadelphia rushed for seven touchdowns, including three scores each for Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley, blowing out their NFC East rival 55-23 at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.

As preparations begin for the trip to New Orleans, we’re reviewing the top photos from the historic victory.

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Highlights from first half as Eagles hold a 27-15 lead over Commanders in NFC Championship game

Sights and sounds from first half as Eagles hold a 27-15 lead Commanders in NFC Championship game

The Washington Commanders have a young, ascending roster, and that youth showed in the first half. Costly penalties and crucial turnovers spurred the Eagles early on, giving them a 27-15 lead in the NFC Championship game.

Saquon Barkley’s two first-half touchdowns energized the Birds, and Jalen Hurts connected with A.J. Brown on a four-yard touchdown with 57 seconds left in the first half. We’re looking at the first-half highlights with the second half set to begin.

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Sights and sounds from first half as Eagles hold a 21-14 lead over the Commanders

Sights and sounds from first half as Eagles hold a 21-14 lead over the Commanders

A solid backup quarterback is the most important thing to an NFL team, and Kenny Pickett finally had his moment after Jalen Hurts was forced to exit with a concussion. The former Steelers first-round pick had one ugly interception but made some big throws as Philadelphia went into the half with a 2-14 lead.

An Eagles win would give Nick Sirianni, the head coach, his second NFC East title in four years.

Here are sights and sounds from the first half.

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Commanders-Eagles inactives: Who’s in, who’s out for Week 16

Which players are in for the Commanders in Week 16? Who is out? The Week 16 inactive list is here.

Today, the Washington Commanders (9-5) host the Philadelphia Eagles (12-2) in an NFC East showdown from Northwest Stadium. The Commanders received some good news ahead of kickoff, as tight end Zach Ertz and safety Jeremy Chinn are active and will play.

Ertz and Chinn suffered concussions in last week’s win over the Saints and were in the NFL’s concussion protocol. Ertz is Washington’s second-leading receiver and Chinn is the team’s second-leading tackler.

Last week, the Commanders had a surprise inactive on gameday. Starting center Tyler Biadasz was sick and ruled out just before kickoff. Biadasz is healthy and will play. Fortunately for Washington, there were no surprises this week.

As for the rest of the inactives, here’s the Commanders’ list for Week 16:

  • QB Jeff Driskel
  • DT Phidarian Mathis
  • G Chris Paul
  • WR K.J. Osborn
  • LB Dominique Hampton
  • CB Michael Davis

Osborn was claimed off waivers less than two weeks ago and has been inactive for his first two games for the Commanders.

Here are the Eagles’ inactives for Week 16:

  • WR Britain Covey
  • QB Tanner McKee
  • CB Eli Ricks
  • OL Nick Gates
  • OL Darian Kinnard
  • G Trevor Keegan

Will Jeremy Chinn play Sunday? Injury update for Commanders safety

Will Jeremy Chinn play Sunday? The latest on the Commanders S.

Will Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Chinn play in Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles?

The fifth-year safety suffered a concussion in the second half of last week’s win over the New Orleans Saints. Chinn is second on the team with 93 tackles and has started every game this season. Chinn also has a sack, an interception, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. After a slow start, he’s proven to be an excellent fit for Washington’s rebuilt defense.

Jeremy Chinn injury update

Chinn surprised everyone when he practiced on Wednesday. He was limited, but seeing him on the field three days after the concussion was encouraging.

Commanders S depth chart

  • SS1: Jeremy Chinn
  • SS2: Percy Butler
  • SS3: Darrick Forrest

Butler was ahead of Forrest throughout the season, but Forrest has received more playing time in recent weeks and could be the top option if Chinn can’t go.

 

What’s the injury status of two key Commanders ahead of Week 16?

What’s the latest on Jeremy Chinn and Zach Ertz?

