The No. 2-seeded Eagles are hosting the No. 6-seeded Commanders in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday at the Linc.
Let’s get to the predictions:
Reuben Frank (12-7)
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To me, this game comes down to which team can do a better job slowing down the other team’s superstar. Saquon Barkley and Jayden Daniels might mean more to their respective teams than any other two players in the NFL. Barkley is having one of the best seasons ever by a running back and Daniels is having the best season ever by a rookie quarterback. Both are in uncharted waters, setting more records with each passing week. And every time I look at these two teams, I just feel like – despite what Daniels did to the Eagles in the fourth quarter last month – the Eagles’ top-ranked pass defense is better equipped to deal with Daniels than the Commanders’ 30th-ranked run defense is equipped to deal with Barkley. Yes, Daniels is playing better than Jalen Hurts right now, but top to bottom the Eagles have a better roster, especially on defense. They’re the better team, and I think they’ll prove it Sunday afternoon with Barkley somewhere in the 175-yard range and earn their third trip to the Super Bowl in eight years.
Eagles 33, Commanders 27
Dave Zangaro (12-7)
The Eagles are the better team. Sure, the Commanders are a hot and confident team right now and they have a rookie quarterback who has been electric. But the Eagles are more talented and playing their third straight home playoff game, while the Commanders have needed to win all on the road. That’s not to say Daniels won’t make some plays; he will. But this Eagles’ defense was the best in the NFL this season and they’ve earned all the trust they’re getting as they gear up for an NFC Championship Game. On offense, Jalen Hurts might not be 100% but the Eagles have such an incredible rushing attack and I actually think Hurts will perform much better as a passer from inside the pocket in this game. A.J. Brown has been quiet all playoffs and I can’t see that continuing in the NFC Championship Game. The Linc is going to be rocking on Sunday and I think there’s going to be a party at the end of this game. The Eagles should be heading to New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX.
NFL
Eagles 31, Commanders 26
Barrett Brooks (15-4)
This is exactly where I envisioned the Eagles being for the NFC Championship Game — in the Linc. I really thought they would be playing at home. I was thinking they would be the No. 1 seed, but they are not and took the long way without the bye wee. So we are here and the Commanders drew the long straw, facing the best team in the playoffs right now. The Eagles are the best team of the four still remaining in the tournament. I truly believe this.
The Commanders have a very talented rookie QB in Jayden Daniels. He is a calm and collected player who doesn't let the pressure of being in the biggest game of his life worry him. At least to this moment. DC Vic Fangio will have something to say about that come Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. Fangio has been coaching in the NFL for a long time. I'm very confident he will have a great game plan for the rookie QB.
On offense, the Birds must stick to their identity. This is a tough. physical run game that can not be stopped. This O-line is the best in the business. Saquon Barkley is the best offensive player in the NFL. This is as simple as 2+2=4! Run the rock and don't turn the ball over. This has been the winning formula all season. Why reinvent the wheel? Stick to the game plan and win convincingly!
Eagles 28, Commanders 21
Mike Mulhern (14-5)
Jayden Daniels is a menace against man coverage and nearly impossible to stop when you blitz him. That was on full display in the Divisional Round against the Lions. The good news for the Eagles is they play a ton of zone coverage and blitz at one of the lowest rates in the league. They are going to make Daniels earn it as he looks to become the first ever rookie quarterback to lead his team to a Super Bowl. Washington will be down their best offensive lineman in Sam Cosmi who tore his ACL in Detroit. They often left Cosmi 1 on 1 with Jalen Carter in their two matchups this season and Cosmi more than held his own. Suffice it to say, that is a huge loss. Carter has a real chance to wreck another game, and his interior pressure will severely limit what Washington is able to do.
The big questions in this game for me are about when the Eagles have the ball. Is Jalen Hurts a threat in the run game after suffering that knee injury against the Rams? Just how many bodies will Washington commit to stopping the run? Can the Eagles hit enough explosive plays in the pass game to back them off? I expect the Eagles will probably operate from the pistol formation quite often to take Hurts out of the running equation a bit, but Saquon Barkley is still going to get his. Washington is hoping 7-yard gains don’t turn into 70-yard house calls. With better conditions, I expect AJ Brown to be a major factor. He drew three pass interference penalties in the last matchup with Washington and should have plenty of opportunities to make big plays.
Dan Quinn is going to be gutsy and go for it every chance he gets. Nick Sirianni needs to match that aggressiveness. It’ll be a fun two weeks gearing up for New Orleans!
Eagles 31, Commanders 24
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