Commanders somehow survive Hurts-less Eagles, celebrate like they won the Super Bowl

The Washington Commanders pull off a 36-33 win against the Eagles, ending Philly’s 10-game winning streak. Like clockwork, fans are celebrating like they just won the Super Bowl when back here in reality, it was nothing more than a moral victory after Jalen Hurts was out for the bulk of the game and the offense completely stalled under Kenny Pickett.

Pickett, seeing his first meaningful snaps in what feels like forever, was thrown into the fire, and the Commanders barely escaped with a last-second touchdown. I think Eagles fans are all on the same page in saying that if Hurts played four quarters, Washington wasn’t going to walk away victories on Sunday.

Jayden Daniels plays hero for the Commanders:

Credit where it’s due: rookie QB Jayden Daniels put on a show. Five touchdowns, including the game-winner to Jamison Crowder with six seconds left, was impressive. He added 81 yards on the ground, leading Washington’s ground attack. That’s big-time stuff, especially for a guy coming off a loss to this same Eagles team earlier this season.

Still, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Daniels and the Commanders.

Daniels threw a brutal interception late, and his supporting cast didn’t exactly help. Brian Robinson Jr. coughed up the ball twice in the first half, Dyami Brown added another fumble, and Marshon Lattimore spent more time committing pass interference than actually defending passes. Somehow, they still found a way.

The Eagles Were Playing on One Leg

Jalen Hurts was knocked out with a concussion in the first quarter after a hit from Frankie Luvu—who, by the way, might want to start writing apology notes to Eagles fans. Without their MVP-caliber quarterback, Philly’s offense had to rely on Kenny Pickett.

This UMPIRE deserves his props for identifying a woozy Jalen Hurts immediately and sending him off the field to be evaluated.

Sucks in the moment, but the long term impact of this UMPs actions can't be understated. Kudos to him #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/Ei1D92DGdl

— Chris Law (@ChrisLaw) December 22, 2024

Pickett had his moments, he also looked every bit like a guy who hasn’t been in a pressure situation in a year.

Even with Saquon Barkley exploding for 109 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter alone, the Eagles’ offense stalled without Hurts to keep defenses honest.

Barkley got shut down after that, managing just 41 yards the rest of the way, and the offense couldn’t sustain drives when it mattered.

Commanders Fans Need to Relax

Mike Sainristil mocking Eagles fans after Washington wins

Washington scored 22 points in the fourth quarter pic.twitter.com/CIndJaVA0W

— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) December 22, 2024

Washington, enjoy your moment. Seriously. But let’s not act like you just knocked off the defending champs in their prime. You beat an Eagles team missing its starting quarterback and lost a two-touchdown lead in the process.

If this is your Super Bowl, then that’s adorable but really, it was the perfect storm on Sunday. You played a team missing its leader, in your home stadium, with half the crowd in Eagles gear.

You needed a miracle drive in the final two minutes and some help from an uncharacteristic DeVonta Smith drop to seal the win.

DeVonta Smith’s rare drop highlights tough 36-33 loss for Eagles on Sunday vs the Commanders >>

Do you really think this result holds up when Hurts is back and the game actually matters?

What’s Next? A Reminder of Reality

Philly’s still sitting at 12-3, and Jalen Hurts will be back sooner rather than later. The Eagles have Dallas next week, and you better believe they’ll be looking to make a statement to get back on track and finish the season strong.

So please, Washington fans, take your win and cherish it. Frame the box score if you want. But don’t get too comfortable. This Eagles team, at full strength, is a completely different beast. If these two teams meet again in the playoffs, the Commanders won’t be so lucky.

We’ll see you again soon, and when we do, there won’t be any excuses. Just a healthy Jalen Hurts, a loud Lincoln Financial Field, and a dose of reality waiting for you.

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