Jalen Hurts continues to carve out his own chapter in Philadelphia Eagles history, and Saturday’s 29-18 win over the Washington Commanders just added another milestone. With the victory, Hurts becomes the first quarterback since Donovan McNabb to lead the Eagles to back-to-back NFC East titles - a feat that hasn’t been accomplished by any team in the division since McNabb's dominant run from 2001 to 2004.
That’s more than just a stat. It’s a statement about consistency in one of the NFL’s most competitive divisions, where parity has reigned for the better part of two decades.
No NFC East team had repeated as division champs in 19 years - until now. And with two games still left on the regular-season slate, the Eagles have already locked it up.
“It’s a great accomplishment,” Hurts said postgame, reflecting on the moment with the kind of perspective that’s become his trademark. He likened it to his high school days, when he helped end a 20-year playoff drought for his team. “Given all the success and all the competitive football that is going on in this division over the last 20-plus years, to be able to win it back-to-back is a huge accomplishment.”
But if you know Hurts, you know he’s not one to dwell on accolades. “It’s a first time for everything,” he added. “And it’s something that we can just check off the box as we achieve for more.”
That mindset was on full display against Washington, where things didn’t start smoothly. Despite outgaining the Commanders 183-121 in the first half, Philly trailed 10-7 at the break.
The offense sputtered on third down (0-for-3), and kicker Jake Elliott missed two field goals - one of which was wiped out by a Washington penalty. The Eagles were moving the ball, but finishing drives was a different story.
That changed in the second half.
Philadelphia opened the third quarter with a marathon 17-play, 83-yard drive that chewed up nearly nine minutes of clock. Hurts capped it with a 15-yard strike to tight end Dallas Goedert, who went up and high-pointed the ball in the end zone to give the Eagles the lead for good.
“Just Dallas making a big-time play,” Hurts said. And it was.
But the drive also got a major assist from Washington’s defense. An illegal contact penalty on a fourth-and-7 incompletion kept the possession alive, and a defensive pass interference call in the end zone helped set up the touchdown.
From there, the floodgates opened.
The Commanders, already down starting quarterback Jayden Daniels due to a season-ending elbow injury, turned to Marcus Mariota. But Mariota exited early in the second half, forcing third-stringer Josh Johnson into action. On his first series, Johnson threw a pick, giving the Eagles a short field - just 37 yards - that Saquon Barkley quickly turned into points with a 12-yard touchdown run.
“Good to see him going out there earning those yards like he did,” Hurts said of Barkley. “Running very physical.
Ran very hard today. He played a hell of a game.”
Barkley finished with 132 yards on 21 carries, and his punishing style wore down a Commanders defense that had little left in the tank by the fourth quarter. Philadelphia’s final touchdown drive was a statement in itself: four plays, all runs, covering 80 yards. Barkley ripped off gains of 6 and 48, and Tank Bigsby - the former Auburn standout - finished the job with runs of 4 and 22 yards, the last one ending in the end zone.
Hurts, meanwhile, was efficient and composed throughout. He completed 22 of 30 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns, with zero turnovers. He also added 40 yards on the ground, including three scrambles that moved the chains - the kind of subtle, drive-extending plays that don’t always show up in highlight reels but are critical to winning football.
His first touchdown of the day came late in the first quarter - a 5-yard toss to DeVonta Smith, his former Alabama teammate, who continues to be one of the most reliable targets in the league.
With the win, the Eagles have now clinched a playoff berth in all five seasons since Hurts became the starter. That run includes two Super Bowl appearances - in the 2022 and 2024 seasons - and a championship victory last year.
“I’ve said it multiple times: These times, they’re rare times,” Hurts said, soaking in the moment. “So something that we all need to soak in and relish in this moment right now and take it a day at a time as we always have. But keep the main thing the main thing.”
For Hurts and the Eagles, the main thing is winning - and they’re doing it with a blend of physicality, poise, and resilience that makes them one of the most dangerous teams heading into the postseason. Again.