2024 Week 11: Commanders 18, Eagles 26
The Commanders lost this game, they were tussling back and forth with Philly in the first half but their game plan was idiotic, for lack of a better word. The Eagles defense has been great the last 5-6 weeks, particularly against the run, and Washington’s game plan was to run the ball. I know Jayden Daniels is still hurt, everyone could see it while watching the game, but they hardly passed the ball to anyone other than Austin Ekeler in the first half. In the most important game of the season, a fight for the division lead, Washington folded.
The Commanders (7-4) lost this key matchup and potentially the NFC East along with it. Washington has a much easier schedule than Philly so that helps, but the Eagles couldn’t lose a game if they tried right now.
Philly (8-2) has the exact opposite outlook, they likely just won the division with this victory, but their schedule is not friendly… in their next 5 games they face LAR-BAL-CAR-PIT-WSH, potentially 4 playoff teams, if the Rams can find their way in.
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QB Report:
- Jayden Daniels (22/32 for 191 yards, 1TD/1 INT; 7 rushes for 18 yards) is 1,000,000% still injured, since hurting his rib he’s looked like a completely different player, he’s playing scared, not the calm and confident player we had to start the season.
- Daniels has had two rough fantasy games in a row, and they coincide with playing some of the best defenses in the league (PIT then PHI). The biggest change is his rushing, 11.4 attempts per game before the injury, and 6.5 attempts after.
RB Report:
- The fact that Austin Ekeler (2-7-0; 8 catches for 89 yards) led the entire game in receiving was shocking, Ekeler has always been nice in the passing game but never like this. This reinforces Daniels being hurt, but also a tell on the quality of the Philly secondary. Rookies Cooper DeJean (5 tackles) and Quinyon Mitchell (1 tackle) have completely turned their secondary around.
- This game was AJ Brown (5-65-0/8) and Austin Ekeler going back and forth in the passing game until Saquon Barkley (26-146-2; 2 catches for 52 yards) woke up in the 4th quarter. The Commanders tried to sit on a one-possession lead and eventually, Barkley wore down the defense and then the flood gates opened. The Commanders have a bad run defense and Saquon took advantage. It wasn’t a matter of IF, but WHEN.
WR/TE Report:
- Quinyon Mitchell is being praised for locking up Terry McLaurin (1-10-0/2), but I don’t think that’s exactly what happened, at the very least it’s not the entire story. Mitchell is great, don’t get me wrong, but Daniels is hurt, he’s barely throwing the ball downfield, and almost never to the sidelines unless it’s an RB on a flat. The injury and the conservative gameplan. There’s more to Terry’s bad game than just “Quinyon Mitchell”.
- Zach Ertz (6-47-1/7) had a nice game but it almost all came on the Commanders last drive of the game. Ertz had 4 catches for 22 yards, a TD, and the 2-point conversion. That’s 14.4 of his 18.7-point night.
D/ST Report:
- The Eagles might be a Kicker away from competing with Detroit for being the best team in the NFC, with Jake Elliott (2/4 FG, 2/3XP) you can’t take this team seriously. Kicker is the second most important position in the game, behind QB.
- LB Zack Baun (15 tackles, 1 PD) has also made a massive impact on this defensive revival, he has notched 10+ tackles in 5/10 games.
Image source: (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)