The Eagles (7-2) host the Commanders (7-3) in an NFC East battle on Thursday Night Football at the Linc.
Let’s get to the predictions:
Reuben Frank (4-5)
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The Eagles’ victims on their five-game winning streak are the 2-7 Browns, 2-8 Giants, 4-6 Bengals, 2-8 Jaguars and 3-6 Cowboys. Five teams, a combined 13-35. The Eagles are playing terrific football, but they’re just 1-1 vs. winning teams this year, beating the Packers, losing to the Falcons. So despite that gaudy 7-2 record and fancy five-game winning streak, they still have plenty to prove, and it starts with this intriguing matchup with a Commanders team that’s 7-3 but 1-2 vs. winning teams, with an early win over Arizona. Whoever wins this one becomes the favorite to win the NFC East, and we’ll learn a lot about both teams Thursday evening. What Jayden Daniels and Dan Quinn are doing in Washington is impressive – this is a team that hasn’t had a winning record since 2016 and hasn’t won a playoff game since 2005. But I feel like they’ve come back to Earth just a little bit, and they’re a Hail Mary vs. the Bears away from being 2-3 in their last five. These are two fairly evenly matched teams with similar records and explosive offenses, but for me the difference is Washington’s defense is just average. You can move the ball on them (they’re 21st in yards allowed per play), you can run on them (28th vs. the run) and you can move the sticks on them (23rd on third down). Fun matchup, and I’m going with the home team.
Eagles 33, Commanders 30
Dave Zangaro (5-4)
This is exciting because we haven’t had many good matchups between the Eagles and Commanders in recent seasons. But this one deserves the hype. Part of me wishes both teams had full rest for this one but I think it really helps that the Eagles were able to rest their starters in the fourth quarter on Sunday, while the Commanders had to fight for 60 minutes in a loss to the Steelers. This could be a high-scoring game because both offenses have the ability to put up points.
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But the big difference in this game might be the emergence of Vic Fangio’s defense. I don’t expect them to hold the Commanders without a touchdown but if they can just make a few more stops than the other team, at least slowing down Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin, I like the Eagles at home.
Eagles 31, Commanders 27
Mike Mulhern (7-2)
The Eagles enter Thursday about as healthy as they’ve been all season long. We should finally get the full picture of how explosive this offense can be with the return of Jordan Mailata. No more figuring out help for Fred Johnson, who held up admirably against a slew of elite edge rushers. It’s time to deploy their array of playmakers, including the auxiliary weapons like Grant Calcaterra, Johnny Wilson and Jahan Dotson, who seem to be gaining more of Jalen Hurts’ trust with each passing week. The quarterback is playing at a high level thanks in large part to Kellen Moore. The Eagles offensive coordinator spent two seasons alongside Dan Quinn in Dallas and has an inside knowledge of how the Commanders head coach likes to attack Jalen Hurts and this offense. But Quinn doesn’t have the personnel he did with the Cowboys, and the Eagles have added yet another superstar in Saquon Barkley. This should be a big edge for the Birds.
The heavyweight fight will be the Eagles’ defense trying to slow down Jayden Daniels and the Commanders. Vic Fangio has been confusing NFL quarterbacks for longer than the rookie has been alive, and his group is playing like the best in the NFL. Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean are completely in sync at the linebacker level and there isn’t much space to throw against this secondary. Daniels has protected the ball extremely well, but I think he gets baited into one to help swing this game. The Eagles carry themselves like the beasts of the NFC East. They’ll show why tonight.
Eagles 34, Commanders 24
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