Commanders-Eagles Stock Market: Tanner and Tank Show Doesn't Get It Done

PHILADELPHIA - The only thing Nick Sirianni could guarantee entering Week 18 was the ability to rest many of his key starters so that's what the Eagles' head coach did even though a win over Washington, coupled with a Detroit Lions wins at the Chicago Bears, could vault Philadelphia to the No. 2 seed in the NFC.

That's the exact same launch point the Eagles had last season on the way to a Super Bowl LIX win.

Sirianni would never admit it but also factoring into the decision-making was the belief an Eagles' offense led by Tanner McKee and Tank Bigsby could top a four-win Commanders team piloted by veteran thrid-stringer Josh Johnson at QB.

McKee and Bigsby did their part but six penalties on the defensive backfield was a little too much to overcome in a 24-17 loss which dropped Philadelphia to 11-6 on the season.

A 37-20 Los Angeles Rams win over Arizona secured Sean McVay's team the No. 5 seed and dropped the 49ers to sixth. San Francisco will visit the Eagles on Wild Card Weekend.

The Lions, meanwhile, rode a walk-off field goal by Jake Bates to a 19-16 win over the Bears, making the loss to the Commanders (5-12) a little more difficult to swallow.

THE BULLS

Jan 4, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter looks on from the sideline during the third quarter against the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

TANNER TIME - McKee was as advertised with the ball coming out on time and thrown with confidence. It took the backup one quarter to get DeVonta Smith the 44 yards he needed to cross the 1,000-yard barrier, and McKee's 15-yard TD throw to Grant Calcaterra was the kind of quick decision that opens up things in the passing game.

He also delivered the football to nine different receivers but struggled in the second half when the Eagles' pass protection started to break down.

MILESTONES - It might have been more of a numbers game than anything else but Smith playing and leaving after he crossed the 1,000-yard barrier was an indication that getting the playmaker to that number was the goal and the Eagles accomplished it as quickly as possble.

GOLDEN ERA - A.J. Brown and Smith are the only WR duo in Eagles history to each produce 1,000-plus receiving yards in the same season and they've now done in three times ( 2022, 2023, 2025).

Smith is also the fourth player drafted by the Eagles to record three 1,000-plus yard receiving seasons with the team, joining Hall of Famer Harold Carmichael, DeSean Jackson and Mike Quick.

BREALING THE BRONCOS - The Eagles are now one of only five teams to have two 1,000-yard receivers, and a tight end with 10-or-more receiving TDs (Dallas Goedert 11) in the same season and the first since the 2014 Denver Broncos ( Emmanuel Sanders/Demaryius Thomas/Julius Thomas).

The Broncos also did it in 2013 (Eric Decker/Demaryius Thomas/Julius Thomas), and 1998 (Rod Smith/Ed McCaffrey/Shannon Sharpe).

The only other team to do it was the 1999 Carolina Panthers (Muhsin Muhammad/Patrick Jeffers/Wesley Walls).

LET'S HUNT - Jalyx Hunt had his team-leading third interception on the season and is one of only two edge defenders in the NFL with three picks, joining Indianapolis' Laiatu Latu. He also recovered the fumble off a bad shotgun snap that set up Bigsby's two-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Hunt is the first Eagles player to have an interception and fumble recovery in the same game since T.J. Edwards did it on Nov. 21, 2021 against New Orleans.

THE BEARS

DPI - The Eagles' sat their starting secondary and the backups -- Jakorian Bennett, Kelee Ringo (2), and Mac McWilliams (10), combined for six different defensive penalties, including a host of DPIs that played a major part in the Washington offense.

The Commanders had 274 yards of total offense and another 123 off nine Philadelphia penalties.

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