The Philadelphia Eagles walked away with a 29-18 win over the Washington Commanders, but the scoreboard wasn’t the only thing people were talking about afterward. One fourth-quarter decision by head coach Nick Sirianni lit a fire that carried well beyond the final whistle-and sparked some serious postgame tension.
With the Eagles leading 27-10 after a touchdown run by Tank Bigsby, Sirianni made the call to go for two instead of kicking the extra point. Saquon Barkley punched it in, pushing the lead to 29-10.
That decision didn’t sit well with the Commanders-and it showed. A scuffle broke out shortly after, leading to three player ejections, including just one from Philly: rookie right guard Tyler Steen.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn didn’t hide his frustration, either. Postgame, he offered a pointed remark: “If that’s how they want to get down, all good. We’ll play them again in two weeks.”
It was a comment that raised eyebrows, especially given how the Commanders approached the fourth quarter themselves. Down 21-10 before the fight, Washington had two straight three-and-outs and punted both times.
That’s not exactly the kind of urgency you’d expect from a team trying to mount a comeback in a divisional game. The Commanders didn’t show any real aggression until their final drive-by then, they were trailing by 19 and the game was essentially out of reach.
So while Quinn took issue with Sirianni’s decision to go for two, the Eagles coach had his reasons. After the game, Sirianni clarified that it wasn’t about running up the score-it was about putting the game out of reach.
A 19-point lead forces a team to score three times, and at least two of those would need to be two-point conversions. That’s a steep hill to climb, especially when time’s running out.
And context matters here. The Eagles have blown multiple double-digit leads this season, including two that turned into losses.
They’ve flirted with disaster in a few others. So when Sirianni saw a chance to slam the door, he took it.
Add in the fact that kicker Jake Elliott missed two field goals earlier in the game, and it’s not hard to see why Sirianni might have opted for the more aggressive route-even if he didn’t say it outright.
As for Quinn’s “we’ll see them in two weeks” comment-well, that rematch in Week 18 won’t carry much weight. The Commanders have already been eliminated from playoff contention, and the Eagles clinched the NFC East with this win.
If Quinn wants to use that final game as motivation, that’s his prerogative. But odds are the Eagles will be resting key starters, looking ahead to the postseason.
At the end of the day, this game was about more than just the scoreboard. It was about tone-setting, playoff positioning, and two division rivals not backing down.
Sirianni made a call that ruffled feathers-but it also helped seal a critical win. And in December, that’s what matters most.