The Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders split their regular-season series with all kinds of fireworks. First, in November, Saquon Barkley and Co. ran wild to give the Birds a decisive prime-time victory, and clear control of the NFC East. Then, in December, Jayden Daniels stole the show after Jalen Hurts exited the rematch due to injury, leading Washington to a thrilling 36-33 comeback victory.
Both sides have fared well since their last showdown. The Eagles are fresh off a wintry victory over the Los Angeles Rams, while the Commanders just upset the vaunted Detroit Lions in Motor City. Now, they’re about to go head-to-head for the final time this season, with a trip to Super Bowl LIX on the line.
How can you tune in? Which player matchups are most pivotal? And who’s primed to walk away with the conference title? Here’s our preview and sports betting prediction:
Where to watch Eagles vs. Commanders
Date: Sunday, Jan. 26 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)
TV: Fox | Stream: fubo (try for free)
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Eagles -6, O/U 47.5 (SportsLine consensus)
Key questions for Eagles vs. Commanders
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- Will Jalen Hurts be able to move? For all the hype Daniels gets as a dual threat, one of Hurts’ top qualities as the Eagles’ star quarterback is his mobility, sometimes as a short-yardage bruiser more than a big-play threat. Yet he required a knee brace to finish the Eagles’ divisional-round win over the Rams after going down awkwardly in the second half, and he appeared rather limited from a pocket-fleeing standpoint late in the contest. The Eagles are talented enough to win without Hurts straining a defense with his legs, but if he’s not close to 100%, they may not be nearly as unpredictable.
- How will Vic Fangio attack Jayden Daniels? Last time these two clubs met, the veteran defensive coordinator experimented with extra rushers against the rookie quarterback, only for Daniels to break out with five touchdown passes, including a game-winner near the finish line. And he ran for 81 yards! With starting linebacker Nakobe Dean sidelined for the rest of the year, will Fangio hold back and hope to force Daniels into shorter targets? Or go all in on defending the run? This may be the chess match that decides the entire affair, because Daniels has played like a polished pro in and outside the pocket.
- Can Dan Quinn’s defense slow down Saquon Barkley? Jalen Hurts joked recently that everyone has “tried” to stop Barkley, only to inevitably fail. And it’s mostly true: The MVP-level ball carrier has been a home run waiting to happen at the centerpiece of Philly’s offense. The good news for him: Quinn’s Commanders “D” is ranked 30th against the run, potentially offering ample space for more breakaway scores. It’s not that Washington lacks thumpers at the second level; Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu are tone-setters. But Barkley’s burst often proves to be simply too much.
Pivotal players to watch
As stated, Barkley’s been an unmatched big-play threat with the ball in his hands, and he’ll be up against a generally porous Commanders run defense. If Hurts is limited by his apparent knee injury, the former New York Giants star could be in for an even greater workload as the heartbeat of Philadelphia’s attack. Unless, of course, Hurts finally feeds A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith on the perimeter as well.
Few teams have aired it out deep against the Eagles with great success; Philly enters this one ranked No. 1 in pass defense. McLaurin, however, has been an ace downfield option for Daniels, whose snappy deep ball is one of the prettiest in the game. If young Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell isn’t at full health, or can’t suit up at all due to injury, Washington’s No. 1 target could have even more splashy opportunities.
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Expert odds
The Eagles opened as 6-point favorites against the rival Commanders, per SportsLine, and remained touchdown favorites through Tuesday. Philadelphia was also favored against the Rams in its divisional-round victory, and against the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round. The Commanders, meanwhile, are 2-0 as playoff underdogs up to this point after beating both the Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Prediction
After outdueling Jared Goff in the roaring confines of Ford Field, and tossing five scores against the Eagles earlier this year, it’s not unreasonable to think Daniels could quiet the Philly crowd with another dose of big-play theatrics.
Whereas Washington is almost single-handedly powered by Daniels’ magic, however, the Eagles register as more of the total package. Funny enough, their own dual-threat quarterback, Jalen Hurts, has taken a relative backseat to their success, and it’s likely he won’t even be at full speed on Sunday thanks to a knee injury suffered last Sunday. But he also hasn’t needed to play Superman because of Saquon Barkley wearing his own cape as the home run hitter of their backfield. And this week, Barkley gets a Washington run defense that ranks among the worst in the NFL, even with some hard hitters on the second level.
Equipped with a home-field advantage edge, Eagles should fly as long as they don’t stumble into an uncharacteristic turnover spree or overthink it on the sidelines. Pick: Eagles 27, Commanders 22
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