NFC championship game: Washington Commanders 23-55 Philadelphia Eagles – as it happened | NFL

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Game report is up for your perusal as the AFC game kicks off …

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Philadelphia Eagles win NFC Championship 55-23

Let’s call it now. The AFC champions, whoever they may be, have no shot against this Eagles team. Philly is going to win the Super Bowl.

But for posterity, check out our coverage of the AFC Championship game.

Thanks for following along with us here today.

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Wrapup

The AFC game starts in just a few minutes, so let’s go ahead and put a bow on this one.

This game was in doubt with 32 seconds left in the third quarter. The Commanders were driving and had a chance to cut the Eagles’ lead to one possession.

But then the Commanders fumbled the ball away for the third time. The Eagles converted for the third time, and that was the game.

The margin of victory is a little exaggerated. The Commanders’ defense clearly gave up the ghost in the fourth quarter.

For the Commanders, it’s an unfortunate end to a spectacular season that exceeded anyone’s wildest dreams. With a big change in team culture and a franchise QB entering his second season, expectations will be higher next year. There may be some reverting to the norm, but this team has every reason to hope for more playoff appearances in the next few years.

The Eagles … are good. Very good. They have the best running back in football and a devastating defense, along with a couple of strong receivers and a solid QB in Jalen Hurts.

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Kudos for Fox for playing “Cissy Strut,” a classic instrumental by The Meters that’s synonymous with New Orleans, site of Super Bowl XXBLDHE … check David Lengel’s piece for the exact Roman numerals.

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Marcus Mariota takes over for Daniels, who had a fine game. Ekeler gets a couple of rushes before the two-minute warning.

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Commanders 23-55 Eagles, 3:03 left, 4th quarter (Shipley 2yd run)

Kenny Pickett replaces Jalen Hurts at QB and hands off to Shipley, who gains another 2 yards. Another handoff, and he’s hauled down, but Luvu is offside again.

Shipley scores. Whatever. This fourth quarter has put the “garbage” in “garbage time.”

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Updated at 18.22 EST

Correction – Philadelphia called timeout. That seems like overkill.

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Commanders 23-48 Eagles, 3:53 left, 4th quarter: Shipley replaces Barkley … and breaks a bunch of tackles for a 16-yard run. Washington calls timeout for some reason.

Shipley again breaks free and races 57 yards. Benjamin St-Juste runs him down from behind.

Washington calls timeout again. It’s as if they want Philly to score 50 on them.

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Commanders 23-48 Eagles, 4:51 left, 4th quarter: Replay shows Biadasz was hurt when Carter slapped in the head. That’s illegal, isn’t it?

Incomplete pass to no one. Short pass to Ekeler goes nowhere.

Daniels looks to the endzone for McLaurin, but Mitchell wins that battle for an interception. Fourth turnover for the Commanders.

Too bad – a 48-31 final score would’ve been a little more of a fair reflection of the game. But that matters little.

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Commanders 23-48 Eagles, 5:54 left, 4th quarter: Daniels complete to McLaurin for 8, complete to Ertz for 3 (first down), incomplete to Ertz, complete to Zaccheaus for 8 (first down at PHI 43), incomplete to McLaurin, Ekeler run for 4 yards, complete to Ertz.

The tight end hurdles a defender and gets out of bounds at the PHI 29.

Washington center Tyler Biadasz is down injured.

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Follow the Bills-Chiefs pregame with David Lengel …

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Commanders 23-48 Eagles, 7:58 left, 4th quarter (Barkley 4yd run)

Run to the right. No Commanders in sight.

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Commanders 23-41 Eagles, 8:45 left, 4th quarter: Smith goes in motion and takes the 1-foot pass from Hurts, turning it into a 6-yard gain. Barkley is stopped on the next play.

Hurts looks for Goedert, and Chinn obviously interferes. Penalty, first down on the WAS 8.

Goedert then runs for four more.

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Commanders 23-41 Eagles, 10:19 left, 4th quarter: Touchback. Daniels throws the ball away under pressure. Repeat. Daniels finds Crowder for 4 yards, but he’s stopped cold.

But the Commanders are outstanding on fourth down, and Daniels completes it again, finding Ertz.

Daniels still misses some easy ones at times, and he throws one behind Crowder. An Ekeler run goes nowhere. A third-down pass is batted down.

More fourth-down heroics? Nope – Nolan Smith races past his blocker and sacks Daniels.

Philly takes over on the WAS 31.

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Three Washington fumbles. Three Philadelphia touchdowns. That’s the story of the game.

