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Author: Olivia Reiner

Eagles use big second half to overwhelm Commanders, become first repeat NFC East champs since 2004

LANDOVER, Md. — For the first time in 21 seasons, the NFC East has a back-to-back champion.

The Eagles clinched the division in a 29-18 victory over the Washington Commanders on Saturday night at Northwest Stadium, officially punching their ticket to the playoffs. Despite falling behind, 10-7, in the first half, the Eagles blew the game open in the second, scoring touchdowns on three of four possessions with the starting offense.

It wasn’t pretty early on for the Eagles. Jake Elliott missed a pair of long field goals, one from 57 yards and another from 52. But the offense rebounded, in large part thanks to Saquon Barkley’s dominance on the ground. The 28-year-old running back rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.

Barkley eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards on the season for the fifth time in his career.

Here’s our instant analysis from the Eagles’ Week 16 win over their division rival:

Commanders’ defensive struggles

The Commanders went up, 10-7, in the first half on a 20-yard field goal and running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s 1-yard touchdown run. Then, the Washington defense committed an abundance of mistakes that ultimately cost it the game.

On fourth-and-7 from the Commanders’ 38 halfway through the third quarter, the Eagles opted to go for it, keeping a struggling Elliott off the field. Hurts tossed an interception to Commanders safety Quan Martin on a downfield pass intended for A.J. Brown, but it didn’t stand. Dallas Goedert drew an illegal contact penalty against Commanders safety Will Harris, extending the drive.

A.J. Brown had a big night with nine catches for 95 yards.

Six plays later, on third-and-8 from the Commanders’ 20, the Washington defense committed another pair of penalties to keep the Eagles alive. Martin’s holding call was declined, but a pass interference call on Commanders cornerback Noah Igbinoghene was enforced.

The 26-year-old cornerback attempted to cover DeVonta Smith in the back of the end zone, but the officials had determined he grabbed the Eagles’ standout receiver.

The Eagles made the Commanders pay for their mistakes. On third-and-goal from the Commanders’ 15 — the Eagles backed up due to a Fred Johnson holding penalty — Hurts completed a touchdown pass to Goedert while on the move.

Goedert leapt up over Martin to snag Hurts’ pass, making it 14-10 in favor of the Eagles. The 30-year-old tight end has reached a team-high 10 touchdowns this season, which is double his previous career high (five touchdowns in 2019).

The Commanders had some tackling issues throughout the evening, especially when it came to attempting to bring down Brown (he finished the day with a team-high nine receptions for 95 yards). Barkley benefited from the Commanders’ poor tackling, too, when he added to the Eagles’ scoring total in the fourth quarter.

Barkley forced five missed tackles on his 12-yard touchdown run up the middle, putting the Eagles up, 21-10. He helped put the dagger into Washington later in the fourth quarter with a 48-yard carry, featuring a spin move in the backfield and another slew of missed Commanders tackles.

Tank Bigsby built on Barkley’s explosive play, scampering into the end zone on a 22-yard touchdown run. Barkley picked up the ensuing two-point conversion on a carry, making it 29-10, Eagles.

The under-center runs and the play-action passes married with them that the Eagles incorporated last week against the Las Vegas Raiders weren’t an emphasis on Saturday. Instead, the group utilized more tempo, empty sets, and plays from the shotgun.

“I think we can go down every game this year and see a difference in approach,” Hurts said of the Eagles’ identity. “I think that’s OK for that to be who we are. We’ve just got to be very smart with what we do and when we do it and sequence it in the right way and then ultimately go out there and execute and make the plays.”

Eagles defense catches a break

Early in the third quarter, Marcus Mariota exited the game with a right hand injury, effectively quashing the Commanders’ chances at a victory.

The Josh Johnson experience was horrific. On third-and-13 late in the third quarter, Cooper DeJean picked off the 39-year-old quarterback on a pass intended for Commanders wide receiver Treylon Burks.

With Johnson struggling, the Commanders attempted to run the ball to no avail. On the Commanders’ following possession, running back Chris Rodriguez was stuffed by Jordan Davis and Zack Baun on third-and-1 for a loss of 3 yards. Their play forced the Commanders to punt, marking Washington’s first three-and-out of the evening.

Davis was a force against the run. He finished with six tackles, included two for losses and two for no gain. The other two were on carries of 1 and 3 yards.

“That dude is a monster,” Baun said of Davis. “A monster of a human being and a monster on the field. Super impressive, because you think he’s just a stout run-stuffer, and then we throw in a stunt and some movement, and then you see how fast he is and he gets a TFL.”

The Eagles defensive front gave Johnson fits. On third-and-6 halfway through the fourth quarter, Nolan Smith beat Commanders right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. and pressured Johnson, forcing him to throw an incomplete pass intended for running back Jeremy McNichols.

Rodriguez scored a garbage-time touchdown on a 3-yard carry with Eagles backups in the game on defense to make it 29-18. Johnson finished the game 5 of 9 for 43 yards and the interception (28.7 quarterback rating).

Jake Elliott’s uneven year continued at Washington on Saturday.

More issues for Elliott

After the Eagles went up, 7-3, in the first quarter on a 5-yard Smith touchdown reception, the self-inflicted wounds that had tormented the team for most of the season cropped up once more.

Elliott had a nightmare outing. Early in the second quarter, the Eagles offense sputtered at the Commanders’ 25-yard line. Late in the drive, Hurts overthrew a wide-open Brown on second-and-11, eventually forcing the Eagles to settle for a 43-yard field goal attempt.

However, Elliott missed the field goal wide left, which would become a trend for him as the quarter continued. After the two-minute warning, the Commanders up 10-7, the Eagles decided to attempt a 57-yard field goal on fourth-and-4 from the Commanders’ 39 with 18 seconds remaining in the first half.

Elliott missed that wide left, too. But Commanders safety Tyler Owens was flagged for being offside on the play, giving the Eagles offense a fresh set of downs and 5 yards.

Hurts’ ensuing pass for Smith sailed incomplete, bringing Elliott on the field for yet another attempt, this time from 52 yards. Again, Elliott missed the kick wide left to end the first half.

Not including the failed 57-yarder, Elliott has missed five field goal attempts in his last five games. He has also missed an extra point attempt in that span.

Elliott stabilized in the fourth quarter. After Barkley’s fourth-quarter touchdown run, the Eagles kicker made the extra point. Regardless of the kicker’s recent shortcomings, Nick Sirianni emphasized his faith in Elliott after the game.

“I have the utmost confidence in Jake,” Sirianni said. “I think like any team, you have ups and downs, and that’s just not offense, defense. That’s special teams. That’s your kicker, too. I have a ton of confidence in him that he’ll rebound from this, ’cause he’s mentally tough and a great kicker. We have the utmost faith in Jake moving forward.”

