Philadelphia’s 55-23 rout of Washington in the NFC Championship began with a bang. On the Eagles’ first snap from scrimmage, Barkley sprinted for a 60-yard touchdown and never looked back. He finished with 118 yards and three scores on just 15 carries, terrorizing the Commanders’ defense with 7.9 yards per tote. Jalen Hurts matched Barkley’s three rushing TDs, adding 246 yards through the air—his best total since Week 14. When the Eagles’ run and pass games unite like this, they’re unstoppable.
Commanders undone by turnovers, penalties
Washington’s fairytale run collapsed under the weight of giveaways. Three lost fumbles—plus a late Jayden Daniels interception—gifted Philly 28 points. Costly penalties also haunted the Commanders, including a pass interference call on Marshon Lattimore in the end zone. Dan Quinn’s young squad couldn’t overcome such damaging errors against the scorching Eagles.
Daniels fights hard in defeat
Rookie Jayden Daniels showed poise, keeping Washington competitive early. He completed 29 of 48 passes for 255 yards, threw one touchdown, and ran for another—highlighting his knack for extending drives. Even so, the Eagles forced him into a late interception that slammed the door on any comeback. Washington’s future looks bright with Daniels under center.
Zack Baun, defense set the tone
All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun was everywhere, forcing a Dyami Brown fumble that led to an early two-score lead. Baun compiled 12 tackles, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery, anchoring a unit that’s been fierce all season. Vic Fangio’s defense might not have forced many punts, but their well-timed takeaways destroyed the Commanders’ morale.
O-line resilience ahead of Super Bowl LIX
Despite multiple injuries along the offensive line, Philadelphia’s blockers allowed just two sacks and cleared the path for seven rushing touchdowns—tying an NFL playoff record. With two weeks until Super Bowl LIX, the Eagles will focus on getting key linemen healthy to maintain this balanced attack.
