The Eagles head to Washington on Sunday night carrying a 2-5 record and a lot of doubt, while the Commanders sit at 1-4-1 and 5 1/2-point favorites in Week 8.
Around the room, the picks split in different directions, but the common thread is clear: both teams enter this one with major issues, and the Eagles’ recent slide is hard to ignore.
Reuben Frank sees a Commanders team that has been bad across the board and still doesn’t trust the Eagles to take advantage. He pointed to Washington’s one win, its 19th-ranked offense and 25th-ranked defense, along with a run game that has not produced much, a wide receiver group missing its top option for the year, and a quarterback who “hasn't thrown a touchdown pass longer than 10 yards.” Even with the Eagles’ edge in talent, Frank doesn’t think it changes much.
Commanders 24, Eagles 17
Dave Zangaro also leaned Washington, noting how far things have fallen for Philadelphia that the Eagles are underdogs against a one-win team. He said the offense showed some life last week before the defense collapsed, and while Washington is missing key pieces like Terry McLaurin and Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Zangaro still isn’t ready to back the Eagles after what he’s seen over the last few weeks.
Commanders 26, Eagles 24
Barrett Brooks took the opposite side and expects a much cleaner defensive effort from Philadelphia than the one it put on display against Dallas. He said Saquon Barkley helped set the tone early, which opened up the offense and play action, while Tanner McKee settled in and Makai Lemon looked comfortable as a first option. Brooks called the defensive showing against the Cowboys an anomaly and said the Eagles’ front should not look that disorganized again.
Eagles 27, Commanders 21
Mike Mulhern sees a season teetering on the edge, but still has a feeling Philadelphia can snap the skid. He said the Eagles’ defense should respond after being questioned for its effort against Dallas, especially against a depleted Washington offense.
Mulhern pointed to the Commanders being without Laremy Tunsil and Terry McLaurin for the season, with Jacory Croskey-Merritt on IR, and noted that Jayden Daniels has been sacked nine times in the last two games. He also expects Barkley, back on the practice field Friday, to push through and help carry the Eagles.
Eagles 24, Commanders 23
Ashlyn Sullivan also backed Philadelphia, focusing on the Eagles’ defensive line against a Washington run game that has not done much outside of Daniels’ scrambles. She said Barkley has no injury designation and liked the way the Eagles tried to run the ball against the Cowboys. Her view: the Eagles have already lost too much to keep dropping games like this.
Eagles 21, Commanders 17
Ryan Fowler called it a big game for both teams in primetime and said Barkley’s workload will be worth watching after he looked electric in the first half against Dallas. He also stressed the challenge of Washington’s blitz-heavy defense under Daronte Jones, which sends pressure at the second highest clip in football.
For Philadelphia, he said limiting turnovers will be critical. Defensively, Fowler expects last week’s meltdown to be treated as an outlier and believes Vic Fangio’s group will show up ready to play.
Fowler also framed the game as especially important for Washington, saying it could be an organizational turning point and that Dan Quinn could lose his job if the Commanders don’t win.
In Other News...
Eagles Are Flirting With Another Costly Saquon Barkley Decision
Saquon Barkleys season has already been a stop-and-start one, with injuries piling up and the Eagles trying to manage his workload as the games keep coming. He was back at practice Friday after sitting out the first two sessions of the week, and the expectation is that he will be available for the next game, which only sharpens the attention on how carefully Philadelphia is handling him.
The concern around Barkley is bigger than one practice report because the Eagles are still dealing with the fallout from Jalen Hurts season-ending blood clot situation. Hurts initially had what seemed like a minor issue before it worsened after he kept playing and traveling, and now there is a real unease that Philadelphia could be drifting into the same kind of risk with another key player if it does not get the balance right. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Send A Clear Message About Their Depth Before Commanders Game
The Eagles added some extra insurance for their Week 8 matchup with Washington by elevating running back Elijah Mitchell and edge rusher Mason Reiger from the practice squad. Mitchells move comes with some familiarity, since it is his second temporary elevation of the season, while Reiger is in line to make his Eagles debut as Philadelphia continues to manage the edges of its roster heading into a divisional game.
Philadelphia also left tight end Zach Ertz and cornerback Jakorian Bennett on injured reserve ahead of the Commanders game, keeping those spots unchanged for now. The decisions underscore how the Eagles are piecing together depth on the fly, with the practice squad again serving as a short-term solution as the team prepares for a key NFC East test. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Buyers Remorse Is Growing Around 3 Offseason Decisions
The Eagles 2026 season has already been shaped by injuries and a few offseason swings that have not landed the way the front office hoped. Among the biggest concerns is linebacker Jonathan Greenard, whose four-year deal was supposed to stabilize the defense but has instead been slowed by health issues and uneven play, leaving Philadelphia without the impact it expected from a major investment.
There is also the sting of what the Eagles gave up to make room for those moves. Nakobe Dean has found a strong fit with the Raiders, while second-round tight end Eli Stowers has barely been part of the offense and has yet to make a catch. For a team trying to stay competitive in a crowded NFC race, those decisions are starting to look less like calculated risks and more like missed opportunities. [Read more 🡒]