Overreactions from Eagles win over Commanders: Is the NFC East race over? Did Jayden Daniels get exposed?

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles took command of the NFC East with a 26-18 victory over the Washington Commanders on Thursday night, and the game wasn’t as close as the score indicated. The Eagles outgained the Commanders 434-264 and averaged 6.2 yards per play to the Commanders’ 4.2.

Philadelphia (8-2) has a two-game lead in the loss column over Washington (7-4) with the victory, as the Eagles have won six in a row. Washington has dropped two straight after a 7-2 start, losing two games on Philadelphia in the divisional standings in five days. 

Is the NFC East race over? Are the Commanders figured out? Which overreactions are truly overreactions from Thursday’s showdown and which are reality?

Eagles wrapped up NFC East with win

Overreaction or reality: Overreaction

While the Eagles victory over the Commanders was impressive, this isn’t a game that determined the NFC East winner. It’s fair to say this was a “must-win” game for the Eagles in order to take control of the division, one which they have a two-game lead in the loss column with seven games to play. 

The Eagles did have a commanding lead in the NFC East after Week 11 last season before they collapsed, but this team is significantly different. This isn’t about what the Eagles will or won’t do in the final seven games. The Commanders have a pretty easy schedule before they face the Eagles again in Week 16. 

Washington faces Dallas and Tennessee at home before its bye week. A road game at New Orleans follows on the schedule before the rematch against Philadelphia in Week 16. Washington then finishes with a home date against Atlanta and a road game against Dallas. Four of the next five games are at home, and the next three games are against teams with losing records.

Philadelphia has road dates at Los Angeles and Baltimore, before home games against Carolina and Pittsburgh ahead of the Week 16 showdown at Washington. Because of the Commanders’ schedule, the NFC East is far from over.

Jayden Daniels, Commanders offense has been figured out

Overreaction or reality: Reality

Over the last two games, the Commanders have faced two top-10 defenses in the Steelers and Eagles. The results have not been good for offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s unit. Washington has averaged only 253 yards in those two games on just 4.1 yards per play while converting 30.8% of their third downs. The biggest indicator of their struggles is the rushing yards quarterback Jayden Daniels has totaled over the last two games — only 23. 

With Daniels limited running the football, that takes away the biggest strength of his game. In that two-game stretch, Daniels has completed 59.1% of his passes for 393 yards with one touchdown to one interception and a 73.9 passer rating — and that one touchdown was in the final minute Thursday with the game already decided. The Commanders lost both games. 

Daniels and the Commanders will likely get things back on track against the under .500 teams they will be facing over the next few weeks, but they still have to prove themselves against the very good defenses. That’s the next step for Kingsbury and Daniels going forward. 

Saquon Barkley should be a front-runner for MVP

Overreaction or reality: Overreaction

Lamar Jackson does exist, which makes any case for MVP not as strong as in years past. Yet there’s no denying what Barkley has brought to this Eagles offense.

Barkley had 26 carries for 146 yards and two touchdowns (5.2 yards per carry) and two catches for 52 yards — giving him 198 yards from scrimmage on the night. Thursday was Barkley’s fourth game this season with 140-plus yards, which is the most for any running back through 10 games since Shawn Alexander in 2005 (when Alexander won MVP). Barkley leads the NFL in rushing yards (1,137) and scrimmage yards (1,347) this season, while having 738 of those rushing yards and averaging 7.2 yards per carry in the second half of games. He leads the league in both categories. 

The Eagles offense, even when inconsistent, keeps moving the football because of Barkley. They are finishing games because of Barkley as well. If it wasn’t for Barkley, the Eagles wouldn’t be one of the elite teams in the NFL. 

Jackson is the front runner for MVP, but Barkley has a much better case than most think. He’s not a front runner yet, but he’s getting there.