Tim McManus
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Tim McManus
ESPN Workers Author
Tim McManus covers the Philadelphia Eagles for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2016 after masking the Eagles for Philadelphia Journal’s Birds 24/7, a website he helped create, since 2010. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @Tim_McManus.
John Keim
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John Keim
ESPN Workers Author
John Keim covers the Washington Commanders for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2013 after a stint with the Washington Put up. He began masking the group in 1994 for the Journal Newspapers and later for the Washington Examiner. He has authored/co-authored 4 books. You may also take heed to him on ‘The John Keim Report’, which airs on ESPN Richmond radio, and comply with him on Twitter @john_keim
Jan 26, 2025, 06:23 PM ET
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles delivered a whole recreation on the most opportune of occasions, punching their ticket to Tremendous Bowl LIX with a decisive 55-23 win over the upstart Washington Commanders within the NFC title recreation Sunday at Lincoln Monetary Subject.
Questions on Jalen Hurts‘ well being swirled all week after he injured his left knee in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams within the divisional spherical. Hurts not solely regarded wholesome, he had one in every of his finest video games of the season, totaling 4 touchdowns, together with three on the bottom.
MVP candidate Saquon Barkley bought the occasion began with a 60-yard run on the Eagles’ first offensive play of the sport and completed with three touchdowns. He and Hurts turned the primary pair of teammates to have at the very least three speeding touchdowns every in a playoff recreation in NFL historical past.
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In the meantime, the protection was its common, takeaway-generating self, serving to to power a complete of three Washington turnovers.
The season is over for the Commanders, however rookie quarterback sensation Jayden Daniels introduced his arrival in an enormous manner this season. There’s hope within the Washington space for the primary time in a very long time that the Commanders is usually a risk within the NFC for years to come back.
For now, the convention crown belongs to the Eagles. It was simply two years in the past they fought their solution to the Tremendous Bowl, solely to be denied by the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. A troublesome 12 months ensued that included a late-season collapse, the firing of each coordinators and questions in regards to the standing of head coach Nick Sirianni.
The addition of Barkley and a few onerous classes realized from 2023 helped elevate the Eagles again into the large recreation. They’ll be trying to seize simply the second Lombardi Trophy in franchise historical past.
Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts are the primary pair of teammates to have at the very least three speeding touchdowns in a playoff recreation in NFL historical past. Mitchell Leff/Getty Pictures
Promising pattern: Receiver A.J. Brown had a breakout recreation after a quiet postseason so far. Brown, who has been working by way of a knee harm, had simply three receptions for twenty-four yards mixed in his first two playoff video games. He regarded way more like his regular self in opposition to the Commanders, hauling in six grabs for 96 yards and a landing.
Pivotal play: After going up 20-12 with slightly below two minutes to play on a Hurts quarterback sneak, the Eagles’ particular groups compelled a turnover on the following kickoff when Will Shipley jarred the ball unfastened from Jeremy McNichols. Seven performs later, Hurts discovered Brown for a 4-yard landing to increase the result in 15 earlier than the half.
Eye-popping stat: Hurts now has 4 profession video games with 200 passing yards and three speeding TDs, together with playoffs. No different participant has multiple such recreation in NFL historical past, common season and playoffs. — Tim McManus
Subsequent recreation: Tremendous Bowl LIX vs. Chiefs/Payments (Sunday, Feb. 9, 6:30 p.m. ET, Fox)
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels confirmed no give up in opposition to the Eagles on Sunday. Picture by Mitchell Leff/Getty Pictures
Washington Commanders (12-5)
A dream season resulted in a nightmare for the Washington Commanders.
A group that had taken excellent care of the ball and compelled turnovers in its first two postseason wins didn’t do both Sunday, and it value the Commanders. A group with a stronger roster flexed its muscle tissue and reminded the upstart Commanders that they want extra work to shut the hole between the groups.
The Commanders turned the ball over 4 occasions, main to twenty-eight factors. The Washington protection, which compelled 5 turnovers to assist beat Detroit within the divisional spherical, may power solely two punts and had no takeaways. The protection additionally struggled to cease the run, permitting 232 yards Sunday.
It was not the specified ending to Washington’s first journey to the championship recreation for the reason that 1991 season. The Commanders went from 4-13 a season in the past to 12-5 amidst nice organizational change. Common supervisor Adam Peters and coach Dan Quinn overhauled the roster, and Daniels supplied the ultimate — and maybe biggest — purpose for hope.
Troubling pattern: Cornerback Marshon Lattimore didn’t make the specified impression after Washington acquired him from New Orleans forward of the commerce deadline. He was crushed in essential moments in opposition to the Eagles, together with giving up 31 yards on a fourth-and-5 move. He was slowed by a hamstring harm this season however, regardless, in two video games versus Philadelphia he was flagged 5 occasions and misplaced his composure within the first half Sunday.
Pivotal play: On the following sequence after Barkley sprinted 60 yards for a landing, Washington receiver Dyami Brown fumbled on the Washington 48-yard line — the Commanders’ first turnover this postseason. The Eagles turned it into one other landing six performs later. A 14-3 lead left Washington chasing all of them day — a foul place to be in opposition to an explosive group.
QB breakdown: Daniels was not in a position to play Superman once more Sunday, and that’s what Washington wanted, particularly after turning the ball over 4 occasions with one interception. Daniels performed a stable recreation — 255 yards passing with one landing and 48 speeding with one other rating — and didn’t seem like a rookie. He wasn’t the explanation Washington misplaced and stays the No. 1 purpose for optimism for the longer term. — John Keim
