#2 Eagles & #6 Commanders Battle For NFC East Supremacy
Week 11 of the NFL kicks off with an old-fashioned divisional rivalry that could also be an early Thanksgiving treat. The Philadelphia Eagles face the Washington Commanders at home for this week’s edition of Thursday night football. Both teams are about 7-2 apiece and are looking to each go after the NFC East crown that helps them clinch an automatic playoff spot.
The Eagles have been labeled as an undermining Super Bowl contender, given their success this season, which includes a current 5-game win streak they look to extend to 6 and improve to 8-2. Washington is no joke either, sitting at 7-3, thanks to the talents of rookie QB Jayden Daniels and RB Brian Robinson Jr., though the latter of those two hasn’t played in as many weeks. The Eagles have their own dynamic QB/RB duo in Jalen Hurts and newcomer Saquon Barkley but they do need a bit of fixing on their receiving corps like Washington. Seriously, Hurts and Devonta Smith were Alabama teammates! You’d think they’d go together like PB&J!
This game is expected to be a sort of offensive shootout, with Philly racking up 377 yards per game, good for 4th in the NFL, while Washington totals 374 per game, which ranks 6th. The Eagles are 4th in rushing yards, with about 154 per game, while the Commanders come in 2nd with 176 per game. The teams are both outside the top 10, a little on passing yards per game (Eagles 11th, Commanders 20th), but given both QBs’ natural talents, that statistic can easily be overlooked. Philly also has a solid defense to go with its offense, allowing the 2nd fewest total opposing yards per game (274), while Washington ranks 14th. (329).
The Commanders also allow the fourth-most rushing yards, at 143/game, while the Eagles allow the fifth-fewest. That could enable Barkley to have a big night, while Brian Robinson Jr. might struggle if he even plays. Backup Austin Ekeler might not fare much better, given that statistic. Although Washington does have the NFL’s 4th best-run game this season, it could go both ways. The Eagles, for their part, are 2nd, so there’s one more statistic that makes this game a potential must-watch. And one more thing: this is the first time in almost 30 years that both the Commanders and Eagles have been over .500 on the season. Not since 1996 has there been a game with high stakes such as this.
Both teams also possess solid win streaks that are currently active, with the Eagles winning 5 in a row since their bye week in Week 5 and Washington getting their 3rd in a row to win 3 of their last five even after a close-shave loss to Pittsburgh in Week 10. Philadelphia has made a habit of beating their opponents pretty consistently, either by double digits or by narrow margins, the latter of which is something Washington has done more than them. Not that that’s a bad thing; you’d just probably want to pick up wins in a nice even pattern like Philadelphia’s.
The Eagles and Commanders also have more similarities besides their offensive and defensive prowess. Philly has a 4-1 home record compared to Washington’s 3-1 effort, while on the road, they’re a little less decent, possessing a 3-2 record away from Lincoln Financial Field, while the Commanders have a 4-1 record, that lone road defeat the aforementioned loss to Pittsburgh last week. Both teams have stellar interconference records, 5-1 for Philly and 4-2 for Washington against the rest of their NFC brethren, while Washington has an advantage in strength of schedule with a .338 record compared to the Eagles’ .328 spot.
Of the last ten matchups between these two NFC East rivals, Eastern US geographical rivals, and political city rivals, it’s Philadelphia easily on top, winning 7 of the last 10 and 4 of the last five clashes. And since the Eagles will be at home, where they’ve clearly already excelled for most of this season, it should be another victory for the boys in Kelly green, albeit a close one, just like so many of the other games in this series history. Don’t discount the Commanders’ equally strong road record, however. It could be the latest surprise in a crazy season. This may be either a one-score affair, or it could come down to some Jake Elliott kicking heroics.
See also: Jalen Hurts Quells Possible Ankle Issues in Recent Interview.
