The Washington Commanders are back in the win column after scoring 27 unanswered points to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football, dropping their rival to a sixth consecutive loss and moving out of the NFC East's basement.
Washington still has much work to do to get into a position to compete for the division title. But it was a game they needed, and they got it.
And it all started by turning the tables in one key area that had dearly cost the Commanders earlier this season.
Commanders turned early adversity into cleaner football as the game wore on
It wasn't pretty for the Commanders over the entire game.
The lack of discipline was an issue, especially in the first quarter. One drive ended because two false starts turned 3rd-and-1 into 3rd-and-11. Another stalled drive ended with a fumble by tight end Chig Okonkwo, giving the Eagles an immediate scoring opportunity.
After falling behind 10-0, it looked like Philadelphia was the team coming off a bye week and the Commanders were the team that had played the previous Monday. But it all changed after rookie kicker Drew Stevens nailed a 56-yard field goal late in the opening frame.
Washington's defense was dominant, suffocating the Eagles' run game and forcing multiple turnovers. Suddenly, the Birds were the team that couldn't get out of its own way, entering scoring territory only one more time after the first quarter.
That drive in question ended on a doinked field goal after multiple penalties.
Commanders must use Eagles triumph as a springboard for brighter fortunes
The Commanders got some key plays offensively from Treylon Burks, Antonio Williams, and Okonkwo, and pulled away late in the game. It was perhaps the best second half they've put together all season.
Earlier in the week, Stefon Diggs equated the Commanders' losing streak to a struggling basketball player who just needs to see one go through the hoop. Washington had better hope he's right, especially with the opportunities that lie ahead.
The Commanders have a schedule full of winnable matchups over the next two months. Confidence will be everything, especially for quarterback Jayden Daniels following his first win in more than a full calendar year — which, coincidentally, had the exact same final score.
In Sunday night's win, the Commanders considerably cleaned up their mistakes throughout the contest. That will need to be a launching pad for the rest of 2026, with the NFC East crown still very much within reach.
Washington is talented enough to win some football games. It's all about whether they can keep executing to the level head coach Dan Quinn expects.
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