The Washington Commanders defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 27-10 on Sunday Night Football, improving to 2-4-1. After falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter, the Commanders scored 27 unanswered points to take control and never looked back.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels completed 16 of 27 passes for 217 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 23 yards. As a team, Washington rushed for 135 yards, led by Rachaad White with 55 yards.
Washington’s defense was the story. The Commanders sacked Philadelphia quarterback Tanner McKee five times, forced two turnovers, and had another overturned on a questionable penalty. The Eagles finished with 268 total yards, but many came in the final minute with the game already decided.
Here are six takeaways from
the Commanders’ second win of the season.
Another bad start
The Commanders were down 10-0 in the first quarter, after Saquon Barkley’s three-yard touchdown run. Barkley’s touchdown came after Washington tight end Chig Okonkwo fumbled, giving the Eagles the ball at the Commanders’ 26-yard line. Philadelphia scored. Before the turnover, pre-snap penalties doomed Washington again, including two on its first drive, which had crossed into Eagles’ territory. Social media had fun with another prime-time Commanders meltdown. However, Daniels gathered the team, calmed them down, and Washington scored 27 unanswered points.
Defensive dominance
Let’s be honest. The Eagles were without quarterback Jalen Hurts and wide receiver DeVonta Smith, so Tanner McKee took over at quarterback. While Hurts hasn’t played well over the past year, his legs always create problems. McKee did have a 15-yard run, but his legs don’t pose the same threat. So, Washington pressured him constantly, sacking him five times and forcing two turnovers. Five different players had a sack. The Commanders would have had three turnovers if not for another bogus penalty that overturned Trey Amos’ interception. Washington should have dominated. It did. And when you combine this performance with its second-half performance against San Francisco two weeks ago, there are reasons to be optimistic. Washington was also without two of their starting defensive linemen, Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw. Other players stepped up. Defensive coordinator Daronte Jones could be turning a corner with his unit.
Jayden Daniels’ uneven night
If you look at Daniels’ final numbers—16 of 29, 217 yards, one touchdown, and 23 rushing yards on two attempts—they don’t stand out. He was fine. He made some good throws and missed some, too. He was never terrible. He did not put the ball in danger. And when he ran, he protected himself. Daniels managed the game well and showed outstanding leadership early after the Eagles took a 10-0 lead. He brought the offense together, and it worked. Washington calmed down, scored 27 unanswered, and never looked back. Daniels had a couple of big throws to Treylon Burks and Antonio Williams. It’s a good night when your star quarterback is a little bit off, but does everything else well, and you win by 17. He will need to be much better in the next two weeks with the Rams and the Giants on deck.
Treylon Burks takes advantage
Treylon Burks is a former first-round pick. Talent has never been an issue, but the Titans gave up on him due to injuries. Burks needed a fresh start. A lot of pressure fell on him after Tennessee drafted him after it traded A.J. Brown. When he landed in Washington last year, he was no longer a failed first-round pick. He was a young, hungry and talented guy looking to earn his keep. Even before Terry McLaurin’s injury in Week 6, we’ve seen glimpses of Burks. He’s been terrific in the last two games. On Sunday, he led all receivers with 81 receiving yards. He caught three passes, including a big 53-yarder. Burks burned Eagles star cornerback Quinyon Mitchell on that play. He gets open, uses his body, but most overlook his speed. He’s 6-foot-2, but he’s much faster than you think. Regardless of what happens record-wise, the Commanders need to continue seeing more from Burks, as he could be a key building block around Daniels for years to come. He’s still only 26.
Penalties continue to ruin drives
Defensively, the Commanders were called for two roughing-the-passer penalties. Both were on K’Lavon Chaisson; one was legit, the second was bogus. It also cost the Commanders an interception deep in Philly territory in the fourth quarter. That was costly. However, the most frustrating ones still come on offense. Multiple pre-snap penalties on the same drive ruined two Washington drives. The first time, on the Commanders’ first drive, back-to-back false start penalties pushed Washington from a third-and-1 to a third-and-11. Drew Stevens would miss the long field goal. Essentially, those pre-snap penalties cost the Commanders points. Coming out of the bye week, this still shouldn’t be an issue in Week 8.
Still alive
It’s Week 8, and the Commanders have two wins, yet are only two games behind the surprising Giants in the NFC East. We won’t talk about how Washington should’ve beaten New York, but they will have another chance in two weeks. But first, the Commanders need to beat the Los Angeles Rams. Before the season, Los Angeles was a Super Bowl favorite. The Rams have played far below expectations so far and enter next week at 4-4. Like Washington, the Rams are also dealing with some significant injuries. They’re beatable, but it won’t be easy. If the Commanders can defeat Los Angeles next week, then we can legitimately start talking about them as a threat to win the NFC East. If they can’t win next week, there’s no point in continuing to discuss those playoff chances.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 6 takeaways from Commanders' 27-10 win over Eagles
