PHILADELPHIA -- This is how the NFC Championship Game went for the Washington Commanders: They were called for three consecutive encroachment penalties with the Eagles attempting a "Tush Push" play early in the fourth quarter. After the second one, the referee announced that the Commanders had been warned another penalty could result in a personal foul. When the next one happened, the ref -- in his best "Wait until I get you home" tone – announced that at some point the referee could award a score.
He can?!
On the next snap, Hurts did indeed get pushed into the end zone, and the Philadelphia Eagles' 55-23 rout – and their trip to Super Bowl LIX -- was on.
That sequence summed up a day in which the Eagles' offense was largely unstoppable but was given plenty of help by Commanders' mistakes at critical moments.
Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels is so special that it was easy to envision him playing a role in the NFC championship for the next 15 years. But the Eagles are the better, more complete, more disciplined team right now, and they are on their way to their third Super Bowl in eight seasons.
Here are seven immediate takeaways from Sunday's NFC title game:
1) The Eagles offensive line is a weapon. Just watch how the unit blocked on Saquon Barkley's opening-play touchdown sprint and Jalen Hurts' 9-yard touchdown run around the left side. The Eagles rushed for 229 yards and SEVEN touchdowns. And that was with both centers, Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens, banged up. The offensive line powered the Eagles' Super Bowl run two seasons ago, and what is remarkable about this unit is it absorbed the retirement of sure-fire Hall of Famer Jason Kelce without missing a step. The health of Dickerson and Jurgens is something to watch over the next two weeks, though. Dickerson started the game because Jurgens had a back injury, but Dickerson was soon spotted limping badly on the sideline. Jurgens had to take over after halftime.
2) Barkley is the Eagles' hammer. If the Commanders had any thought that they could win by executing long, clock-chewing drives that kept the Eagles' offense off the field -- the Commanders' first drive of the game took more than 7 minutes and resulted in a field goal -- Barkley immediately provided a reality check. His 60-yard touchdown run on the Eagles' first play from scrimmage exhibited not just his devastating combination of power and speed, but his ability to flip the game immediately. Sirianni called it a good tone-setter. Barkley rushed just 15 times -- it should be more, by the way -- but he averaged 7.9 yards per and had three touchdowns. Barkley, who already is as beloved a teammate in Philadelphia as he was in New York, will be the feel-good story of Super Bowl week.
"A lot of these things come down to how you finish," Hurts said after the game. "And I think being able to lean on [Barkley] when we're trying to bring things home, I think that's a huge impact he's made for us. And, obviously, when he does it early, it doesn't really matter who gets the party started, just for us to gain some momentum as an offense and gain a rhythm, I'd say. Rhythm is the word, gain our rhythm as an offense and keep going."
3) The Eagles passing game lives. The Eagles probably didn't really need it to beat the Commanders, but Philly had to be encouraged to see the passing game rev up again. After passing for 131 yards and 128 yards in the Eagles' two previous playoff games, Hurts went 20-of-28 for 246 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. His ability to move -- we can stop worrying about the well-being of his left knee -- certainly helped. But his fourth-and-5, 31-yard drop in the bucket to A.J. Brown down the left sideline right before the two-minute warning at the end of the first half should allay any concerns about Hurts' touch and his connection with his No. 1 receiver. That will likely be much more important in the Super Bowl. Nick Sirianni said he is mystified by the criticism surrounding Hurts. He said the Eagles don't care how they win. "I don't want anyone leading this team but him," Sirianni said. Hurts certainly looked untroubled. He lit a victory cigar in the locker room. "I guess he let me out of my straight jacket a little bit today," Hurts said.
4) It's as if last season's collapse never happened. Plenty of think pieces will be written in the next two weeks about how the Eagles recovered from the second half that swallowed their 2023 season. GM Howie Roseman had one of the greatest free-agency sprees in history. Linebacker Zack Baun forced a fumble in the first quarter that led to Barkley's second touchdown and then recovered Austin Ekeler’s fumble late in the third quarter, which essentially caused the dam to burst. Mekhi Becton, a draft bust as a left tackle for the Jets, has excelled as a guard for the Eagles, solidifying the line. And Barkley may simply be one of the greatest free-agent signings in NFL history. He arrived, transformed the offense, eased the pressure on Hurts and simply put the team on his back. Whatever strife might have existed in the middle of this season, when Hurts was under fire, seems to have dissipated. This feels like a team very much in sync, playing its best, complementary football at exactly the right moment.
"This game is about overcoming adversity," Sirianni said. "There are going to be good moments in the season, there are going to be bad moments in the season. Adversity is what makes you who you are. It's been the story of the 2023 to 2024 Eagles. As bad as the feeling we had as last year ended, it makes you who you are. These guys are hungry."
5) Commanders will regret their mistakes. They already were minutes after the game ended. They turned the ball over four times and were penalized nine times. Other than the aforementioned encroachment fiasco, the Commanders -- in particular cornerback Marshon Lattimore -- lost their composure during a damaging sequence at the end of the first half. With the Eagles leading by just two points, but driving, Lattimore was called for defensive pass interference on third-and-13. That gave the Eagles the ball at the 1-yard line. They scored, and Lattimore was then called for unnecessary roughness. The two-point try failed. But on the ensuing kickoff, the Commanders' Jeremy McNichols fumbled. The Eagles recovered and during the drive, Barkley caught a short pass on third-and-10. But he was hit when he was already out of bounds, and Mike Sainristil was called for unnecessary roughness. That gave the Eagles a first down and A.J. Brown caught a touchdown pass three plays later. The lead was 15, but the Ekeler fumble late in the third quarter ended any hope that Washington could stay close. Commanders Coach Dan Quinn credited the Eagles for forcing the turnovers.
6) Jayden Daniels is going to be a problem. Daniels was near tears after the game and said he never wants to feel that way again. Sunday was Daniels' latest impressive effort. He could not lead another comeback win, but the dissolving of the Commanders was not his fault. He was composed throughout, and the Commanders were within reach until Ekeler's fumble opened the floodgates in the fourth quarter.
"Yeah, it just doesn't seem like there's going to be one that's too big, honestly," Quinn said. "He has rare competitiveness that makes him unique in a lot of ways. I love inside how he can stay into this space in the toughest environments. It hurt him to come out at the end. He wanted to stay in. I said that's my call."
The Commanders and Daniels are well ahead of schedule -- reminder that this was just the first year for Daniels and Quinn. That brings us to our final takeaway ...
7) The Commanders have to address a few needs in the coming months. If there was anything that did not go well for the Commanders this year, it was the midseason trade for corner Marshon Lattimore. His return to the field was delayed and on Sunday, he lost his cool. That probably means cornerback has to be a focal point, but beyond that, the Commanders have to build around Daniels. He needs more playmakers in addition to Terry McLaurin. He needs better protection after absorbing 47 sacks this season. And he could use more help from a defense that really needs an edge rusher, so that all those dramatic comebacks won't be necessary in the future. Daniels and the Commanders showed how very quickly the right quarterback can change a team's fortunes. The Commanders are in an enviable spot -- while they need to add around their superstar, they know how very high his ceiling is.
