5 winners (and 2 losers) from Commanders' thrilling success vs. the Eagles

The Commanders came back from the brink.

Olamide Zaccheaus
Olamide Zaccheaus | Peter Casey-Imagn Images
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Winner No. 3

Olamide Zaccheaus - Commanders WR

The Washington Commanders decided that K.J. Osborn wasn't quite ready. This piled more pressure on other wide receivers to step up without the presence of Noah Brown and pass-catching running back Austin Ekeler to depend upon.

Olamide Zaccheaus — a player the Philadelphia Eagles deemed unworthy of contract extension after the 2023 season — answered the call. He was eager to silence doubters and prove his old employers made a mistake. This was his best performance since joining the Commanders at a crucial stage of the campaign.

Zaccheaus was dependable and made things happen with the football in his hands. Jayden Daniels trusted him to get the job done in key moments. That was arguably the biggest positive above all else from the player's perspective.

The former undrafted free agent out of Virginia hauled in five receptions from eight targets for 70 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Zaccheaus' score in the fourth quarter when the Eagles had 12 men on the field was a testament to his elusive playmaking prowess — something the Commanders will need when the postseason arrives.

Winner No. 4

Johnny Newton - Commanders DL

Running back Saquon Barkley was the primary danger. It looked like the NFL MVP candidate was in for another exceptional performance after blazing an early trail. But credit to the Commanders for finding the right answers as the contest progressed.

Jalen Hurts going down through injury was a big reason. Kenny Pickett wasn't a threat running out of the backfield, which allowed the Commanders to stack the box and make things more difficult. Even so, it was great to see increased production against the league's most dynamic playmaker in 2024.

Rookie second-round pick Johnny Newton turned in an accomplished display. The No. 36 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft is coming along nicely. He's evolving as a run-stopper and has no trouble generating pressure from the interior when opportunities arise.

Newton flashed plenty on tape during this game. He gained three tackles for loss and proved the moment wasn't too big. This restricted Barkley's influence in the second half and put the game in Pickett's hands. It was a recipe for success.

If the same trend continues, other teams around the league will be kicking themselves for passing on Newton before the Commanders ended his draft slide.

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