What We Learned from Commanders' Win Over Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16

It may not have been pretty, but the Washington Commanders' Week 16 win over the Philadelphia Eagles was a statement win nonetheless.

Finishing with a final score of 36-33, the Commanders not only showed they could hang with the Eagles (again) – a team that came into last week looking to make a run at the No. 1 seed in the NFC Playoffs – they showed that they could be better.

Some will say the Eagles losing quarterback Jalen Hurts tilted things and others will say Washington turning the ball over five times and giving up 33 points tilted them back, yet the better team won. Regardless of your stance on why it happened, we learned some things about this team in Week 16.

Washington Commanders receiver Jamison Crowder. — Dec 22, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Jamison Crowder (80) celebrates after scoring the gaming winning touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

THE COMMANDERS CAN SWING

Washington entered Week 16 with exactly one win over a team that had a winning record at the time they played and none against a team with a winning record now because that win against the Chicago Bears wrecked that team.

After close losses to the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Philadelphia, this win shows what insiders and fans have already known - the Commanders can swing with anyone.

And they'll look to get their second win over a team with a winning record this weekend against the Atlanta Falcons, though doing so makes that team 8-8 – something we're sure detractors won't then use against Washington.

DANIELS THE LEADER HAS ARRIVED

Quarterback Jayden Daniels arrived via the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft and brought with him all of the expectations that came with it.

Before he even stepped onto a real NFL playing field, he was being asked about being a star quarterback. He responded that he was 'just a rookie' and not a star.

His head coach responded to the expectations by taking them away, instead leaning on guys like linebacker Bobby Wagner, receiver Terry McLaurin, and tight end Zach Ertz to be the leaders on the team.

The funny thing about leaders, though, is that they show up whether they're forced to or not. And Daniels has arrived in that department.

“Jayden is a full-on leader here as a first-year player," Quinn said about his quarterback on Christmas Eve. "It's hard to lead early. You have to prove it. You have to be dependable, you gotta be responsible for how you can do things, and you have to do what you say you're going to do.”

FIVE TURNOVERS HELPED QUINN'S CASE

In our opinion, Dan Quinn isn't getting enough NFL Coach of the Year buzz, and it is – quite frankly – a load of crap.

Taking a team that earned the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft and turning them into a legitimate playoff contender in one offseason while working with a new general manager, turning over more than 60 percent of the active roster, moving on from the franchise's last three first-round picks, and winning with a rookie quarterback after being mocked nationally for the coordinator he hired to construct his offense should be more than enough to earn the award.

However, Quinn is more than a sum of those parts, and as every player who followed him to Washington will tell you, it's more about the man than the coach. And that man just led his team to become the first in 86 tries to overcome five turnovers and allow 30+ points to get a win, according to WUSA9's Chick Hernandez.

If that isn't the sign of arguably the best football coach in the NFL today, we don't know what is.

REINFORCEMENTS ON THE WAY – MAYBE

The Commanders are winning at the most important time.

December football has long been the most important part of regular season play and it remains that way today. In the month, Washington is undefeated despite missing key players like running back Austin Ekeler, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, and wide receiver Noah Brown.

Allen is on his way back, and we expect we will play this weekend against the Falcons. on Tuesday, Quinn revealed that there does exist a possibility that Ekeler will make it back to playing form as well.

"Absolutely possible," Quinn said about Ekeler. "So, Austin is definitely trending in the right way. Workout's are going great. He's in meetings, he's doing all the stuff with us. So yeah, we're certainly optimistic and we'll just play the whole thing out. But like you said, the earliest that he would begin is next week. But, it's been encouraging to see the progress that he's made."

PLAYOFF FOOTBALL COULD BE COMING FOR THE DMV

It isn't fully impossible that Washington could win the NFC East Division, but it would take losses by the Philadelphia Eagles to both the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. Neither seems likely; both happening seems nearly impossible.

However, if it happens and the Commanders win each of their final two games then they would win the division.

While that's more of a pipe dream, playoff football is well within reach, with two possibilities for securing a spot in the postseason present this weekend.

The one Washington controls itself is beating Atlanta. Do that, and playoffs are guaranteed.

However, if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lose to the Carolina Panthers ahead of the Commanders' Sunday night matchup, then they'll clinch a playoff spot before taking the field of play again.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

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