Injury report

Nakobe Dean sustained a hamstring injury halfway through the first quarter when he was attempting to tackle Burks. Jihaad Campbell took his place. Dean was ruled out in the third quarter.

Tyler Steen was ejected late in the fourth quarter following the Eagles’ two-point conversion for his involvement in a scuffle that broke out between the two teams.

December 21, 2025
Quarterbacks have been avoiding Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. Will the Commanders take their chances?

When Quinyon Mitchell played the Washington Commanders for the first time in 2024, the then-rookie cornerback officially put himself on the map.

In that 26-18 Eagles win over the Commanders last Nov. 14, wide receiver Terry McLaurin might as well have been wearing Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak. On the 20 routes McLaurin ran when matched up against Mitchell, the two-time Pro Bowl receiver was never targeted, according to Next Gen Stats.

Mitchell’s 2025 season to date has been one long continuation of that contest. Whether he’s traveling with opponents’ top receivers or lining up on the boundary (the short side of the field that tends to garner less safety help), Mitchell has managed to lock down his side. That accomplishment doesn’t come as a surprise to Vic Fangio.

“He’s a guy that works very, very hard at it, hasn’t deviated from his process, still goes through the same extra meetings that he did as a rookie,” Fangio said. “Still doing them now. That’s why he is a good player.”

The numbers back up the eye test when it comes to Mitchell’s success in Year 2. He has allowed a 42.7% completion rate on his targets, which is the lowest among cornerbacks with at least 400 coverage snaps this season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Jordan Davis found his voice and helped stabilize the Eagles defensive line

Targeting Mitchell is bad business for most quarterbacks. They have a 56.3 quarterback rating when throwing the ball his way, which is the second-worst among that same group of cornerbacks.

But Mitchell, the 22nd-overall pick out of Toledo last year, hasn’t been cocky about his success. When asked to assess his own play this season, Mitchell responded unassumingly.

“I think it’s going smooth,” he said. “I could be better. So each and every week, I’m just trying to harp on the small details. Just trying to get better with my technique.”

How can a cornerback improve when quarterbacks aren’t throwing the ball his way? In the last two games, Mitchell has been targeted just four times, conceding one catch for seven yards.

“I’ve just got to stay ready,” Mitchell said. “I always expect every play, every down, that the ball’s going to come my way. So just staying ready and staying locked in.”

Terry McLaurin makes a 36-yard touchdown reception during the second quarter of the NFC championship game on Jan. 26.

McLaurin is Mitchell’s next challenge. It has been an unprecedented season for the 30-year-old receiver, who has missed seven games this season due to a quadriceps injury. Prior to this year, McLaurin had missed just three games in six seasons.

Still, McLaurin has been the Commanders’ top target, averaging a team-high 58.4 receiving yards per game. That clip is a career low, a reflection of the struggles the Commanders offense has had this season with quarterback Jayden Daniels missing time due to various injuries.

The impending games against the Commanders this year, beginning with Saturday’s contest, won’t have the same drama as last season. The 4-10 Commanders are out of the playoffs and down key players on offense such as Daniels, tight end Zach Ertz and left tackle Laremy Tunsil.

With a chance to clinch the NFC East on the line, Mitchell isn’t taking the matchup lightly, nor should he. Quarterback Marcus Mariota is capable of extending plays with his legs and hitting his receivers deep. Last week against the New York Giants, Mariota connected with McLaurin on a 51-yard touchdown pass down the seam that helped seal the Commanders’ first win in more than two months.

Eagles’ shift to passing more in the red zone has led to more successful trips: ‘You can be creative’

“We feel like they’re going to come out and play their game,” Mitchell said. “They have a very good football team. So we expect them to come out and be aggressive and be physical.”

Just like he has been all season, Mitchell will be aggressive and physical, too. The Eagles will play their third game in 13 days on Saturday, a circumstance Mitchell is used to. He played on plenty of short weeks given the number of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday games in the Mid-American Conference.

While Mitchell has improved on the field in his second season, he says his mindset remains the same. This time last year, he wasn’t thinking about his chances at winning the league’s defensive rookie of the year award. Now, he isn’t thinking about his chances of being voted to the Pro Bowl.

He won’t entertain questions of whether he’s the best cornerback in the league, either.

“That’s up to y’all to decide,” Mitchell said. “I know how I feel, but I’ll keep it to myself.”

Injury report

The Eagles ruled out Lane Johnson (foot) and Jalen Carter (shoulders) for Saturday’s game against the Commanders. Neither player practiced all week.

Tight end Cam Latu (stinger) and offensive tackle Cameron Williams (shoulder; injured reserve) are listed as questionable to play.

December 18, 2025
Eagles vs. Commanders predictions: Our writers pick a winner for Week 16

The Eagles travel down I-95 for a Saturday evening road game in Landover, Md., against the Washington Commanders on Saturday.

One team has four wins and shut down its starting quarterback for the rest of the season. The other got back on track with a blowout win Sunday and is gearing up for another playoff run.

The schedule makers probably didn’t have this type of disparity on their bingo cards when they matched up the Eagles and Commanders for two games in the final three weeks of the NFL season, but here we are.

Here’s how our writers see Saturday’s game going:

Jeff Neiburg

Yes, the Raiders stink, but the Eagles should be feeling pretty good about themselves after their 31-0 drubbing of Las Vegas on Sunday. The offense got back on track. The defense couldn’t have played much better. Jake Elliott finished a game without missing a kick for the first time since Week 11.

All is right at the NovaCare Complex, right?

Yes, at least for now.

But the Eagles should be ready to pounce Saturday. They’re facing another team starting a backup quarterback. They’re facing an even worse defense than the one they beat up on Sunday. And they can clinch the NFC East with a victory.

Eagles vs. Commanders in Week 16: Here are the numbers that matter

It’s hard to envision that not happening Saturday night. The Commanders can score, especially with Terry McLaurin back in the lineup. And Marcus Mariota will test what the Eagles have learned about trying to stop the quarterback running game. But the Eagles have way too big a talent advantage for this game to be much of a worry.

Three of Washington’s four wins this season are against the Giants (twice) and Raiders. The other came against the Chargers. But Jayden Daniels started that game, and the Commanders defense played its best game of the season. That was all the way back in October, though, and that defense is banged up.

Hang the banner. The Eagles will win their second consecutive division title, and their third in four seasons.

Prediction: Eagles 27, Commanders 13

Olivia Reiner

Another Eagles win incoming.

Even when Daniels was healthy enough to play, this Commanders team hadn’t been the NFC contender it was last season. While McLaurin is still one of the top receivers in the division, the Commanders have a shortage of playmakers overall. The season-ending ACL injury to Zach Ertz certainly doesn’t help matters. Jacory Croskey-Merritt has been a solid threat on the ground, but he’s prone to making rookie mistakes (including three fumbles this season).

