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.

***

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.

***

Commanders, Lions erupt for 42 points in second quarter

The Commanders erupted for 14 points in less than a minute

The Washington Commanders aren’t just happy to be in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

They were giving the Detroit Lions all they could handle — and more — in the first half on Saturday at Ford Field.

After a Brian Robinson Jr. touchdown for Washington, the Lions took a 14-10 lead on a remarkable catch by Sam LaPorta and a PAT.

In a game that had the earmarks of a slobber knocker, the Commanders scored twice in 58 seconds of the second quarter to take a 24-14 lead.

First, Jayden Daniels threw a short pass to Terry McLaurin and the elite wideout turned it into a 58-yard touchdown.

Less than a minute later, Jared Goff got greedy and was picked by Quan Martin.

The interception was returned 40 yards for a touchdown.

Goff was knocked silly on a block on the interception return. Teddy Bridgewater, who coached a Florida team to a HS state championship this season, came on for Goff.

The Lions scored on a 61-yard Jameson Williams run on a trick play. So, yes, a high school football coach led a scoring drive in the NFL playoffs.

The Commanders countered again with a seven-play drive that ended with Daniels throwing a TD pass to veteran TE Zach Ertz.

The Lions appeared to be driving for a score in the final minute of the first half but Goff was picked off by Mikey Sainristil.

The Commanders left the field with a 31-21 lead at the break.

 

WATCH: Commanders safety Quan Martin with a pick-six vs. Lions

Quan Martin with his first career pick-six vs. Lions.

Terry McLaurin outraced the Detroit Lions on a 58-yard touchdown to give the Washington Commanders a 17-14 lead midway through the second quarter in Saturday’s NFC divisional round matchup.

How would Washington’s defense respond after McLaurin’s touchdown?

Detroit quarterback Jared Goff targeted tight end Sam LaPorta but was too high with the throw, and Commanders safety Quan Martin came away with an easy interception. Martin wasn’t done, though, returning it 40 yards for the touchdown to give Washington a 24-14 lead.

Check it out.

It was Martin’s first career interception returned for a touchdown.

On the play, Washington linebacker Frankie Luvu destroyed Goff on a block near the end zone, knocking him out for the series. It didn’t matter, as the Lions scored anyway when wide receiver Jameson Williams scored on a reverse.

Goff looks OK to re-enter the game.

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.

***

Commanders-Cowboys tied 3-3 at halftime: 4 first-half takeaways

Here are four quick takeaways from an ugly first half between the Commanders and Cowboys.

The Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys are tied 3-3 at halftime of their Week 12 matchup from Northwest Stadium.

Here are three quick takeaways from an ugly half of football:

Jayden Daniels struggling

Can we stop saying it’s the ribs? He’s just not playing well. On a deep throw to Terry McLaurin, a pass Daniels hit with ease through the first half of the season, Daniels led McLaurin out of bounds. Then, late in the first half, Daniels threw an inexcusable interception. Running back Brian Robinson Jr. was in traffic around several Dallas players; Daniels, trying to avoid pressure, flipped it to Robinson, and it went off his hands for an interception. Daniels should never throw the ball in that situation.

On Washington’s final first-half drive, Daniels rolled right out of bounds on three consecutive plays and the Commanders were forced to punt. Daniels completed nine of 16 passes for 57 yards and an interception.

Special teams thriving

Yes, kicker Austin Seibert missed a field goal. He can’t make field goals over 50 yards until proven otherwise. However, the rest of the special teams’ units came to play.

Starting safety Quan Martin blocked a field goal on Dallas’ first drive. Later in the half, defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis blocked a punt. Both times, the Commanders had excellent field position and struggled to capitalize.

No running game

Early in the season, the Commanders’ offense began with a strong running game. Washington rushed for 58 yards in the first half, but 14 were on a Dyami Brown reverse. Dallas is not good at stopping the run, yet Washington can’t run the ball. That’s a concern.

Until the Commanders can run the ball, it’s difficult to believe they’ll get out of this offensive funk. Daniels isn’t inspiring confidence that he can pass them out of it.

Defense doing its job except for one guy

Washington’s defense was excellent outside of the first drive and the final play in the first half. Linebacker Frankie Luvu was a menace, finishing with six tackles and breaking up three passes.

Cornerback Benjamin St-Juste somehow allowed Cooper Rush to complete a 41-yard pass at the end of the half to give the Cowboys an easy three points. St-Juste managed to commit a penalty on the play and still allowed the catch.

Commanders S Quan Martin’s injury a major concern ahead of Week 2 vs. Giants

Quan Martin is questionable Sunday. He would be a big loss if he can’t play.

The Washington secondary was terrible in Week 1. The Commanders allowed Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield to complete 80% of his passes and throw four touchdowns.

