Monday, November 2, 2026
39 ° Clear
39 ° Clear
The Eagles and Commanders met in a pivotal NFC East matchup, with Philadelphia looking to break a five-game losing streak and make a statement against a division rival.
The Eagles entered the game as heavy road underdogs against a one-win team and played like a team that deserved to be.
Here’s a closer look at what went wrong and what the Eagles need to take away from their sixth consecutive loss.
The Eagles won the opening coin toss and elected to defer. The kickoff was returned 44 yards to the 50-yard line, and it could have gone farther if not for a tackle out of bounds by Jake Elliott. Washington moved the ball down to the Eagles' 37, then committed two false starts. The Commanders had to settle for a 55-yard field goal attempt, which went wide right.
To the surprise of some, Cooper DeJean was the punt returner on the Commanders' second punt of the game, but it went unreturned.
The Eagles and Commanders traded three-and-outs before Philadelphia got its offense going from its own 38, moving the ball 40 yards on seven plays to the Washington 22, where Jake Elliott kicked a 40-yard field goal for an early 3-0 lead.
The Commanders started the ensuing drive from their own 20, where Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba forced a fumble that was recovered by Zack Baun, setting Philadelphia up at the Washington 26.
Tanner McKee hit Saquon Barkley for a 24-yard reception to the 2-yard line, where Philadelphia punched it in to increase its lead to 10-0 with 4:27 left in the quarter, using a little trickery with Willie Lampkin as a fullback.
The Commanders started from their 35 and moved the ball to the Eagles' 39 on a 10-play drive before making a 56-yard field goal to cut the deficit to seven, ending the scoring in the first quarter.
The Eagles' first drive of the second quarter ended with their second punt of the night, giving Washington the ball at its own 11. The Commanders moved the ball with a mix of a pass to Treylon Burks, strong runs from Austin Ekeler and a 14-yard run by Jayden Daniels for a first down. The drive ended with an 8-yard, game-tying touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs.
Both teams struggled on their next possessions, but Washington ended its final drive of the first half with a go-ahead 39-yard field goal to take a 13-10 lead into halftime, despite committing four false starts and seven penalties for a loss of 50 yards in the first half.
The Eagles' first drive of the second half reached the Washington 48 and included a 7-yard completion to Eli Stowers, the first catch of his career, before stalling. Braden Mann's fifth punt of the game pinned the Commanders at their own 4-yard line. Their drive ended with a sack by Jalen Carter at their 18.
The Eagles started their second drive at their own 38 and successfully moved the ball to Washington's 40, but another offensive line breakdown allowed pressure, resulting in a fumble recovered by the Commanders.
The Commanders wasted no time capitalizing on the Philadelphia turnover, hitting an explosive 51-yard pass to Treylon Burks to get the ball to the Eagles' seven-yard line. Philadelphia's red-zone defense held strong, and Washington settled for a field goal to make it 16-10. The score remained unchanged as the third quarter expired.
The Commanders' second roughing-the-passer penalty of the night extended the Eagles' drive following an incomplete third-down pass. Philadelphia converted three additional third downs: one via a 15-yard scramble from Tanner McKee, another on Hollywood Brown's first catch of the night and a 2-yard run by Dallas Goedert. The Eagles went for it on fourth down, but a delay-of-game penalty forced them to settle for a 36-yard field goal attempt. The kick was good, but a false start and an illegal formation penalty forced another attempt from 41 yards, which Elliott missed off the left upright.
The Commanders followed Philadelphia's missed kick with a drive that ended in a 42-yard field goal, extending their lead to 19-10. They capitalized on their next possession with another scoring drive, this time a rushing touchdown by Rachaad White and a successful two-point conversion run by Austin Ekeler, putting the Commanders up 27-10 and sealing the game.
The Eagles' offensive line communicated better but still struggled at times in pass protection. The younger offensive linemen are gaining on-the-job training but taking their lumps as they do it.
In a league where offenses are aggressive and innovative, the Eagles seem safe, predictable and pedestrian. Their offensive identity remains a mystery.
The Eagles' defense, led by Vic Fangio, still refuses to blitz. The front isn't getting home enough to sustain that approach and create disruption. They'll need to make adjustments moving forward to stay in games.
Philadelphia knows what it has with Tanner McKee, who is on an expiring contract. When does the team see what Joe Milton can contribute?
Saquon Barkley had 83 yards on 15 carries, including 42 on one carry and 41 total yards on the other 14, in their first matchup. Many were surprised he played, and the Eagles used him sparingly. He ran for a touchdown, as he did last week in a reduced role. At 2-6, do the Eagles shut him down?
Safety Michael Carter left the game with an abdominal injury.
This was another frustrating loss for Philadelphia, leaving the team with more questions than answers.
The Eagles are back home to host the 4-2-1 Giants, who are coming off a bye week and have an opportunity to take a commanding lead in the NFC East with a victory.
MORE: 8 Eagles who could be traded before the 2026 deadline