What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 16 vs. the Commanders

The biggest concern for the Eagles defense is Mariota’s ability to use his legs to extend plays. The Eagles have conceded 329 rushing yards to opposing quarterbacks this season, the second-highest total in the NFL. If Vic Fangio’s unit can keep him contained, it will be in position to shut the Commanders down.

The big question facing the Eagles offense going forward: Can it sustain the success it established in the win over the Raiders? The Eagles ought to have a good chance of doing so against the Commanders in two of their final three games. Even with Dan Quinn taking over the defensive coordinator duties, Washington still has struggled against the pass and the run.

With a win, the Eagles will clinch the NFC East, making them the first back-to-back winners in the last 20 seasons. So much for the league back-loading these Eagles-Commanders games with the aspiration that they would have playoff implications for both teams.

Prediction: Eagles 28, Commanders 20

December 18, 2025
Eagles’ shift to passing more in the red zone has led to more successful trips: ‘You can be creative’

For all the ups and downs the Eagles offense has experienced this season, they still reign at the top of the league in red zone percentage.

The Eagles have scored on an NFL-best 69.4% of their red zone trips this season, which is a 12% improvement over their success rate in their Super Bowl LIX-winning season. Dallas Goedert has accounted for eight of the Eagles’ 25 red zone touchdowns this season.

Two of Goedert’s touchdowns — nearly three, due to a drop — came in the low red zone in the Eagles’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Both 4-yard touchdown shovel passes were behind the line of scrimmage. Goedert now has five touchdown passes from behind the line of scrimmage this season, which is the league high, according to Next Gen Stats.

Jalen Hurts on blocking out the criticism: ‘This isn’t my first rodeo’

While Kevin Patullo said that there isn’t necessarily a concerted effort to draw up plays for Goedert in the low red zone, good things tend to happen when the 30-year-old tight end gets the ball in his hands.

“He’s such a physical guy,” the offensive coordinator said Wednesday. “His determination to just get yards and have an impact on anything, whether it’s in the pass game, whether it’s gadgets, whatever it may be, he’s really dynamic with the ball in his hands. So any time you can get the ball in his hands, that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

But Goedert acknowledged that he’s the beneficiary of the Eagles’ shift in red zone philosophy this year. Last season, the Eagles ran the ball more frequently. Of the Eagles’ red zone touchdowns last season, 58% came on carries (34% of their red zone touchdowns were on the Tush Push).

Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert has scored eight of the team’s 25 red zone touchdowns.

This year, 48% of the Eagles’ red zone touchdowns have come on runs (20% on the Tush Push). Patullo said that there isn’t “anything specific” that has led to the shift from run to pass.

“The red zone, obviously, is a unique area where you can be creative and do different things,” Patullo said. “And I think that’s something where we all kind of have our own input on that. Throughout the years, we’ve done different things and just try to see whatever we need to do best.”

Smith soaring since return

When asked about Nolan Smith’s progress on Wednesday afternoon, Vic Fangio admitted he wasn’t sure exactly how many games the third-year edge rusher had missed this season.

When he was informed that Smith had missed five games on injured reserve to heal his triceps injury, Fangio was surprised.

“Wow,” the defensive coordinator said. “Felt like more.”

Perhaps his hiatus felt longer because of the pass rush’s inconsistency during that stretch. The Eagles defense registered three of its six lowest single-game sack percentages of the season in Smith’s absence.

Eagles vs. Commanders in Week 16: Here are the numbers that matter

But since Smith has returned and Jaelan Phillips was acquired from the Miami Dolphins, the Eagles’ pass rush has soared, even in the two-game absence of Jalen Carter. In their last three contests, the Eagles have combined for a league-best 13 sacks (which is tied with the Dolphins). Smith notched two of those sacks.

Smith returned after the bye week in Week 10 against the Green Bay Packers. At the time, the 24-year-old outside linebacker was on a snap limit, as the Eagles sought to prevent reinjury.

Since his first couple of games back, Smith has gradually seen his playing time increase, culminating last week when he played 61.9% of the defensive snaps. Fangio acknowledged Wednesday that he is no longer on a snap count. With more playing time has come more confidence for Smith, Fangio said.

“He is getting better and more comfortable and I think he’s back to where he was,” Fangio said.

Eagles offensive tackle Fred Johnson missed Wednesday’s practice with an ankle injury but expects to play Saturday at Washington.

Injury report

The Eagles held their first practice of the week on Wednesday at Lincoln Financial Field, with snow covering their practice field at the NovaCare Complex.

Lane Johnson (foot), Landon Dickerson (calf/rest), Fred Johnson (ankle), and Jalen Carter (shoulders) did not participate. However, Fred Johnson told The Inquirer that he expects to be available to play Saturday against the Washington Commanders.

Cam Latu (stinger) was a limited participant. Saquon Barkley (stinger), Zack Baun (hand), Tank Bigsby (illness), Jaelan Phillips (knee), and Cameron Williams (shoulder; injured reserve) were full participants.

The Eagles will practice once more on Thursday before Saturday’s game in Landover, Md.

December 18, 2025
Jalen Hurts on blocking out the criticism: ‘This isn’t my first rodeo’

On Sunday afternoon following the Eagles’ blowout win over the Las Vegas Raiders, Landon Dickerson didn’t have the patience to entertain an iota of criticism about his quarterback.

Jalen Hurts, the Eagles’ fifth-year starter, was fresh off a near-perfect performance. He went 12-for-15 for 175 yards and three touchdowns in the passing game, plus he added 39 yards on seven carries.

Eagles vs. Commanders in Week 16: Here are the numbers that matter

It was a stark improvement over his performance in the previous two games of the Eagles’ losing streak, in which Hurts didn’t complete more than 56% of his passing attempts and turned the ball over seven times. When a reporter asked about Hurts’ showing against the Raiders in the aftermath of a “rough ride” during the losing streak, Dickerson bristled at the nature of the question.

“Oh, y’all just, like, dog him,” the Eagles left guard said.

But Hurts wouldn’t know that, or so he claims. The 27-year-old quarterback emphasized Tuesday that he tunes out the external criticism, making him impervious to the many opinions about his play that crop up in the media, locally and nationally.

His teammates, though, are more plugged into the discussions about Hurts that percolate online, especially during their string of losses. A reporter told Hurts on Tuesday that Nakobe Dean had said after the Raiders game that if he had been seeing the criticism about the quarterback, then he would bet that Hurts had seen it, too.

“He’d be a broke man if we made that bet,” Hurts said.

Eagles must be wary of old friend Marcus Mariota, whose legs pose a threat they have struggled with

Evidently, he didn’t tune into Nick Sirianni’s weekly radio appearance on 94-WIP, when the coach was asked whether Hurts would remain the starting quarterback. (“I think that’s ridiculous,” Sirianni responded). That Hurts didn’t hear a snippet on the radio or catch a glimpse of a chyron on a talking-heads debate show on one of the TVs at the NovaCare Complex over the last three weeks is an impressive feat.