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Commanders 23-41 Eagles, 12:24 left, 4th quarter (Hurts 1-inch run)

Goedert rushes for 9. Barkley rushes for 21 to the WAS 2. Only a shoe-string tackle from Chinn keeps him out.

They try the Tush Push from 2 yards out and don’t get it, but Washington is called for a neutral-zone infraction. That takes it the 1.

Another Tush Push try – and it’s a bad snap! Hurts just managed to corral it and avoid the turnover.

Luvu tries to time the snap and get through to Hurts, but his acrobatic leap over the line is too early. That’s another penalty.

And Luvu does it AGAIN! The back judge has a good laugh with him about it. The referee is less happy, saying if it happens again, it’s a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

This time, the Eagles draw Allen and company over the line.

“Washington has been advised that at some point the referee can award a score if this continues,” says referee Shawn Hochuli.

That’s not fair. Luvu intentionally tried to jump the line twice, but that play was very different.

Fourth time’s a charm. Hurts scores from about 1 inch out.

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Justin Kavanaugh writes: “As a Philly resident (and in truth more of a soccer man), I’m cheering for the Eagles to keep onside with the in-laws. But I’m secretly more excited that this magnificent stadium, the Lincoln Financial Field, will host a couple of World Cup matches in 2026. It’s a great place to watch any sport, especially with the city skyline shimmering in the distance on a summer’s evening.”

Honestly, given the geopolitical state of things, I’m not taking any future international events for granted.

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Commanders 23-34 Eagles, end 3rd quarter

Just as the Commanders seemed to be on the verge of making it interesting …

Brown continues to torment Washington on the last play of the quarter, making a catch for 19 yards to the WAS 32.

Unless the Eagles turn it over at some point, this is just about done.

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Fumble

The Commanders are literally handing the game away.

Ekeler makes a short catch on the ground, gets up, and has the ball punched right out of his hands.

A Commanders player comes up with the ball, but the officials rule that the Eagles had it first.

Three fumbles for the Commanders. There will be a lot of what-ifs after this game.

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Commanders 23-34 Eagles, 0:32 left, 3rd quarter: Daniels finds Ertz again for 16 yards. He looks toward McLaurin, but the ball is batted away at the line. He looks for Ertz again, but the normally sure-handed tight end drops what would’ve been an 8-yard catch.

Daniels tries Ertz again, and the longtime Eagle redeems himself with a good first-down catch near midfield.

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Commanders 23-34 Eagles, 1:44 left, 3rd quarter: Hurts is flushed from the pocket again on first down and again does well to get rid of the ball. On second down, Barkley races around left end for 5 yards.

What a game Frankie Luvu is having. He blasts his way through the line just as the ball is snapped and brings down Barkley for a 3-yard loss.

Eagles punt from the WAS 40. Two Eagles collide in the end zone trying to save the ball from landing there for a touchback, but they fling the ball back into the field of play to down it deep in Washington territory.

Or not – one of the Eagles had stepped in the end zone already. That’s a touchback and net punt of just 20 yards.

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Commanders 23-34 Eagles, 3:45 left, 3rd quarter: Replay shows that the Commanders had some linemen illegally downfield on the two-point conversion. It’s rare that NFL broadcasters emphasize missed calls like this, but that’s two in this game.

Eagles take over on their own 31. Barkley breaks a tackle to pick up 5.

Hurts is swarmed on the next play and barely gets outside the pocket to fling the ball away without picking up an intentional grounding call. Alert play from the Eagles QB.

On 3rd and 5, Hurts finds Smith open. Martin misses a tackle, but Lattimore doesn’t – and that might have been a bit excessive.

What a game Goedert is having. He picks up 11 yards on a first-down catch.

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Commanders 23-34 Eagles, 5:01 left, 3rd quarter (Daniels 10yd run)

How did Daniels do that?

He takes the ball and heads right, then cuts back against the grain, finds a seam somehow and covers 10 yards for the touchdown.

Two-point conversion pass to Zaccheaus is good.

Do the Commanders have one more comeback in them? Maybe?

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Commanders 15-34 Eagles, 5:36 left, 3rd quarter: Good throw to Ertz for 21 yards. He suffers a late hit out of bounds, but it is, of course, not called. Hardly matters much.

Robinson picks up 4 yards. The good news for the Eagles – Carter has come right back into the game.

Daniels finds Zaccheaus for a first down at the PHI 19.

Looks like a designed run for Daniels, and he picks up 7. He goes to ground – did Blankenship hit him late? No?

Robinson gets close to the first down at the PHI 10. It’ll be 3rd and 1.