The Washington Commanders (9-5) have a big game this weekend. Washington hosts the Philadelphia Eagles (12-2) in a rematch from Week 11. While the Eagles won the first game, it wasn’t easy, as Washington controlled the game through three quarters before wearing down in the fourth quarter.

The NFC East remains a possibility but a distant one. Philly has a three-game lead with three games remaining, and it’s difficult to see the Eagles — who have won 10 straight games — losing three in a row to end the regular season.

The Commanders look to remain in control of the seventh seed in the NFC playoffs, but they could be without key starters against the Eagles.

Tight end Zach Ertz and safety Jeremy Chinn are in the NFL concussion protocol after suffering concussions in last week’s win over the Saints. Chinn surprised everyone by participating in practice on Wednesday, although he was limited.

It was the same situation on Thursday for Chinn.

Ertz missed practice on Wednesday, but he never practices on Wednesdays. Like Chinn, Ertz was limited on Thursday.

It’s difficult to assess a player’s availability regarding head injuries. However, it is a good sign that Chinn and Ertz are on the practice field. Their situations will likely come down to Saturday’s deadline to elevate players from the practice squad.

Positive injury news on Commanders’ defensive starter

More potentially good news for the Commanders.

It’s getting to the point in the season where injuries mount. The Washington Commanders, who just came off a bye week, saw two key starters leave Sunday’s win over the New Orleans Saints due to concussions.

Starting tight end Zach Ertz left during the second quarter and was quickly ruled out. Ertz’s head hit the ground hard after a catch inside New Orleans’s five-yard line.

Safety Jeremy Chinn left the game in the second half and did not return. On Monday, head coach Dan Quinn confirmed that Ertz and Chinn were in the NFL’s concussion protocol.

Running back Austin Ekeler is currently on injured reserve after suffering his second concussion this season in Week 12.

On Wednesday, the Commanders returned to practice in preparation for a Week 16 rematch with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles won the first meeting in Week 11, 26-18.

In some good news, Chinn was on the practice field for the Commanders. While he was limited, seeing him back on the field so soon after the concussion was surprising. While Chinn is not yet cleared, his status will be worth watching over the next two days.

Ertz did not practice, which is customary for him on Wednesday, as it has been a rest day for the 12-year veteran.

Chinn has been an integral part of the Commanders’ defense, which has significantly improved from last season.

Commanders give concerning injury updates to a pair of key starters

Two key Commanders could be in jeopardy of missing Week 16 game vs. Eagles.

The Washington Commanders entered Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints without two of their top four receivers. Running back Austin Ekeler landed on injured reserve after Week 12 with a concussion, while wide receiver Noah Brown was placed on IR on Saturday.

That left wide receiver Terry McLaurin and tight end Zach Ertz as Washington’s primary pass catchers.

McLaurin was phenomenal again, catching seven passes for 73 yards and two touchdowns. He has 11 receiving touchdowns, second in the NFL to Ja’Marr Chase — with three games remaining.

Ertz made his presence felt on Sunday, too, making a beautiful one-handed catch, giving the Commanders a first-and-goal from the three-yard line. However, on the play, Ertz landed hard on the ground and slowly got up before entering the medical tent.

He was quickly ruled out with a concussion.

In the second half, starting safety Jeremy Chinn also departed the game with a concussion and did not return. Now, both key starters are in the NFL’s concussion protocol ahead of Washington’s important Week 16 showdown against the Eagles.

“Both Zach and Jeremy are in our concussion protocol, and so we’ll follow each step along the way,” Quinn said Monday. 

Quinn was asked specifically about Ertz and if his absence changes the usage of specific players and formations.

“Yeah, as it goes you would, there’s a couple of ways to think about that,” Quinn continued. “It could be some of the big guy stuff in the run game, just like you suggested, which is definitely a viable plan. And then there’s also the other way, how do you incorporate the backs more they can get outside to move and different types of sets. So, some don’t include a tight end with two halfbacks in the game and three receivers. And so, utilizing different packages will be part of that.”

Ertz has been a safety valve for quarterback Jayden Daniels this season.