How was he able to drown out the scrutiny?

“It’s who I am,” Hurts said. “It’s my focus. This isn’t my first rodeo, you know? So very unprecedented journey to be here. But unprecedented is unprecedented.”

Hurts has been here before. He often points to his benching at Alabama as one of the pivotal moments of his football career, one that taught him lessons of perseverance and determination.

He responded emphatically to that low point, leading Alabama to victory in the SEC title game the following season and finishing as the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy after transferring to Oklahoma. Hurts was the fifth quarterback taken in the 2020 draft — and the first to win a Super Bowl.

The past month was a microcosm of Hurts’ football journey — you can doubt him, but you can’t underestimate his ability to respond, especially when the stakes are high. That’s part of the “clutch gene” that Jeffrey Lurie has said he identifies within Hurts. It’s a trait that the quarterback values, too.

“You work really hard to show up when your team needs you the most,” Hurts said. “All of the perceived pressure, whatever that is, just really preparing for a moment, preparing for an opportunity and knowing that resilience, determination, and perseverance can bring it home for the group. I’d say that’s pretty valuable for me, to take pride in showing up when my team needs me to the most.”

Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert celebrates his first-quarter touchdown with Jalen Hurts against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.

Soon enough, the stakes will be as high as they’ve been all season. The Eagles have a chance to clinch the NFC East on Saturday with a win over the Washington Commanders. They could be playing to improve their seeding in the NFC, too, depending on how the conference’s front-runners fare for the rest of the season.

Then, the playoffs will begin, providing Hurts with the stage to flaunt that “clutch gene” he has channeled throughout his career.

“I see it as an opportunity,” Hurts said. “That’s it. September, October [are] important games, kind of finding yourself. It’s a new team, you find your groove. But new things are found in December, January, and February. I think just being built off of perseverance, being built off of learning from all of my experiences and learning from everything, you definitely look forward to those moments.”

In those moments, the Eagles will try to build off the strides they took in the win against the Raiders. As the player with the ball in his hands on every offensive snap, Hurts will incur plenty more scrutiny. He is well-equipped to handle that job responsibility, according to Sirianni.

“I think that playing quarterback in the NFL, you’re going to get a lot of attention,” Sirianni said. “Positive, negative, all attention. When that happens — we talk about this a lot as a team — any little thing [that] distracts you [or] what can distract you, you need to block out.

“I think that why Jalen can handle it so well is because he’s so locked in and focused and not distracted by things to be able to lock in onto what he needs to do to get himself ready to play.”

December 17, 2025
What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 16 vs. the Commanders

That feeling you experienced at approximately 3:35 p.m. Sunday was the earth beginning to rotate on its axis again.

The Eagles won a game for the first time in approximately a month and all is right in Philadelphia, for now. The defense remained dominant. The offense was mostly sharp and efficient. Jake Elliott didn’t miss any of his kicks for the first time since Week 11 against the Detroit Lions.

Eagles dominate Raiders in all phases, end losing streak in first shutout since 2018

With three games remaining in the regular season, the Eagles are just one victory (or one Dallas Cowboys loss) from winning the division and becoming the first back-to-back NFC East champions in 20 seasons.

This Saturday, the Eagles’ obstacle is the 4-10 Washington Commanders, their struggling division rival that ended its eight-game losing streak on Sunday with its first win (29-21 over the New York Giants) in over two months.

Here’s what we know (and what we don’t) about the Eagles ahead of their Week 16 matchup against the Commanders:

Can Jalen Hurts stack positive performances after a strong outing against the Raiders?

The Raiders effect?

Now that the proverbial confetti has settled, how much stock can the Eagles really put in a win over the now-2-12 Las Vegas Raiders?

Time will tell if the Eagles can sustain their all-around dominance for the rest of the year. But there’s no denying that the Raiders are one of the most inferior teams of the last decade, boasting the 19th-worst points differential (-167) and the fifth-worst yards per offensive play (4.38) in that span.

Credit where credit is due, though. The Eagles could have stooped to the level of their opponent by committing the self-inflicted wounds that have plagued them throughout the season. They could have used the windy conditions as an excuse for a lack of efficiency in the passing game.

Instead, the Eagles incurred just three penalties, their lowest total in a game this season. Jalen Hurts and his receivers registered the league’s second-best single-game expected points added per pass (+.87) in 2025, a metric that measures the average points an offense adds on a passing play.

A close win would have been concerning. A blowout provides hope that the Eagles can potentially sustain this level of complementary football into the playoffs.

The Commanders won’t provide the Eagles with the best litmus test this week. They’ve been one of the NFL’s lowliest defenses this season, conceding a league-worst 7.5 yards per passing attempt and a sixth-worst 4.7 yards per carry. Their offense has experienced a sharp drop-off compared to 2024 with Jayden Daniels dealing with various injuries throughout the season.

Former Eagle Marcus Mariota will get the call for the Commanders under center on Saturday.

Another backup quarterback

For a second straight game, the Eagles are set to face off against one of their former backups. This time, it will be Marcus Mariota at the helm of the Commanders offense on Saturday.

Daniels, the NFL’s 2024 offensive rookie of the year, has missed seven games this year due to a litany of injuries, including a knee sprain, a hamstring strain, and now an elbow issue. He initially dislocated his elbow injury in the team’s Week 9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and while he returned to action a month later, he aggravated the injury in his first game back against the Minnesota Vikings.

After the second-year quarterback missed the Week 15 win over the Giants, Commanders coach Dan Quinn announced Monday afternoon that he is being shut down for the rest of the season.

But the injuries to Daniels aren’t the only reason behind Washington’s decline in 2025. The Commanders lack playmakers on offense, and they’re now down two more with former Eagles tight end Zach Ertz tearing his ACL two weeks ago and wide receiver Noah Brown exiting Sunday’s game with a rib injury. Laremy Tunsil, the team’s standout left tackle, also left the Giants game with an oblique injury in his side.

The Eagles can still get to the Super Bowl, but only if their defense drags them there

The defense has been rough, too, for most of the season, but we’ll get to that later.

The Eagles are well-acquainted with Mariota. Much like Daniels, the 32-year-old quarterback has the ability to extend plays with his legs, a quality that has given the Eagles defense fits at times this season.

Mariota was particularly effective on deep passes Sunday. In fact, he had almost all of his production come on downfield passes, as he went 7-for-11 for 181 yards and a touchdown on throws greater than 10 air yards, according to Next Gen Stats.

Still, the Commanders offense practically tried to lose to the worst team in the NFC East. At one point, they had a 15-point lead, then fumbled the ball away twice in the fourth quarter (once by Mariota and another time by running back Jeremy McNichols) to give the Giants a shot at a comeback. Saturday’s game shouldn’t be too difficult a test for Vic Fangio’s defense.

