The Washington Commanders were playing for nothing other than pride, but they still had the chance to play spoiler with some hated rivals the rest of the way. Alas, it wasn't to be.
However, there was one exceptional performance from a player whose future might not be as clear-cut as it once appeared.
This was the first time head coach Dan Quinn had faced the Philadelphia Eagles this season. The schedulers and fans thought there would be much more on the line down the stretch. It wasn't to be from Washington's perspective, but they proved willing to fight with everything they had to salvage some momentum from the campaign.
Commanders have a dilemma they didn't need with veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner
It's the reason Quinn's seat isn't getting warm. Everyone is still pulling in the same direction. Everyone is still entirely on board with his methods. Everyone is still locked in, firmly focused on the task at hand despite their lowly record and being out of playoff contention.
This was no more evident than watching Bobby Wagner go about his business.
The veteran linebacker was nothing short of relentless throughout. Wagner has started to look his age this season, which isn't surprising. However, this was undoubtedly his best game of the campaign by a considerable margin.
Wagner turned on the style with his customary conviction. He quickly set the tone with supreme run-stopping. The former Utah State standout seemed to know what play was coming even before the snap. This allowed him to be in the correct positions and capitalize on lingering uncertainties in the Eagles' offense.
There were a couple of flaws in coverage, but that's nothing new. Taking his overall body of work into account was much more telling, and Wagner did nothing to diminish his chances of earning a new deal with the Commanders beyond 2025.
Most fans and experts believe Wagner will either retire or take his chances elsewhere next spring. The Commanders have to get younger, especially on defense. But until they find someone else or someone already around steps up as the team's defensive linchpin, one couldn't dismiss the possibility of the future first ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer getting another one-year deal if he wants to continue his glittering career.
That wouldn't be ideal, in all honesty. Wagner represents the present and the past. The Commanders need to start planning for the future, but if the second-level enforcer keeps playing like this for Washington's remaining games, all bets are off.
The Commanders didn't get the win, but that wasn't because of Wagner. He was magnificent throughout, and if his defensive teammates had played even close to his level, Washington might have sneaked a victory over their bitter division rival.