The Eagles went through hell to prevail over the Commanders and only in the final quarter did they really gain momentum for an important victory over a divisional rival, their sixth straight since the bye. But be careful, all that glitters is not gold and several problems at Phila were masked by super Barkley, the formidable running back taken as a free agent (what a mistake that was made by the New York Giants, unforgivable), who rocketed off towards the touchdown twice, overwhelming the Washington defense now exhausted from trying to contain number twenty-six, a Duracell of strength, agility and obstinacy, for the entire game.
The final numbers of Saquon’s game say it all: 198 total yards, 146 rushing, 52 on throws by Jalen Hurts. A fury. He started strong and finished very strong…Truly the extra man of these Eagles who have great potential which, in our opinion, has not always been exploited to the maximum. But then Saqon comes and makes everything right. Obviously, it should never be forgotten that a player alone never makes a spring and if Barkley is having an impressive season, it is also due to the Eagles’ offensive line capable of opening up those gaps for him into which he is a devil to slip in with speed and with so much power.
But as mentioned, Washington held the field well, yielding only towards the end. The first half ended with the Commanders leading 7-3. The start of the second was equally difficult for the home team and the third quarter ended with a 3-3 run (so the Eagles were down 10-6) but in the last fifteen minutes the Barkley-hurricane hit the Commanders and the run of 20-8 sealed the victory by 26-18.
Heavy victory, but complicated and not painless. Jalen Hurts, hard tackled, hit his head on the ground and was evaluated for a head injury. But then he was sent back onto the field and did very well in the second half, even scoring a touchdown. Kicker Elliott, on the other hand, was, one might say, a disaster, missing two not impossible field goals and one realization, for a total of seven points wasted. Eagles fans hope that the very reliable kicker just had a classic bad day.
More than one regret at Commanders. Especially for a questionable call by coach Quinn: instead of kicking from three he looked for a fourth down for his team that went badly. With the field goal Washington would have taken the lead again in the fourth quarter but instead…
The rookie Daniels did not do very well as he allowed himself to be intercepted at the key moment, effectively ending the contest. Zach Ertz, the unforgettable Eagles tigh end now on the opposite side, did very well. He scored eight points with a touchdown and a two-pointer.
Philadelphia’s winning series has now relaunched its ambitions and prices even if coach Sirianni’s leadership does not seem up to par for many, including fans, of a team that wants to compete for the Super Bowl. As always, it will be the pitch, with the next matches, that will issue the verdict on the real potential of Hurts and his teammates.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 26 Washington Commanders 18
