3 most embarrassing moments from Commanders loss to Eagles

The Washington Commanders were thumped by the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. When the dust settled, it became apparent why the Eagles were a touchdown favorite on the road, as they established a 24-0 halftime lead before putting things in cruise control in the second half to win 24-8 and move to 3-0.

How bad was it? Well, the final score doesn’t accurately convey just how lopsided the game itself was. The Commanders couldn’t establish anything offensively until the middle of the third quarter. At that point, though, the Eagles were playing soft coverage and allowing everything underneath to milk the clock.

It’s the second straight humiliating loss for Washington. Say what you will about the comeback against Detroit, but there’s no sugarcoating the fact they trailed 22-0 and were dominated for two-plus quarters vs a middling team.

We hate to stew in the misery of another defeat, but these moments really underlined just how embarrassing Sunday afternoon was.

Most embarrassing moments from Commanders loss to Eagles

3. Kam Curl’s whiff on Dallas Goedert TD

This might be the firs time all season Curl and embarrassing are used in the same sentence. The third-year safety is often praised for being one of Washington’s most consistent performers on defense, but he looked disinterested on Dallas Goedert’s touchdown, which came two plays after Carson Wentz’s lost fumble.

On the play, Curl was in position to stop Goedert in his tracks. Rather than stick his ground and wrap up Goedert by his legs, Curl seemingly wanted no part of tackling the 6-foot-5, 256-pound tight end. In the moment of truth, Curl guessed and lunged at Goedert, who executed a simple side-step before finding the end zone.

That’s as bad it gets and what makes it all the more demoralizing is that Kurl was the player responsible. You’d expect a player of his quality to make an open-field tackle. Alas, Curl whiffed and the flood gates opened shortly thereafter.

2. Scott Turner’s shovel pass on 4th and Goal

It was impossible finding a video of this play and it might be a blessing in disguise we came up short given how repulsive it was.

Trailing 24-0 halfway through the third quarter, the Commanders put together their most impressive drive of the game: a 15-play, 93- yarder that took over six minutes off the clock. With a chance to make things interesting (a touchdown would’ve made it a three-score game with a whole quarter to play), Turner dialed up a shovel pass to Logan Thomas, of all people, on fourth and goal from the one-yard line.

The Eagles snuffed it out and stuffed Thomas well short of the goal line. We obviously don’t know better than an NFL offensive coordinator (and potential future head coach), but maybe a fourth and goal down 24-0 late in the third quarter isn’t the time to reach deep into your bag of tricks to confuse a defense?

You either look like a genius or a buffoon when you call trick plays near the goal line. Unfortunately, Turner personified the latter here, as this lowlight underscored just how much Washington was out-classed on Sunday.

1. Jalen Hurts leaves FedEx Field to MVP chants

Carson Wentz entered Week 3 with MVP-like numbers. So did Jalen Hurts, who might actually go on to win the award if the Eagles keep playing like this. I take no pleasure in heaping praise on a rival’s quarterback, but Hurts seems to have transcended his game this offseason and the results so far have been incredible.

After a slow start Sunday, Hurts finished 22-of-35 for 340 yards and three touchdowns to zero interceptions; good for a 123.5 passer rating. He’s now thrown for more than 330 yards in consecutive weeks and has the Eagles looking like the team to beat in the NFC through three games. Who saw that coming?

All in all, Hurts looked like an MVP against Washington and Eagles fans rubbed salt in the gaping wound of Commanders fans by meeting him with “MVP” chants as he exited FedEx Field to celebrate with his teammates in the locker room.

An opposing team’s QB getting showered with MVP chants at your own stadium? Talk about putting the cherry on top of the worst-tasting cake of all-time. Commanders fans packed FedEx Field on Sunday, but they were drowned out by celebratory Eagles fans in the second half with the scoreboard as lopsided as it was.