The previously unknown Jacory Croskey-Merritt has had a solid stretch for the Commanders.

Wild Bill

One of the lone bright spots of the Commanders’ season has been the emergence of Jacory Croskey-Merritt, the seventh-round rookie running back who goes by the nickname “Bill.”

Croskey-Merritt became the team’s featured back after Austin Ekeler went down in Week 2 with an Achilles injury. He has been efficient on the ground, averaging 4.5 yards per carry, which ranks third among rookie running backs with at least 100 attempts this season.

Sunday marked one of the best performances of Croskey-Merritt’s young career. He posted 96 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, his second-best total output this year. But he’s also had three fumbles this season, including one that the Commanders ultimately recovered in the second quarter.

The Eagles defense had its best performance of the season against the run on Sunday, conceding just 46 yards. According to Next Gen Stats, the Eagles were the first team this year to not miss a tackle attempt in a game. The unit seems to be on the mend, even in the absence of Jalen Carter, after giving up 281 yards on the ground to the Chicago Bears in Week 13.

A.J. Brown and Dallas Goedert could be in for big days against the beleaguered Washington secondary.

Defensive dumpster fire

The Commanders defense has been the source of the majority of the team’s dysfunction this season. The rush and coverage have been poor, underscored by injuries to key pass rushers Dorance Armstrong and Deatrich Wise and the regression of cornerbacks Mike Sainristil and the injured Marshon Lattimore.

Five games into Washington’s eight-game losing streak (in which it lost by 21 points in four straight games), Quinn demoted defensive coordinator Joe Whitt and took on his responsibilities. Since the change, the Commanders are still giving up 352.5 yards per game, the ninth-highest total in the league since mid-November. Their 23.8 points allowed per game are tied for 12th-most.

But the Commanders defense bailed out the offense on Sunday. McNichols fumbled the ball away with just under three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Giants down by eight points. The Commanders stopped the Giants on fourth down to force a turnover on downs to seal the win.

Antonio Hamilton, the 32-year-old journeyman cornerback, was targeted frequently on that last drive and rose to the occasion. Starting in place of the injured Jonathan Jones for the first time this season, Hamilton broke up a third-down pass intended for Giants receiver Darius Slayton. He finished the day with a team-high two pass breakups.

Still, the Eagles should be able to exploit the Commanders’ secondary. Washington particularly struggled to cover Giants tight ends Theo Johnson and Daniel Bellinger, who combined for 107 yards on six receptions. Bellinger also drew a defensive pass interference call in the red zone against Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves.

In total, the Commanders have given up 905 receiving yards (the fourth-highest total in the NFL) and nine touchdowns to tight ends this season. Dallas Goedert, who is coming off his third multi-touchdown game of the year, could feast again on Saturday.

December 16, 2025
Eagles dominate Raiders in all phases, end losing streak in first shutout since 2018

“Get-well game” might be an understatement.

The Eagles clobbered the lowly Las Vegas Raiders, 31-0, on a cold, windy Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field. Vic Fangio’s defense dominated, posting the Eagles’ first shutout since Dec. 30, 2018 (a 24-0 victory over Washington). The unit limited the Raiders to 75 yards of offense, a new single-game franchise low for the Eagles and the fewest allowed by any defense this season.

At long last, the Eagles played clean, complementary football. Jalen Hurts rebounded from his five-turnover performance last week against the Los Angeles Chargers, going 12-for-15 for 175 yards and three touchdowns for a near-perfect 154.9 passer rating.

Here’s our instant analysis from the Eagles’ Week 15 win that brought their three-game losing streak to a halt:

Jalen Hurts added value in both the run and pass games on Sunday.

Offensive identity

Don’t look now, but the Eagles might be starting to establish an identity.

Nick Sirianni and Kevin Patullo leaned into under-center runs and run-pass option plays from shotgun to great success, allowing the offense to sustain drives and go three-and-out only once. The Eagles also set up some play-action passes off their under-center looks.

Hurts even kept the ball on some of those option plays, adding 39 yards on seven carries (most of which were designed). He got shaken up on a zone-read keeper at the end of the third quarter when he got hit by former Eagles linebacker Devin White, but he immediately returned to action.

Jalen Hurts is nearly perfect in an Eagles bounce-back blowout | Marcus Hayes

In the passing game, Hurts got all of his favorite targets involved. Dallas Goedert took a 4-yard pitch on a run-pass option for a touchdown in the first quarter that made it 7-0. The 30-year-old tight end scored on another shovel pass in the third quarter, putting the Eagles up 24-0.

Goedert nearly had another touchdown catch in the second quarter, but he dropped the pass, ultimately leading to the Eagles settling for a 27-yard field goal to go up 10-0. He finished the afternoon with six receptions for a team-high 70 yards and the two touchdowns.

Hurts also got his staple deep ball going. Late in the first quarter, he connected with DeVonta Smith on a play-action pass down the left sideline for 44 yards. Fred Johnson (and Saquon Barkley) helped keep Maxx Crosby away from Hurts in the pocket, although Johnson arguably got a bit grabby against the four-time Pro Bowl defensive end.

The fifth-year starting quarterback hit A.J. Brown, aligned in the slot, with a 27-yard touchdown pass deep over the middle of the field on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Eagles went up 31-0, further solidifying their biggest lead of the season.

Brown made other critical plays on third down, drawing a pass interference call against Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes on the opening series to help keep the drive alive. He also caught a 14-yard pass on a slant on third-and-8 in the third quarter that ultimately helped set up Goedert’s second touchdown.

“I think it was just a step today,” Hurts said of the offense building its identity. “We’ve got to treat every game individually and treat every day individually in pursuit of our best self.”

Grading the Eagles’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders

Given the windy conditions at the Linc, the Eagles leaned heavily into the running game, executing a season-high 47 carries. Barkley accounted for 22 of them, racking up 78 yards (3.5 yards per carry) and a touchdown.

Like last week against Chargers, Barkley got going on the ground on under-center runs. He followed a pulling Landon Dickerson on a 17-yard under-center run in the third quarter that led to Brown’s touchdown. Barkley’s touchdown carry in the second quarter, though, came on a shotgun handoff up the middle, putting the Eagles up by 17.

Brandon Graham continued his late-season surge with a pair of sacks in the win over the Raiders.

Old man Graham

With Jalen Carter missing time due to shoulder injuries, 37-year-old Brandon Graham has been spending more time lining up at defensive tackle.

He was dominant in the role on Sunday. Graham posted two sacks, his first since coming out of retirement in late October, on just seven pass rushes. He beat right guard Caleb Rogers on both plays to get to ex-Eagles backup quarterback Kenny Pickett. One of those sacks was essentially wiped off the board when Cooper DeJean incurred an unnecessary roughness call after the whistle on the same play in the first quarter.

