By James Tatum
The 7-2 Philadelphia Eagles, who have won their last five games, will take on the
Washington Commanders this Thursday night in one of the most highly anticipated matchups
the NFL has to offer in Week 11.
The Commanders have been riding high this season thanks to standout rookie
quarterback Jayden Daniels. At 7-3, this Commanders team has shocked the world and the #2
overall pick out of LSU is the biggest reason for that. This season Daniels has been one of, if
not the most exciting young player to watch in the league and his team has rallied around him.
Meanwhile, the Eagles have been on a tear throughout this five game winning streak. Since the
bye week, no team has run the ball more than Philadelphia. This offseason the Eagles signed
standout running back Saquon Barkley to a 3 year contract, making him one of the highest paid
players at his position. It’s been made clear that the Eagles offense runs through Barkley, which
has made Philadelphia more balanced offensively. QB Jalen Hurts is playing more like he did in
2022, where he finished 2nd in MVP voting and led the Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance.
This game has the potential to be the headliner in Week 11 all things considered.
Things to Look Out For
● Washington has been great, but how much have they been truly tested?
Nobody expected this kind of start from Washington, but are they really legit? They are
7-0 this season against teams with a record below .500, and 0-3 against teams with a
record of .500 or better. As dynamic as Daniels has been, he was pretty ordinary against
the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, where he was just 17 of 34 for just over 200 yards
passing and 0 TDs. Philadelphia’s defense has been one of the best in the NFL this
season, ranking in the top 5 in yards allowed, points allowed, pass yards allowed, rush
yards allowed, and red zone success rate. A strong argument can be made that Daniels
has not faced a defense of this caliber all season long. Thursday night will tell us a lot
more about the rookie out of LSU.
● Commanders Run Defense vs Saquon Barkley
Washington has the 28th ranked rushing defense in the NFL this season, allowing 140+ yards
per game. They are also allowing 4.8 YPC this season on the ground, only the Giants, Bills, and
Saints have allowed more in 2024. This could cause a mismatch in favor of the Philadelphia
Eagles as Saquon Barkley is averaging 5.8 YPC and has entered the conversation for offensive
player of the year. Additionally, the threat QB Jalen Hurts poses with his legs could create
nightmares for a Washington defense that struggles against the run. Look for Hurts and Barkley
to have a field day against a very suspect run defense.
● Jalen Hurts
A lot of talk was surrounding the Eagles QB after a slow start to the 2024 season, but
since Week 6, he has been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league. Hurts
has accounted for 16 total touchdowns to only 2 turnovers during the Eagles’ 5 game
winning streak. Additionally, Hurts is 5-2 in 7 starts against the Commanders. In those 7
starts, Hurts has accounted for 1,935 total yards and 17 total touchdowns. Hurts has
been a thorn in the Commanders’ since entering the league in 2020.