ESPN News Services
Dec 20, 2025, 08:33 PM ET
LANDOVER, Md. -- This was not a terrific performance by the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, from a fumble on the opening kickoff, to a pair of penalties on the tush push, to three wide-left field goal tries, to a halftime deficit.
Still, Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley & Co. eventually got going in the right direction and clinched a second consecutive NFC East title by beating the Washington Commanders 29-18 on Saturday night. The game included a late brawl after Barkley tacked on a 2-point conversion to increase the Eagles' lead to 19 points.
Starting plays under center far more frequently than he did earlier in the season, Hurts completed 22 of 30 throws -- with 15 of those caught by A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith -- for 185 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers. Hurts connected with Smith from 5 yards out in the first half and with tight end Dallas Goedert from 15 to put Philadelphia ahead 14-10 in the third quarter, capping a 17-play, 83-yard, 10½-minute drive.
Hurts also did plenty of damage on the ground, gaining 40 yards on seven carries for the Eagles (10-5), who have followed a three-game losing streak by winning two in a row. They are the first team to top the NFC East in back-to-back seasons since Philadelphia did it every year from 2001 to 2004; the gap since then was the longest drought without a repeat champ for any division in NFL history.
Barkley added a 12-yard TD run for the Eagles, part of his 21-carry, 132-yard performance.
With the Commanders (4-11), now losers of nine of their past 10 contests, already eliminated from postseason contention, there was plenty of green in the stands. Chants of "E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!" frequently rang out and cries of "Cooooop!" greeted Cooper DeJean's interception of Josh Johnson, Washington's third-string quarterback, who came in when Marcus Mariota went out after the opening drive in the third quarter with an injured right hand while Washington led 10-7.
Mariota started Saturday in place of Jayden Daniels, the reigning AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year who led the Commanders to the NFC title game last season -- where they lost 55-23 to Philadelphia -- but has been shut down in 2025 after dealing with a series of injuries and appearing in only seven games.
The chilly evening started inauspiciously for the Eagles: Will Shipley coughed up the opening kickoff when he was hit by Mike Sainristil, and Washington recovered at Philadelphia's 27, eventually getting a field goal.
The Eagles went up 7-3 on a drive that was nearly all Hurts. He was 4-for-5 passing for 53 yards, including a 6-yard TD toss to Smith, and added a 14-yard run.
That's not to say Hurts was perfect. He missed open receivers, including one on an egregious overthrow of Brown and another on a miscommunication with Smith.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