Chinn has started every game for Washington and is second on the team in tackles with 93, trailing only Bobby Wagner.

Losing either or both would severely limit the Commanders’ chances of upsetting the Eagles next week.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn says two positions are sticking out ahead of cutdown day

Quinn says two positions have been harder to evaluate.

How many spots on the 53-man roster are up for grabs heading into the Washington Commanders’ final preseason game on Sunday vs. New England?

Will the Commanders keep three quarterbacks? Or will they keep 10 offensive linemen? What about six cornerbacks, seven wide receivers, or four tight ends?

General manager Adam Peters faces some difficult decisions before next week’s deadline for final cuts. A few positions will likely come down to Sunday’s game against the Patriots.

What is head coach Dan Quinn thinking about cutdown day?

“This may sound unusual, but we’re really looking for consistency because sometimes when a person can be into this spot or a ball player, they could press to really want to show out, or I wanna make this play, I wanna do something to stand out,” Quinn said Wednesday. “And so being tighter doesn’t allow you to play better. It just can make you a little tighter and more anxious about the play. So we’re really trying to make sure we’re staying into the flow of how we do things, and there may be some higher reps on a special teams portion or lower and higher on offense or defense.”

Quinn was asked if any position groups were standing out above others.

“I thought two of the groups that have really stood out to me, just been consistent and deep are at safety and at tight end, and just the practice habits, the willingness to go for their battles on special teams,” Quinn said. “So those have been two that have stood out to me of consistently high-level effort, guys supporting one another. And so that’s what you want as a coach where there’s really challenging spots and guys really pushing it. And I’d say those are two of the positions that that jump out to me.”

Let’s start with tight end. Three players are roster locks: Zach Ertz, Ben Sinnott and John Bates. Will the Commanders keep a fourth tight end? If so, that’s good news for third-year TE Cole Turner. Turner has had a solid camp but hasn’t flashed in the preseason games.

As for safety, Quan Martin and Jeremy Chinn are locks. Jeremy Reaves is close to a lock, with Percy Butler and Darrick Forrest also in the mix. Butler appears to be Washington’s top backup at free safety, while Forrest, who had a breakout season two years ago, has battled an injury this summer.

Undrafted rookie Tyler Owens is the wild card. Owens has all the physical attributes and has shined throughout training camp and in both preseason games. He’s made the safety battle much more enjoyable. And as much as Quinn has discussed him, it’s difficult to see the Commanders moving on from him next week.

A position change for one of the Commanders’ rookies?

Did a member of Washington’s rookie class change positions?

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated spent a day in Ashburn, Virginia, last week on his training camp tour, previewing the Washington Commanders.

While Breer’s eyes were on rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and head coach Dan Quinn, Breer had several other observations in his latest column for SI.

But one of his observations stood out more than most. Here’s what Breer said of sixth-round pick Dominique Hampton.

Fifth-rounder Dominique Hampton is adjusting nicely to linebacker, and undrafted free agent Tyler Owens, a long, rangy safety, looks like he’ll make the team, play on special teams, and have a future on defense.

Has Hampton switched positions from safety to linebacker?

In Quinn’s scheme, it’s common for one of the safeties to play in the box at times. That will be Jeremy Chinn’s role in 2024. But Breer called Hampton a linebacker. It’s no surprise he’s working with the linebackers, but if he’s officially changed positions, that could be a way for him and Tyler Owens to make Washington’s 53-man roster.

Hampton certainly has the size and athleticism, at 6 feet 3 inches and 220 pounds. Markquese Bell filled a similar role for the Cowboys under Quinn.

Quan Martin, Chinn, Jeremy Reaves, Percy Butler, Owens, Hampton and Darrick Forrest are all battling for what is likely five safety spots. If Hampton is a linebacker, that allows the Commanders to be more creative.

It will be interesting to see where Hampton lines up in this weekend’s preseason game against the Miami Dolphins.