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Commanders 15-34 Eagles, 8:27 left, 3rd quarter: Daniels with a great toss to Brown for 12 yards. This hasn’t been the rookie star QB’s best game, but the score certainly isn’t his fault.

Robinson runs for 6 yards to the WAS 42, and action stops with an injury to Philly’s Jalen Carter, which would be very bad news for the Eagles heading into the Super Bowl.

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Commanders 15-34 Eagles, 8:58 left, 3rd quarter (Hurts 9yd run)

Well-designed QB keeper for Hurts, and he’s barely touched as he finds a hole off center and races out to the left to get into the end zone.

So … who’ve you got in the second game?

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Updated at 17.14 EST

Commanders 15-27 Eagles, 9:04 left, 3rd quarter: Brown beats Sainristil for 16 yards. Goedert takes a little shovel pass for 7. Then Hurts goes deep and finds Goedert all alone at the 15. Lattimore pushes him out of bounds at the WAS 9.

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Commanders 15-27 Eagles, 10:47 left, 3rd quarter: So part one of the three-step plan to get back in the game is complete. Get a stop, get a touchdown, get another stop.

Robinson fights for 2 yards on first down, but Daniels gets dropped deep in the backfield on second down. On 3rd and 20, Daniels gets the ball to Ekeler for 7 yards.

So NOW will the Commanders punt? Not another fake?

Indeed – Way punts for 45 yards, and DeJean returns it for 9 to the PHI 42.

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Commanders 15-27 Eagles, 12:39 left, 3rd quarter: Hurts keeps the ball on the first play but has nowhere to go but sideways for a 2-yard loss. He drops back on the next play but is brought down by Armstrong for a 7-yard loss.

Can the Commanders close out a three-and-out and start digging themselves out of a hole? Yes – the Eagles opt for a safe screen pass to Goedert, who gets 9 yards to bring up 4th and 10.

Will we see the first punt of this game at last? Yes!

It’s 43 yards, downed at the WAS 26.

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Second-half kickoff

The Eagles bring it back to the PHI 30.

Gainwell tried to block on the play but ran into a defender who was tied up with a teammate, and he’s down hurt.

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Updated at 17.00 EST

Reminder: The winner of this game will face the winner of the second game in today’s doubleheader, the Buffalo Bills or the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chiefs have been a fun team to watch for many years, and everyone loves a certain girlfriend of Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce, but this is a country that tends to root against teams that win too often and get too many perceived breaks, so the Bills will likely have most of the rooting interest nationwide.

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Commanders 15-27 Eagles, halftime

Gainwell fields the kickoff but takes no risks, and the clock runs out.

The difference in the game – two Commanders fumbles leading to two Eagles touchdowns, one of them aided and abetted by a needless penalty (correctly called). The Commanders did a lot of work to be within striking range at 14-12, but with the Eagles up 12 and taking the second-half kickoff, it’s a deep, deep hole.

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Commanders 15-27 Eagles, 0:02 left, 2nd quarter (Gonzalez 42yd field goal)

Daniels finds Ertz for another 11 yards, and the Commanders are improbably in field goal range.

Gonzalez once again drills it right down the middle.

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Commanders 12-27 Eagles, 0:13 left, 2nd quarter: Washington has no timeouts. Philadelphia will get the ball to start the second half. That makes play-calling interesting.

Short passes to Ekeler and Ertz for a first down, then a penalty on the Eagles. The hands went inside the Washington lineman’s helmet, but instead of the 15-yard penalty for a face mask infringement, it’s a mere 5-yarder to the WAS 41.

Next snap – Daniels takes off for 19 yards to the PHI 35. Could be a long field goal try.

Timeout Philadelphia.

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Commanders 12-27 Eagles, 0:39 left, 2nd quarter (Hurts 4yd pass to Brown)

Well, if it’s any consolation to Commanders fans, it was Sainristil rather than the expensive Lattimore who left Brown open for the easy catch.

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Commanders 12-20 Eagles, 0:43 left, 2nd quarter: Barkley gets 6 yards to the WAS 4. Timeout Washington.

Barkley is stopped for no gain. Another timeout – Washington’s last of the half.

Third and goal on the 4.

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Commanders 12-20 Eagles, 0:47 left, 2nd quarter: Hurts races for the end zone, but the Eagles commit a holding penalty that the refs can’t ignore.

(Note: I’m a soccer ref. I try not to criticize officials. The NFL makes it difficult. Hang around for the second game today and see if the Chiefs get some “fortunate” calls again.)

Hurts is pressured again.