But Graham made up for it in the second quarter with his second sack, forcing the Raiders to go three-and-out for a second time. The Raiders would ultimately go three-and-out five times. Just six games into his un-retirement tour, Graham is 1½ sacks away from tying his 2024 total.

“I feel like my training camp is over with now and I’m just trying to contribute, if it’s on the field or off the field, whatever it is,” Graham said. “We’re having some fun right now and I’m happy we got back in the win column.”

The Raiders had no luck sustaining drives in the cold and windy conditions at the Linc on Sunday.

Defensive dominance

Graham’s performance was just one part of the defense’s commanding effort over the Raiders. Pickett was sacked four times, once by Moro Ojomo, and once by Nolan Smith in addition to Graham’s two.

Even the edge rushers who didn’t earn sacks made noise. Jaelan Phillips batted a pass at the line of scrimmage on fourth-and-7 on the Raiders’ opening drive, causing Pickett to throw an incomplete pass and turning the ball over on downs. Phillips, whom the Eagles acquired from the Miami Dolphins at the trade deadline, has three pass deflections in the last three weeks.

Brandon Graham proves ‘you can teach an old dog new tricks’ with two sacks

In the second quarter on third-and-7, Jalyx Hunt breezed past the left side of the Raiders offensive line on a stunt and hit Pickett. The Raiders quarterback threw an incomplete pass intended for running back Ashton Jeanty, leading Las Vegas to punt.

The back seven took advantage of the Eagles’ disruption up front. With the left side of the Raiders offensive line getting pushed back, Pickett threw an interception to Zack Baun on a pass intended for Raiders tight end Brock Bowers in the third quarter.

“We know we’re a good defense,” Baun said. “A great defense. And we’ve just kind of been ramping it up all season. To have a game like that really showed where we’re at.”

Injury report

Tight end Cam Latu went to the tent late in the fourth quarter with an apparent arm injury.

December 14, 2025
Saquon Barkley has been dominant in December and January during his career. Can he heat up the Eagles offense?

For a few moments on Monday night, Saquon Barkley looked as if he had stepped into a time machine and returned to his 2024 offensive player of the year form.

His success on the ground against the Los Angeles Chargers reached its pinnacle early in the fourth quarter. On a Tush Push fake on third-and-1, an under-center Jalen Hurts pitched the ball to Barkley, who hurried to his left and accelerated through a hole opened by Dallas Goedert, Darius Cooper, Fred Johnson, and Jordan Mailata. Flawless blocking — a rare sight in 2025 — ensured that Barkley could run unhindered to the end zone.

Brandon Graham unretired to help the Eagles. Now he’s featuring at a new position at age 37.

The trick play turned into a 52-yard touchdown run, Barkley’s second-longest carry of the season. On an otherwise dismal day underscored by Hurts’ four interceptions in the Eagles’ 22-19 overtime loss to the Chargers, Barkley’s 122 rushing yards and his explosive play offered a glimmer of hope for the offense’s future.

“We just need more of that,” Barkley said after the game.

That has been evading the Eagles for most of the season. The explosive runs that once seemed routine for Barkley have been difficult to attain in his second year with the team. The TD run on Monday was just his third carry of 20 or more yards, a feat he achieved 17 times in the regular season last year.

For select moments, Barkley’s performance on Monday served as a reminder of what’s possible. The Eagles may need more from him going forward. The 28-year-old running back has averaged just 14.3 carries over his last three games (17.5 before the losing streak).

Meanwhile, Hurts has been called upon to pass more frequently at 37.7 attempts per game (26.9 before the losing streak). There have been some encouraging moments, including his third-and-16, middle-of-the-field, 28-yard throw to DeVonta Smith against the Chargers. But in that three-game span, Hurts has thrown three touchdown passes to five interceptions.

Eagles vs. Raiders predictions: Our writers pick a winner for Week 15

Once upon a time, the Eagles’ identity was based in the run game. It fueled their Super Bowl run last season. In 2021, it took the Eagles from 2-5 to the playoffs. With Barkley showing signs of life and the upcoming wintry weather lending itself to the ground game, is it too late for Nick Sirianni and Kevin Patullo to strike a balance between the run and the pass?

At the very least, Barkley’s self-confidence hasn’t wavered.

“I know the type of ability that I have and the energy I can bring,” Barkley said. “Just got to keep my foot on the gas and keep going and hopefully be able to make some more like that. I know it’s going to start breaking off for us, ‘cause I trust, one, my work ethic and my preparation. I have trust in the coaches and most importantly, I have trust in the guys up front.”

Saquon Barkley showed enticing glimmers of his previous form against the Chargers.

Building off successes

Barkley’s performance on Monday was the second time he eclipsed 100 rushing yards this season. His season-best showing came against his former team in the Week 8 win over the Giants, in which he rushed for 150 yards and a 65-yard touchdown on 14 carries.

Both efforts featured a common thread. Barkley generated most of his output when Hurts was lined up under center — 116 yards and the touchdown on eight carries against the Giants and 102 yards and the touchdown on 10 carries against the Chargers. Explosive touchdown aside, Barkley had three additional runs for double-digit yardage from under-center handoffs on Monday.

Barkley’s success from under center has been a season-long trend. According to Next Gen Stats, he has averaged 4.9 yards per carry on those looks while posting 3.6 yards per carry from the shotgun. He’s had far more shotgun runs this season — 218 to 82 under center.

Still, in the aftermath of Monday’s game, Sirianni emphasized that explosives can be generated from any alignment.

“Many different ways that you can create explosives in the run game; under center, in the gun, there are screens that are like runs, there are shovels that are like runs, so there are many different ways to go about it,” Sirianni said Wednesday. “I think at the end of the day, there were good schemes introduced by the coaches, and then there was good execution by the players with really good fundamentals. On those particular ones, Saquon found some light and was able to get free and that was huge.”

But the Eagles’ success rushing from under center was undeniable on Monday. Barkley averaged 10.2 yards per carry on those runs including the touchdown and 5.6 yards per carry without it, which is more than a 1½-yard increase over his season average.

On his 10 handoffs from the shotgun, Barkley rushed for 20 total yards (2.0 yards per carry).

According to Mailata, some of the under center runs were more effective because of the element of uncertainty that is instilled within the defense on those plays.

“There’s so much more complementary stuff from under center than there is in gun or pistol, in my honest opinion,” Mailata said. “I think that’s why we execute better. I think for us up front, it gets us on our angles, because they truly have to read the defense. The defense truly has to read or play their gap first or play us, whatever their assignment is. It’s like a second delay before they can commit to it. Is it a run? Is it a pass? And that’s why I think our plays under center are a lot better than the guns.”

