Eagles vs. Commanders Preview: Tanner McKee, injuries and odds for Sunday Night Football

The Eagles take a five-game losing streak into Northwest Stadium tonight to face the Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football. Kickoff is 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.

The Eagles are 2-5. The Commanders are 1-4-1. That is three combined wins between two NFC East teams, and the NFL still has them in the Sunday night slot.

Washington is the favorite. The line opened at Commanders -3.5 and has moved to -5.5 or -6 depending on the book. The Birds are 1-6 against the spread this season.

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Eagles quarterback: Tanner McKee makes his third start

Jalen Hurts is on injured reserve with blood clots and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Tanner McKee gets his third straight start.

McKee has thrown for 426 yards, two touchdowns and one interception across his first two starts. Last Monday against Dallas, he went 23 of 35 for 211 yards, a touchdown and an interception in a 38-21 loss. The Eagles offense moved the ball. The defense gave up three touchdown passes to Dak Prescott and 155 rushing yards to Javonte Williams.

McKee did his part. The defense did not.

Eagles injury report: DeVonta Smith out, Saquon Barkley playing

Philly ruled out WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring), WR Dontayvion Wicks (ankle), LB Jihaad Campbell (hamstring/quad), WR/RS Britain Covey (knee) and CB Jonathan Jones (knee). CB Jakorian Bennett is questionable with a knee injury.

That leaves McKee without his top two receivers for another week. Jeremiah Trotter starts at linebacker in place of Campbell.

Saquon Barkley will play. He missed practice Wednesday and Thursday with hamstring and back issues, was limited Friday, and struggled to stay on the field against Dallas. The Eagles need him because there is nobody behind him. Tank Bigsby, Will Shipley and Dameon Pierce are all on IR.

The edge rushers are healthier. Jonathan Greenard and Nolan Smith were full participants Friday, and Jalyx Hunt was limited all week. The Eagles need all three. Philadelphia ranks fifth-lowest in the league in pressure rate.

Commanders injuries: Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw out

Washington is coming off its bye week and is just as beat up as the Eagles.

Daron Payne suffered a season-ending Jones fracture in Friday’s practice, and Javon Kinlaw is out with a knee injury. That takes two starters off the interior of the defensive line. Tim Settle steps in for Payne. For an Eagles offense built around a hobbled Barkley, that is the best injury news of the week.

The Washington offense is short-handed too. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil is on IR with a torn triceps. Terry McLaurin is done for the year with a torn patellar tendon. Running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt is on IR, so Rachaad White is the lead back. Rookie Antonio Williams has picked up a lot of McLaurin’s work out of the slot, and Stefon Diggs practiced in full Thursday and Friday after sitting Wednesday.

Jayden Daniels was a full participant all week while listed with a left elbow injury. He has gone eight straight games without a win, with one tie in that stretch.

Eagles vs. Commanders: four things that decide the game

The red zone. The Eagles went 3 for 3 inside the 20 against Dallas and rank fourth in the league in red zone touchdown rate at 73.7%. Washington has the worst red zone defense in the league, allowing touchdowns on 81.8% of opponent trips.

The blitz. Washington’s defense blitzes a lot, and Shipley, the Eagles’ best pass-protecting running back, is on IR. McKee will see pressure. How he handles it decides whether the offense keeps moving the way it did against Dallas.

The pass rush. The Eagles have not gotten home much this year. With Greenard, Nolan Smith and Hunt all practicing, this is the week it needs to show up against a Washington line playing without Tunsil.

The history. The Eagles beat Washington 24-22 in Week 1, with Dallas Goedert catching two touchdowns. They are 6-2 in the last eight meetings and 3-1 in their last four trips to Washington.

Eagles vs. Commanders prediction

CBS Sports picked the Eagles to win 20-17. The betting market has Washington winning by close to a touchdown.

Washington is missing both starting interior defensive linemen, has the worst red zone defense in football, and has a starting quarterback who has not won in eight straight games. The Eagles defense is the concern after giving up 38 to Dallas. Take the points and take the Eagles outright.

TLL prediction: Eagles 23, Commanders 20.

A win does not fix this season. It would stop the bleeding for a week.