Eagles routine commanders heading to Super Bowl LIX

PHILADELPHIA—The Philadelphia Eagles delivered a complete game at the most opportune times, punching their ticket to Super Bowl LIX with a decisive 55-23 victory over the Washington Commanders in the NFC title game on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

Questions about Jalen Hurts’ health swirled all week after he injured his left knee against the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round. Hurts not only looked healthy, but he also had one of his best games of the season, totaling four touchdowns, including three on the ground.

MVP candidate Saquon Barkley started the party with a 60-yard run on the Eagles’ first offensive play of the game and finished with three touchdowns. He and Hurts became the first pair of teammates to have at least three rushing touchdowns each in an NFL playoff game.

Meanwhile, the defense was its usual self, generating takeaways, helping to force three Washington turnovers.

The season is over for the Commanders, but Sensation rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels announced his arrival in a big way this season. There is hope in the Washington area for the first time in a long time that the Commanders can be a threat in the NFC for years to come.

For now, the conference crown belongs to the Eagles. Just two years ago they made their way to the Super Bowl, only to be denied by the Kansas City Chiefs. A difficult year ensued that included a late-season collapse, the firing of coordinators and questions about head coach Nick Sirianni’s employment status.

The addition of Barkley and some tough lessons learned from 2023 helped elevate the Eagles to the big game. They will look to capture only the second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.

Promising trend: Receiver AJ Brown had a breakout game after a quiet postseason to this point. Brown, who has been working through a knee injury, had just three receptions for a combined 24 yards in his first two playoff games. He looked much more like his normal self against the Commanders, hauling in six grabs for 96 yards and a touchdown.

Fundamental game: After going up 20-12 with just under two minutes to play on a Hurts quarterback, the Eagles’ special teams forced a turnover early when Shipley fumbled the ball from Jeremy McNichols. Seven plays later, Hurts found Brown for a 4-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 15 heading into the half.

Mind-blowing statistic: Hurts now has four career games with 200 passing yards and three rushing touchdowns, including the playoffs. No other player has more than one game in NFL history, regular season and playoffs. – Tim McMANUS

Next game: Super Bowl Lix vs. Chiefs/Bills (Sunday, February 9, 6:30 p.m. ET, Fox)

Washington Commanders (12-5)

A season of dreams ended in a nightmare for Washington’s commanders.

A team that had taken good care of the ball and forced turnovers in its first two postseason victories couldn’t even make it on Sunday, and it was costly. A team with a stronger roster flexed its muscles and reminded the upstart commanders that they have work to do to close the gap between the teams.

The Commanders turned the ball over four times, leading to 28 points. Washington’s defense, which forced five turnovers to help beat Detroit in the divisional round, could only force two punts and had no takeaways. The defense also struggled to stop the run, allowing 232 yards on Sunday.

It was not the desired ending to Washington’s first trip to the championship game since the 1991 season. The Commanders went from 4-13 a season ago to 12-5 amid a major organizational change. General manager Adam Peters and coach Dan Quinn reviewed the list, and Daniels provided the final, and perhaps biggest, reason for hope.

Worrying trend: Cornerback Marshon Lattimore didn’t make the desired impact after Washington acquired him from New Orleans before the trade deadline. He was hit in crucial moments against the Eagles, including giving up 31 yards on a fourth-and-5 pass. He was slowed by a hamstring injury this season, but regardless, in two games against Philadelphia he was flagged five times and lost composure in the first half on Sunday.

Fundamental game: On the ensuing drive after Barkley ran 60 yards for a touchdown, Washington receiver Dyami Brown searched at Washington’s 48-yard line, the Commanders’ first billing this postseason. The Eagles turned it into another Touchdown Six play later. A 14-3 lead left Washington chasing them all day, a bad place to be against an explosive team.

QB Breakdown: Daniels couldn’t play Superman again on Sunday, and that’s what the Commanders needed, especially after passing the ball four times. Daniels played a solid game, 255 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception and 48 yards rushing with another score, and he didn’t look like a rookie. It wasn’t the reason Washington lost and it remains the No. 1 reason for optimism for the future. – John Keim