Throughout the week, players and coaches believe communication breakdowns led to several big plays. For the team’s fans, that’s not encouraging, considering how the prior regime dealt with communication breakdowns in the secondary on a seemingly weekly basis.

Pro Football Focus gave three members of Washington’s secondary their lowest defensive grades for last Sunday’s game. One of those players, cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, will miss the Week 2 game against the New York Giants after undergoing thumb surgery Friday.

On Friday, the Commanders received more potential bad news when free safety Quan Martin was limited with a hamstring injury. Washington listed him as questionable for Sunday.

Martin didn’t have a great game in Week 1, but he did have an excellent summer and showed promise as a rookie. How much worse would the Commanders’ secondary be if Martin is out? Washington doesn’t have one corner who can match up with Giants rookie Malik Nabers one-on-one. So, Martin’s presence could be critical in limiting Nabers.

If Martin can’t go, Percy Butler would start in his place. Butler played well last week, and the coaches seem to be high on him. However, Martin is the starter for a reason. He’s versatile. Washington can move him around the secondary; he has a high football IQ and tackles well.

Hamstring injuries can often linger for weeks. That would be a tough blow for a Washington secondary that already has its share of issues.

Commanders final injury report: Quan Martin a surprise addition

Quan Martin among three questionable for Sunday.

The Washington Commanders released their final injury report for Sunday’s home opener against the New York Giants, which contained a surprise. Second-year safety Quan Martin was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury. Martin was a full participant during Wednesday and Thursday’s practices.

If Martin can’t go, Percy Butler, named one of the Week 2 captains, will start at safety.

On Friday, Cornerback Emmanuel Forbes underwent thumb surgery, and head coach Dan Quinn said he would not need to go on the reserve/injured list, which means Washington doesn’t expect him out for long.

Quinn also said rookie defensive tackle Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton continues to progress toward his debut, and the Commanders will likely decide his status by Saturday.

Here is Washington’s final injury report for Week 2 vs. the Giants:

Out: CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr. (thumb)

Doubtful: None

Questionable: DE Clelin Ferrell (knee), S Quan Martin (hamstring), DT Jer’Zhan Newton (foot)

As for the Giants, rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers will play. He was limited during Thursday’s practice with a knee injury. However, three Giants are ruled out for Sunday:

Here is New York’s final injury report:

Out: CB Nick McCloud (knee), LB Darius Muasau (knee), WR Gunner Olszewski (groin)

Doubtful: None

Questionable: None

 

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.

Where do the Commanders rank among NFL teams in under-25 talent?

The Commanders’ ranking is bolstered by its rookie class.

The Washington Commanders had a busy offseason overhauling a roster that went 4-13 last season. The good news is Washington had plenty of cap space and nine picks in the 2024 NFL draft to flip a roster that former head coach Ron Rivera believed was really good.

The most significant new addition is quarterback Jayden Daniels. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner was selected No. 2 overall and has impressed coaches and teammates with his work ethic since arriving in May.

Six of Washington’s nine selections came in the draft’s first three rounds. Five rookies have a clear path to significant playing time in 2024.

Can the rookie class enjoy immediate success like the Houston Texans one year ago? The biggest similarity between Houston and Washington is under center. C.J. Stroud was the No. 2 overall pick in 2023 and became one of the NFL’s top young passers as a rookie.

ESPN recently ranked every NFL team in terms of under-25 talent. Washington ranked 18th, and the Commanders ranked 15th last season.

Blue-chip players: QB Jayden Daniels

Notable graduated players: RB Brian Robinson Jr., G Samuel Cosmi, LB Jamin Davis

Washington is boosted significantly by this year’s draft, and that starts with the No. 2 overall pick and 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Daniels (23) at quarterback. The Commanders also had three second-round picks this year. Defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton and tight end Ben Sinnott are both 22, while nickelback Mike Sainristil is 23.

As for players who were in Washington last year, wide receiver Jahan Dotson is 24, although his reputation is better than his performance in the ESPN receiver tracking metrics, where he finished near the bottom of the league. Another young player who struggled in advanced metrics is cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. Last year’s first-round pick was one of the worst cornerbacks in the league, with only 38 tackles and one interception. However, he’s just 23, and many top corners take two or three years to develop.

That’s certainly an encouraging perspective on Forbes.

If the Commanders’ rookie class and some of their second-year players like Forbes and Quan Martin can emerge as starters, Washington will be much higher on this list one year from now.

Were you wondering where the NFC East teams ranked in terms of under-25 talent? We’ve got you covered:

  • New York Giants: 13th
  • Dallas Cowboys: 21st
  • Philadelphia Eagles: 29th