Eagles Clinch NFC East with Gritty Win, While Playoff Picture Begins to Shift Across the League
It wasn’t pretty, but it didn’t need to be. The Philadelphia Eagles have officially punched their ticket to the postseason and locked up a second straight NFC East title - the first team to do that since 2004.
Saturday’s 29-18 win over Washington wasn’t a showcase of clean football, but it was enough. And in December, that’s what counts.
Let’s start with the moment that flipped the script. Jalen Hurts, facing a third-and-goal from the 15-yard line in a game that had been defined by missed opportunities and special teams mishaps, delivered a dime to Dallas Goedert in tight coverage. That touchdown gave Philly a 14-10 lead late in the third quarter and lit the spark this offense had been searching for all afternoon.
From there, the Eagles took control. Cooper DeJean came up with a key interception, and Saquon Barkley turned it into points with a 12-yard touchdown run. Barkley was a workhorse in this one, racking up 132 yards on the ground and giving Philly the kind of downhill presence that’s been missing in recent weeks.
Hurts finished the day with two touchdown passes - the first of which came on the opening drive, a five-yard strike to DeVonta Smith that helped erase the sting of a fumble on the opening kickoff. Hurts also added 40 rushing yards on seven carries and completed 22 of 30 passes for 185 yards. It wasn’t a gaudy stat line, but it was efficient, steady, and clutch when it mattered most.
And let’s give credit where it’s due: offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo finally found some rhythm with this group. The Eagles piled up 385 total yards, including a dominant 207 on the ground.
A.J. Brown led all receivers with nine catches for 95 yards, and Smith chipped in six grabs for 42 and a score.
But this win wasn’t without its blemishes - most of them coming from the special teams unit. Jake Elliott, typically one of the league’s more reliable kickers, missed three field goals in the first half.
Only two officially counted due to a Washington penalty, but the damage to his confidence may linger. Elliott came into the game 17-of-22 on field goals and nearly automatic on extra points, but Saturday raised questions about whether head coach Nick Sirianni will need to explore options ahead of the postseason.
Then there was the kickoff return team. Will Shipley fumbled the opening kickoff, setting up a Washington field goal, and later made a questionable decision to return a kick near the goal line instead of taking a touchback. These are the kind of miscues that can be fatal in January - and the Eagles know it.
Still, the defense held its ground, and the offense did enough to pull away. Washington, meanwhile, looked like a team ready for the offseason.
Marcus Mariota started but didn’t finish the game due to injury, and the Commanders’ offense never found any rhythm. Terry McLaurin led the team with just three catches for 53 yards - a stat that says more about the state of the offense than it does about McLaurin’s ability.
It’s been a rough stretch for Washington, and Saturday’s showing didn’t do much to inspire confidence heading into the final two weeks. With a depleted defense and an offense that’s stuck in neutral, the Commanders are limping toward the finish line.
Around the league, the playoff picture is starting to take shape. Green Bay and Chicago are set to battle for the top spot in the NFC North in the second half of Saturday’s doubleheader. The Packers are playing their first game without star linebacker Micah Parsons, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last week - a massive blow to a defense that’s been among the league’s best.
Thursday night gave us a thriller, with the Seahawks and Rams delivering what might have been the game of the year. Seattle erased a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit and edged Los Angeles in overtime, 38-37, thanks to a gutsy two-point conversion call. That win vaulted the Seahawks into first place in the NFC West and gave them the inside track to the No. 1 seed in the conference.
Sunday’s matchups are loaded with playoff implications. The Broncos (12-2) host the Jaguars (10-4) in a heavyweight AFC showdown. Meanwhile, the Ravens (7-7) are clinging to postseason hopes and will need a win over the AFC East-leading Patriots (11-3) to stay alive.
And Monday night? That’s when things get really interesting.
The 49ers (10-4) take on Philip Rivers and the Colts (8-6) in a game with major implications for both conferences. Yes, 44-year-old Rivers is still slinging it, and yes, the Colts are still in the playoff hunt.
San Francisco, meanwhile, could steal the NFC West if it wins out.
But for now, the story belongs to Philadelphia. They’ve been inconsistent, at times frustrating, and far from flawless.
But they’re 10-5, division champs once again, and headed to the playoffs for the fifth straight year. And with Jalen Hurts making plays like he did on third-and-15, they’re still a team nobody wants to face in January.