Eagles vs Commanders: Why Philadelphia has the history of the game for the title of the NFL Conference on its side vs Washington

For several reasons, the NFC 2024 championship game promises to be a classic. In addition to having star players on both sides, this game is unique because it will face two division rivals with each other. Sunday’s game between the Eagles and Commanders will mark the twentieth time from the fusion that two divisional opponents will play with a trip to the Super Bowl at stake.

Eagles fans of a certain age can remember the first time that their team faced a divisional enemy in the game for the NFC title, when the 1980 Philadelphia team got its first ticket to the Super Bowl after beating the Cowboys. Washington fans have also gone through this before; His team has a 2-1 brand against division rivals in games for the conference title before Sunday’s game in Philadelphia. Like the Eagles, Washington’s first NFC title won him at the expense of the Cowboys.

The Eagles and Commanders divided their regular season series. Philadelphia registered a 26-18 victory over Washington in week 11. The Commanders obtained some revenge by defeating the Eagles, 36-33, in week 16 in a game in which the field marshal of the Eagles, Jalen Hurts , he left early after suffering a head injury.

On paper, Eagles seem to have the advantage for the decisive party. Philadelphia will be at home after capturing the crown of the NFC division this for the second time in three years. The Eagles almost defeat Washington in week 16 despite the absence of Hurts. And they have a more valuable player candidate at the Saquon Barkley corridor, who ran for 296 yards and four touchdowns against Washington during the regular season.

Disagoste of the confrontation between Commanders and Eagles: What team does the advantage in each position in the NFC championship have?

Jared Dubin

History would also suggest that Eagles have an advantage, although there is a clear plan for a surprise of the Commanders. Here is a look at each game for the previous conference title between enemies of the division from the merger, courtesy of CBS Sports Research.

** – The teams played once during the regular season due to a season shortened by the strike.

As you can see, the division champions have a 14-5 mark in games for the conference title against a divisional enemy. Ball losses were a common theme in the five atypical cases. The losers obtained a +6 combined in the margin of ball losses and forced at least two ball losses in each game. Overcoming the opponent was also a common issue.

The first wild team to win the Super Bowl, the 1980 Raiders, forced three ball losses of the Chargers without committing a single ball loss. Two of those ball losses were interceptions of the field marshal of the Chargers Hall of Fame, Dan Fouts, whose counterpart, Jim Plunkett, completed 14 of 18 for 261 yards with two touchdowns and no interception. Plunkett kept his composure despite having been captured six times by the defense of the chargers.

Five years later, the Patriots forced six ball losses that included two interceptions of the field marshal of the Dan Marino Hall, who hoped to return to the Super Bowl for the second consecutive year. The Patriots Campo Marshal, Tony Eason, launched for only 71 yards, but completed 10 of 12 passes with three touchdowns. It was complemented with a land game that accumulated 255 yards, led by the 105 yards of Craig James in 22 hauls.

Two weeks after registering the greatest comeback in the history of the playoffs, the Bills of 92 forced five ball losses that included two selections from Marino, who suffered a second defeat in the game for the title of the conference against an opponent of the division. Marino did not receive any help from his land game, while the field marshal of the Bills, Jim Kelly, relied on the corridor of the Hall of Fame, Thurman Thomas, who produced 166 multiple use yards and a touchdown.

The craziest atypical case was the Titans of 99, who were the only team that defeated the Jaguars that season. That’s right, the Jaguars had a 15-0 mark against the rest of the NFL, but that season had a 0-3 mark against Tennessee.

The Titans, who had +5 in the margin of ball losses against the Jaguars during their two confrontations of the regular season, forced the frying of six ball losses in the game of the AFC championship. Tennessee’s defense also recorded a Safety of the Marshal of the Jaguars, Mark Brunell, who prepared the 80 -yard score of Anthony Mason in the next initial kick that converted a game tight into a getaway.

The 2010 Green Bay team, the last team to defeat a division rival in a game for the title of the conference as a visitor, also won the ball loss battle (which included a pick-six) while being able to opponent, the bears. And when they committed a expensive loss of ball at the beginning of the second half, Green Bay received a herculean effort from Aaron Rodgers, who probably made a cup to save the Touchdown from the supporter of the Hall of Fame Brian Urlacher after the interception of Urlacher.

It is also worth remembering how the Raiders of 83 defeated Seahawks after being swept by Seattle during the regular season. Los Angeles had an amazing -11 in the ball loss index in their two games of the regular season against Seahawks that included an exit of eight ball losses in their first confrontation. The Raiders committed four ball losses in the game for the Title of the AFC, but managed to force five Seahawks ball losses. Los Angeles also received a great game from the Corridor of the Hall of Fame Marcus Allen, who scored 216 yards for multiple use and a touchdown.

Another difference that day was the presence of the corner of the Hall of Fame, Mike Haynes, who did not play in any of the confrontations of the regular season against Seattle after being exchanged from New England to Los Angeles. Haynes played an integral role in the Raiders to retain the open receiver of the Hall of Fame, Steve Largent, catching only two passes for 25 yards.

The Commanders now have a similar situation with Marshon Lattimore, a cornerback four times Pro Bowl that was acquired just before the deadline for changes. Lattimore, who did not play in Washington’s defeat on week 11 against Philadelphia, comes from his best game since he was exchanged for Washington. The Commanders have Lattimore to neutralize the dangerous duo receiver of the Eagles formed by AJ Brown and Devonta Smith.

Will the commanders join this list of atypical cases? If so, they will have to do a better job protecting the ball against the Eagles after having -4 in the ball loss index against them during the regular season. They will also have to do better on the ground after being surpassed by Barkley and the Eagles in both games.

But if we have learned something about the 2024 Commanders, it should not be doubt The conference. Daniels’s offensive and the Commanders have played an almost perfect football so far during the postseason. Washington’s defense has contributed to the cause by forcing six ball losses, including five in the surprising victory last week in Detroit.

Ultimately, everything may be reduced to whether commanders may or may not force ball losses and contain Barkley while obtaining enough production of their own land attack. If you can do those things, the unlikely Washington season can include the first trip of the franchise to the Super Bowl since 1992. However, if they cannot, Barkley will probably be a victory to join Emmitt Smith and Terrell Davis as the only champions Terrestrial. To win the Super Bowl.