That second delay helps the run blockers time their combination blocks better, Mailata said. Additionally, one wrinkle that the Eagles added on some of the early under-center runs was keeping the receivers tight to the formation. That opened up the possibility for the Eagles to run a crack toss, adding yet another option that defenses must honor at the snap.

The under-center alignment doesn’t exclusively benefit the blockers, according to Mailata. He surmised that Barkley’s positioning in the backfield allows him to see a more complete picture of the defense, too.

Benching Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts would be short-sighted, but it isn’t ridiculous to wonder

“I think his vision, because he’s coming downhill, especially on outside zone, or even inside zone,” Mailata said. “He can see everything. If there’s leakage, he can bounce out and make a play. When we’re in gun, I feel like he has to come down here, but now his vision is there.”

Throughout the season, Barkley has been asked about the disparity in his output between the two alignments. He continues to downplay that discrepancy. While he acknowledged on Friday what the numbers show, Barkley stressed that he doesn’t have a personal preference between runs from the shotgun vs. under center.

“I feel like for me, personally, it doesn’t make a difference,” Barkley said. “It’s just running the football. Is there a difference? Yes. Outside zone is different. There is a difference of how you set it up, get your shoulders squared, what you’re seeing, what you’re reading. But to me — I’m not trying to brag here — I was drafted very high in this league from Penn State and the last two years in college, I never went under center. Then when you get into the NFL, you have to adapt and learn how to run under center.

“I feel comfortable in either, but I guess the numbers are showing that. Again, the player I want to be, it shouldn’t be that way. It shouldn’t be we’re having more success in one way, because ultimately the run game falls down on me. So, yes, we’re producing underneath, but I’ve got to find ways to help us produce from gun, too. Because it gives us a better balance, too, when you’re going against defenses.”

The shotgun runs aren’t going away. Certain concepts, like zone reads and run-pass options, are executed out of the shotgun. The Eagles must run the ball from the shotgun to set up those other plays throughout the game.

Jordan Mailata (68) has noted that there’s a difference in approach for defenses when Saquon Barkley (26) runs out of shotgun.

But would Mailata advocate for more under-center runs going forward?

“I’ll be honest,” Mailata said. “Depending on the flow of the game, we would advocate for more under center stuff. But in the mode that we’re in right now, just be a player. Let the coaches coach and let the players play.”

Later in the season, longer runs?

Aside from the backward hurdle, no image better defines Barkley’s historic 2024 than his 78-yard touchdown run in the NFC divisional-round win over the Los Angeles Rams in mid-January.

Late in the fourth quarter, Barkley became a human snowplow as he rattled off a touchdown run that tied the longest in his career. In the week leading up to the game, Barkley reminisced fondly about the snow games he played in his youth. The snow-globe-like environment at the Linc lived up to Barkley’s expectations in the aftermath.

“The atmosphere was crazy, man,” Barkley said after the game. “It was insane. Got a smile on my face thinking about it. This is what you dream about. This is why I came to Philly. Wanted to be a part of games like this. I’m just happy to be able to be a part of it.”

Barkley could be a part of more of those games, even before he reaches the playoffs. The Eagles are done playing in domes for the rest of the regular season. While the snow in Sunday’s forecast is limited to the morning, according to AccuWeather, the high in the afternoon is 28 degrees with 16 mph winds making the Real Feel temperature 15 degrees.

When the weather cools off, Barkley tends to thrive. In the months of December and January throughout his eight-year career, he has averaged 4.7 yards per carry in the regular season, which is a slightly better clip than each of the rates he managed in the preceding months.

He also tends to earn more carries in December and January, averaging 17.9 carries per game, which is also a greater rate than September, October, and November.

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“Real football happens late in the season,” Barkley said in late November. “And that’s when you want to be at your best, especially when you get into that run to go into the playoffs and then getting into the playoffs.”

That trend isn’t limited to Barkley. Among a pool of running backs with at least 300 December carries per month since 2015, December and January is the most productive period compared to earlier in the regular season. Those high-volume backs averaged 4.5 yards per attempt and 14.7 carries per game in December and January.

Can Barkley continue that trend for the rest of the regular season, from Philly, to Landover, Md., to Buffalo, N.Y., and back to Philly? Mailata is optimistic that the Eagles can build off of the wrinkles they implemented in the run game on Monday, even though he said some of the concepts “got a little bit stale” in the second half.

Plus, the Eagles still need to improve at putting themselves in situations to run the ball. Barkley had eight carries for negative yardage or no gain on Monday night, which isn’t exactly a recipe for sticking with the run.

“That doesn’t put us in prime position to continue to get more runs called,” Barkley said. “It’s easier to run the ball when it’s second-and-6 and second-and-5 rather than second-and-11 or second-and-10.”

But Mailata was adamant that Barkley can’t do it alone. If the run game is going to breathe life back into the Eagles offense, it’s going to take the entire unit.

“The guy’s always looking for solutions,” Mailata said. “He’s always going to blame himself, which I hate that, because you can watch the film and we’re one block away up front. As tiring as that is, he’s going to take the blame for that, because he didn’t make a move. And I’m just like, ‘You can’t do everything. You’re not Superman.’”

December 13, 2025
Eagles vs. Raiders predictions: Our writers pick a winner for Week 15

The 8-5 Eagles bring their three-game losing streak back home to Lincoln Financial Field for a Sunday afternoon game vs. the 2-11 Las Vegas Raiders.

The Eagles are looking to right the ship and keep the Cowboys at arm’s length in the NFC East as the playoffs near.

Will they? Here’s how our writers see Sunday going:

Jeff Neiburg

This is the get-right game of all get-right games. The Raiders are the final boss of get-right games. If you can’t win Sunday, then you’re never getting right.

That’s a little bit hyperbolic, but the Eagles can’t lose this one, can they?

The Eagles-Cardinals New Year’s Eve game in 2023 would like a word. The 2023 comparisons with me will stop there. I think it’s kind of silly to compare the two seasons. But the Eagles are obviously sliding.

The two-win Raiders, however, should be the perfect remedy for all that ails the Eagles.

Jake Elliott’s missed field goal proved critical, but the Eagles’ end-of-half conservatism has been a trend

I can’t see the Raiders scoring enough points to win the game, even with all the troubles the Eagles are having on offense. Kenny Pickett is likely to start, and his best pass catcher, tight end Brock Bowers, should be a manageable opponent for the Eagles. They have one of the best nickel players in the league in Cooper DeJean, and two linebackers, Nakobe Dean and Zack Baun, with coverage chops. The Raiders don’t have enough offensive talent besides him to make you worry. Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty has been mostly a nonfactor in the running game, although he’s been dangerous as a pass catcher.

Pickett, meanwhile, should face a swarm of defenders. The Raiders allow pressure on 36.9% of their drop backs, tied for ninth in the NFL. Geno Smith was pressured on 56% of his 25 drop backs in Sunday’s loss to Denver, according to Next Gen Stats, while Pickett was pressured on 38.5% of his 11 drops.

