The Eagles Have a Second-Half Scoring Problem. Washington Can’t Be the Answer — Commanders Daily

Philadelphia scored its first third-quarter touchdown of the season Monday, then went scoreless the rest of the night. Washington held San Francisco to three points after halftime before its bye. Sunday will test whether either team can build on that stretch.

Sep 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley (26) runs the ball against Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves (39) during the first half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The locker room is sending a powerful message ahead of Week 3. Washington's original five captains asked Dan Quinn to give Marcus Mariota a "C" on his chest. | Philip Hughes | HTTR4LIFE LLC

On Sunday night football, the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles will meet for the 187th time. A rivalry steeped in disdain has already seen one chapter this season and will now shift to Northwest Stadium for chapter two this week. The Eagles come into this game having scored 37 total points after the second quarter (5.3 per game) in seven games, while Washington has given up 98 (16.3 per game) in six.

Against Dallas, Philadelphia's backup quarterback Tanner McKee led a 17-play, 84-yard drive that took 9:16 and resulted in a touchdown that put the Eagles ahead 21-20 to open the second half. The only problem with that drive? It was Philly's first third-quarter touchdown of the season, and they never scored again, losing 38-21.

The Commanders had a defensive breakthrough after allowing 95 points following halftime in their first five games; they held San Francisco to just one field goal. Washington head coach Dan Quinn summed it up in one quote: "I'd love to have all four quarters together. That's what we're chasing, and that's what I'm certain we're gonna get after [the bye week]."

Washington lost the first meeting 24-22; the Eagles scored 10 second-half points that day, including seven from Jalen Hurts’ 43-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Goedert in the fourth quarter.

The big question heading into this game is what Washington changed or worked on during the bye week, and whether we see any differences on the field. Can Daronte Jones’ defense carry its second-half performance against San Francisco into the Eagles game? That one needs an answer and will likely determine the fate of the 2026 Washington Commanders and how their season ends. The Birds might be wounded, but they have a knack for playing up to Washington no matter the situation.

Washington can’t let Philadelphia take nine minutes off the clock on another third-quarter drive, and it can’t wait until halftime to start making stops. Quinn needs this win to show he has a grip on this roster and the direction is solid. Losing at home to a 2-5 Eagles team starting Tanner McKee would be a horrible look for Quinn and Adam Peters in year three.

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