Barkley takes a throw, he’s stopped well short of the first down … BUT rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil hits him as he gets a foot out of bounds. Obvious penalty. First down Eagles on the WAS 10.

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Fumble

McNichols fields the kickoff, carries it loosely, Gainwell pops it free, and the Commanders have probably just lost this game.

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Checking BlueSky to make sure I’m not seeing things …

“Brown rips off Lattimore’s helmet and Lattimore gets flagged.” – ProFootball Talk

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Commanders 12-21 Eagles, 1:44 left, 2nd quarter (Hurts 1yd run)

Well, this is … something.

Hurts scores on the Tush Push. Meanwhile, Brown has a handle on Lattimore’s face mask and he yanks off the Washington DB’s helmet.

Penalty.

On Lattimore.

Not sure how THAT happened.

The Eagles try for a two-point conversion from the 1-yard line, but the Commanders STOP the Tush Push.

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Commanders 12-14 Eagles, 1:51 left, 2nd quarter: Replay shows the officials missed a blatant holding call to free Hurts long enough to complete the pass.

Barkley picks up two yards, and the Commanders call timeout.

And let’s walk back the criticism of Lattimore, as he breaks up a pass for Goedert in the end zone. The crowd again wants pass interference, but that would’ve been weak, and the Eagles just got a big no-call in their favor.

Speaking of penalties – the Eagles are unsettled at the line, and they suffer a false start.

Big, big play here …

It’s incomplete to Brown. He and Lattimore get up jawing at each other.

But it’s pass interference on Lattimore. And it’s a legit call – Lattimore had good hold on him.

Eagles first down at the WAS 1, and this is academic now.

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Commanders 12-14 Eagles, 2:00 left, 2nd quarter: Broken play on first down, and Hurts slides to the ground rather than taking a hit from Bobby Wagner. They hand off to Barkley again, and he finds 5 yards up the middle.

The Eagles are running time off the clock. This may well be the last drive of the first half, and it could be pivotal.

But on 3rd and 5, Hurts gets chased immediately and misses an open Barkley.

They’ll go for it on fourth down.

And they roast Lattimore, with Brown snaring the over-the-shoulder catch for 31 yards to the WAS 14.

Lattimore had a strong debut for the Commanders a few weeks ago, but he has been injured or beaten badly since then.

Two-minute warning time.

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Commanders 12-14 Eagles, 3:42 left, 2nd quarter: Hurts drops back and has a lonnng time to throw. But time runs out, and he has to scramble for 2 yards.

The Eagles then remember they have an All-World running back. Barkley carries for 10 to the 50-yard line.

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Commanders 12-14 Eagles, 5:44 left, 2nd quarter: Gainwell struggles to catch the kickoff but gets it back to the PHI 28. Hurts dinks the ball to Smith for an 8-yard gain. Barkley gets the call again but only manages 1 yard.

Will we see the Tush Push again? Yes indeed. First down on the PHI 38.

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Commanders 12-14 Eagles,7:05 left, 2nd quarter (Daniels 36yd pass to McLaurin)

Game on!

Daniels throws over the middle to “Scary Terry,” who evades one tackler and makes two more pay for poor pursuit angles.

Washington opts to go for the tie on a two-point conversion, but the play call – sending everyone to the right and then throwing back to the left, where Ekeler is facing off alone against two defenders – is ineffective.

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Updated at 16.17 EST

Commanders 6-14 Eagles, 7:18 left, 2nd quarter: Daniels scrambles for 6 yards, then finds Bates over the middle for a first down at the PHI 43.

Robinson gets a sliver of space and picks up 7 yards.

Daniels misses a throw to Brown, just a little too late getting the ball out on a screen pass. He has only completed 11 of 20 passes so far.

But …

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Commanders 6-14 Eagles, 8:49 left, 2nd quarter: BLITZ, and Frankie Luvu gleefully slams Hurts to the ground. That brings up 4th and 15, and Jake Elliott comes in for a 54-yard field goal attempt. He pushes it right.

Huge stop for the Commanders.

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Commanders 6-14 Eagles, 9:43 left, 2nd quarter: Gainwell gets a 4-yard gain, and then Barkley rotates back in. But Hurts goes to the air and ends up backpedaling before throwing the ball away to avoid the sack.

Time out for the Eagles – 3rd and 6 on the WAS 27.

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Commanders 6-14 Eagles, 11:02 left, 2nd quarter: Short run by Gainwell. Pass to Gainwell for 8 yards with an acrobatic leap.

And now it’s the vaunted Eagles’ “Tush Push,” with Hurts getting a couple of teammates behind him to shove him through the line for a first down at the WAS 32.

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