Expect the Eagles, who generated a 68.3% pressure rate against Justin Herbert Monday night, to get after the quarterback and disrupt Vegas’ offense.

On the other side, I think the Eagles did enough positive things offensively Monday to convince me they won’t have trouble moving the ball Sunday. They just need to avoid turnovers. Easier said then done, of course.

Prediction: Eagles 27, Raiders 11

Can Saquon Barkley keep up the momentum of a 100-yard game in Monday’s loss to the Chargers?

Olivia Reiner

If the Eagles can’t win this game against the Raiders, don’t expect them to win a playoff game this year.

This is a game the Eagles should win, even in the offense’s current state of disarray. But don’t expect it to be a blowout. It’s going to be cold and windy at the Linc (remember how the Eagles fared in those conditions against the Bears?), so it seems unlikely that this game is going to be high-scoring if the weather gets ugly. Perhaps that works to the Eagles’ advantage, seeing as they’ve been practicing in an icebox all week and the Raiders are living it up in temperate Las Vegas.

Jordan Davis was lights-out for the Eagles defense on Monday night. He also believes in the struggling offense.

Pickett is likely capable of keeping the Raiders offense more competitive than GenoSmith could if he were healthy enough to start. In a brief showing to end the Raiders’ Week 14 loss to the Denver Broncos, Pickett went 8-for-11 for 97 yards and a touchdown. He has some trusty receivers — Bowers is one of the best receiving tight ends in the league and rookie receiver Jack Bech has been coming on over the last couple of weeks.

But the Raiders’ running game, led by Jeanty, has been one of the worst in the league this season. The Eagles should be able to contain them on the ground, forcing Pickett to drop back and throw.

The Raiders defense, led by TFL machine Maxx Crosby, will likely look to do the same to the Eagles offense. They’ve had a rough last couple of weeks against the run, conceding 344 rushing yards (172 per game), tied for third-worst in the NFL in that span. Meanwhile, Saquon Barkley showed some flashes in the loss to the Chargers, especially on his handoffs from under center.

Could you imagine the reaction if Pickett beats his former team? I wouldn’t expect that to happen, but crazier things (e.g. two Jalen Hurts turnovers on the same play) have occurred this season.

Prediction: Eagles 20, Raiders 13

December 12, 2025
Brandon Graham unretired to help the Eagles. Now he’s featuring at a new position at age 37.

Brandon Graham is practically a rookie all over again in his 16th NFL season. He just has a few more gray hairs in his beard than he did in 2010 when he entered the league.

Graham, 37, played a season-high 30 snaps against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night, with over one-third of those plays coming at defensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. That role on the interior isn’t new to Graham, but his snaps at the position in Week 14 exceeded the occasional allotment that had become typical for him throughout his career.

“I’m taking it all in,” Graham said on Thursday after practice. “Trying to learn the technique. Some stuff, I already knew. And some stuff that I’m just working it every day. Just like now, I was just out there just doing some extra and just trying to make sure that I’m just contributing and helping best way I can.”

The best way that Graham can help right now is on the interior in the absence of Jalen Carter, who underwent a procedure to both of his shoulders last week. With Carter sidelined on a week-to-week basis, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio could use an extra body at defensive tackle, giving Graham a new job.

Jordan Davis was lights-out for the Eagles defense on Monday night. He also believes in the struggling offense.

The early returns are promising. Even in the absence of Carter, the entire defensive front fared well against the Chargers, generating single-game season highs in sacks (seven) and quarterback pressure rate (68.3%), per Next Gen Stats. Graham contributed one of those pressures on 18 pass rush snaps.

The new position has also added a wrinkle to Graham’s relationship with his teammates. Instead of setting the example for the younger players, he’s watching youngsters like Jordan Davis in practice and emulating their technique in individual drills.

“When I’m watching him, man, I’m learning as I’m going,” Graham said. “Because they’re the ones running everything over there. They know what’s going on. So I’m just picking their brain and just asking them what they think when I go.“

The transition for Graham is going well so far, according to Moro Ojomo. Graham is getting the full experience of an Eagles defensive tackle, spending his time in their meetings instead of breaking off to join the outside linebackers. Ojomo, 24, said he was impressed by Graham’s ability to come out of retirement in late October, let alone make a position change.

Brandon Graham has ramped up his contributions since returning to the team at midseason.

Still, Graham is experiencing a learning curve, even though he’s taken snaps at defensive tackle before.

“It’d be similar to maybe someone writing with their right hand and then starting to write with their left hand,” Ojomo said. “It’s not as easy as you may think it is. There are similarities, but it takes some time and definitely, if anyone can do it the way he’s doing it, it would be him.”

Everything comes at defensive tackles quicker compared to defensive ends, given the DT’s close proximity to the opposing guard. In his relatively old age, though, Graham said he still feels spry.

“It feels good, man, ‘cause I feel quick in there,” Graham said. “It’s just don’t get caught with one foot in the ground. You’ve got to have both feet in the ground when you’re in there. I’m just trying to make sure, like I said, it’s the technique. It’s about getting your feet in the ground fast as you’re striking. As an outside linebacker, you can get off and figure out your little moves before. Now, it just comes at you a little quicker.”

He also says he felt fresh after the game. Graham’s 30 defensive snaps were the most he’s taken since Week 11 last season against the Washington Commanders (32 snaps).

“I thought I was going to be a little more sore,” Graham said. “But just taking care of my body, man. I think that it was nice just how we all rotated in the game. I think we just keep that rotation going and of course, I’ve got my massage and stuff like that, all that stuff set up. But it wasn’t as bad as I thought and I recovered pretty well.”

Eagles still big favorites vs. Raiders; plus, Week 15 odds for Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and more

Graham initially retired following Super Bowl LIX, a game in which he re-injured the triceps that had sidelined him for nine weeks between the regular season and the postseason.

Five games into his career revival, Graham has put the triceps injury firmly in the past. His focus now remains on growing in his new gig while Carter recovers.

“My tricep, everything feel great,” Graham said. “Man, I just feel like just got to continue to keep working the technique. As you know, it’s just a daily walk with it.”

Injury report

Landon Dickerson (calf/rest) did not practice on Thursday. His rest designation was new on the injury report this week, but it wasn’t a new phenomenon for Dickerson. He took a rest day on Friday last week (the schedule was shifted up a day with the game on Monday) and still played against the Chargers.

Carter (shoulders) and Lane Johnson did not participate in Thursday’s practice. Fred Johnson (ankle) was an addition to the injury report as a limited participant, suggesting he may have injured himself in practice.

Zack Baun (hand), Charley Hughlett (abdomen/injured reserve), and Cameron Williams (shoulder/injured reserve) were full participants.

The Eagles will practice once more on Friday before Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

December 12, 2025