Dallas Goedert’s two touchdowns help Eagles edge Commanders in a 24-22 game of slim margins

The game kept tilting on the scoreboard, not on possession

Washington struck first on Drew Stevens’ 55-yard field goal at 11:23 of the opening quarter, but the Eagles spent the middle of the game showing how little time they needed to change the picture. Philadelphia’s first touchdown came at 14:11 of the second quarter, a 17-yard pass from Hurts to Goedert, and another arrived at 6:27 when Hurts found Dontayvion Wicks from 9 yards out. In a matchup where Washington finished with 20 first downs and 33:20 of possession, Philadelphia’s ability to score in chunks mattered more than piling up snaps.

The Commanders answered before halftime through Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s 1-yard run with 1:50 left in the second, but the blocked extra point left that sequence feeling unfinished. That missed point sat in the background for the rest of the afternoon, especially after Jake Elliott’s 35-yard field goal with 44 seconds left in the third quarter pushed Philadelphia in front 17-9.

Washington still had one more surge. Jayden Daniels hit Stefon Diggs for a 10-yard touchdown at 9:59 of the fourth to cut it to 17-16, only for the Eagles to answer again when Hurts connected with Goedert on a 43-yard touchdown at 6:02. Daniels later found Antonio Williams for a 1-yard score with 1:01 to go, but the two-point pass failed, freezing the margin at two. In a game with no turnovers by either side, the missed points were impossible to ignore.

Hurts and Goedert made efficiency feel decisive

Philadelphia’s stat line looked unusual for a winning offense. The Eagles finished with only 10 first downs, yet Hurts turned 14 completions into 203 passing yards and three touchdowns without an interception, good for a 122.2 passer rating. Goedert was the clearest problem for Washington, catching four passes for 77 yards and two scores, while Wicks added 73 yards and a touchdown on only two receptions. DeVonta Smith chipped in 53 yards on three catches. The Eagles did not complete many passes, but the ones they hit changed the game.

The ground game kept that efficiency from being a fluke. Saquon Barkley ran 15 times for 83 yards, Hurts added 46 on seven carries, and Philadelphia averaged 5.4 yards per rush as a team. Washington did get pressure, recording three sacks through Sonny Styles, Frankie Luvu and Odafe Oweh, but the Eagles still averaged 6.0 yards per play and were better on third down at 6-for-14. For an offense that ran only 53 plays, that level of return was enough.

Washington had more of the afternoon, just not enough of the biggest moments

There was substance in the Commanders’ performance, even in defeat. Daniels finished 18-for-34 for 164 passing yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, and he added 31 rushing yards. Washington ran 67 plays, rushed for 132 yards, converted all three red-zone chances into touchdowns and did not turn the ball over once. Croskey-Merritt supplied 63 rushing yards and a touchdown, Diggs caught four passes for 55 yards and a score, and Williams turned four targets into four catches for 64 yards and a touchdown.

What kept that control from becoming a win was the lack of steady payoff between scoring plays. Washington averaged 4.4 yards per play and 4.7 net yards per pass, numbers that asked the Commanders to string together long, disciplined drives. They often did enough to stay involved, but they rarely matched the Eagles’ explosiveness. Even strong return work from Jaylin Lane and Rachaad White, plus a 53.0-yard punting average from Tress Way, could not fully overcome the blocked extra point, the missed field goal and the failed two-point try.

Our take: the Eagles won the math that mattered

Philadelphia’s win is the kind that looks narrow on the scoreboard and revealing in the details. The Eagles were out-possessed by more than six minutes and finished with half as many first downs as Washington, but they still produced more total yards and far more punch per snap. Our take: that is a very good sign for the ceiling of the offense, and a caution sign for its week-to-week comfort. When a team scores 24 points with only 10 first downs, it has proven its explosiveness; when it also lets the opponent run 14 more plays and hold the ball for 33:20, it has also shown there is work to do in sustaining control.

For Washington, the frustration should be obvious without turning into despair. The Commanders protected the ball, ran effectively enough and finished every red-zone trip with a touchdown. Our take: if they can pair that with a more efficient passing day than 18 completions on 34 attempts for 163 net passing yards, the rest of this formula becomes much more dangerous. On Sunday, though, the game boiled down to a simple difference. Washington owned more of the afternoon. Philadelphia owned more of the biggest plays.

Scoring moments

1. Period 1 · 11:23

   Drew Stevens 55 Yd Field Goal

2. Period 2 · 14:11

   Dallas Goedert 17 Yd pass from Jalen Hurts (Jake Elliott Kick)

3. Period 2 · 6:27

   Dontayvion Wicks 9 Yd pass from Jalen Hurts (Jake Elliott Kick)

4. Period 2 · 1:50

   Jacory Croskey-Merritt 1 Yd Rush (Drew Stevens PAT blocked)

5. Period 3 · 0:44

   Jake Elliott 35 Yd Field Goal

6. Period 4 · 9:59

   Stefon Diggs 10 Yd pass from Jayden Daniels (Drew Stevens Kick)

7. Period 4 · 6:02

   Dallas Goedert 43 Yd pass from Jalen Hurts (Jake Elliott Kick)

8. Period 4 · 1:01

   Antonio Williams 1 Yd pass from Jayden Daniels (Two-Point Pass Conversion Failed)