Eagles vs. Commanders predictions: Our writers make their picks for Week 16

The Eagles will visit Washington for a Sunday afternoon game against the Commanders. Here are our writers’ predictions for Week 16.

Jayden Daniels has looked more like he did pre-rib injury, which seemed to affect his performance in the first meeting. The rookie quarterback was hesitant as a passer and ran for only 18 yards on seven carries. Credit should be given to the Eagles defense, of course, particularly cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who shut down receiver Terry McLaurin (zero catches in 20 routes vs. Mitchell). It’s likely Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury moves McLaurin around to get more favorable matchups. If Daniels can’t get him the ball, I’m not sure who else can hurt the Eagles. Tight end Zach Ertz is in concussion protocol and is unlikely to play, and No. 2 receiver Noah Brown and Austin Ekeler, Washington’s best option out of the backfield, were recently placed on injured reserve.

Dan Quinn will want to pressure Jalen Hurts. He blitzed the quarterback on 41.5 percent of his drops in the first meeting and the results were mixed. Hurts completed 8 of 11 passes for 115 when faced with extra rushers, but he was also sacked twice. Quinn’s employs a penetrating front, which offers the Eagles opportunity to get their screen game going. It’s been lacking for most of the season. But there are other ways to exploit a Commanders D-line that the Eagles O-line should have advantages over. Hurts needs to trust his protection and get to his second and third reads if the first is taken away. He got into a habit of holding the ball too long and that’s partly why Kellen Moore dialed up a game plan with a lot of empty backfield.

But with Quinn using a lot of man coverage, there should be ample opportunity to get the ball to A.J. Brown, who’s open even when he technically isn’t.

The Eagles are more talented and deeper than Washington. They’ve beaten teams with winning records unlike the Commanders. But they can be toppled, like any team, if they have an off day. I predicted a few during their 10-game winning streak and have been wrong. They’ve only gotten stronger and now have the NFC No. 1 seed within their sights. But first things first: the Eagles can claim their second divisional crown in three seasons. It’s hard to pick against them doing so on Sunday.

Prediction: Eagles 27, Commanders 19

The Eagles’ passing attack is back, but they’ll attack the Commanders with whatever it takes to win the game. Expect a balance of passing and running, but it’ll likely be Barkley and the Eagles’ offensive line that make the difference.

Daniels is one of the faces of the future in the NFL, but the Eagles have the right answers for this Washington offense.

Are the Eagles due for a clunker? Maybe, but that clunker was Carolina. It’s hard to pick against the better team here. There will be divisional champion hats on the victor in the visitors locker room come Sunday at 4 p.m.

Prediction: Eagles 27, Commanders 17

The Eagles must put together a better showing against Washington in their second meeting this season if they want to come out on top. There were too many sloppy mistakes on offense the last time they saw the Commanders, particularly early in the contest. The Eagles struggled with negative plays and missed opportunities in the passing game, ultimately scoring just three points in the first half. Barkley bailed the group out, ripping off a pair of explosive touchdown runs in the fourth quarter to solidify the lead.

In their last outing, the defense kept Daniels in the pocket, limiting him to just 18 rushing yards on seven carries (his second-lowest performance of the season) and sacking him three times. If the Eagles offense can execute cleanly in the passing game like it did against the Steelers and contain the Commanders’ No. 6-ranked scoring offense, then the Eagles should extend their win streak to 11 games.

Prediction: Eagles 28, Commanders 23

This will be another instructive test for the Eagles’ passing game, which looked resurgent against a talented Steelers defense but will need to show it can stay ahead of opposing defenses. Quinn will likely be quick to key in on the wrinkles added by Moore last week and will no doubt have an amended plan to the one that fell apart in the second half of the teams’ previous meetings.

On the other side of the ball, it’s hard to bet against the Eagles defense at this point in the season. Perhaps the Commanders offense will force the issue to McLaurin after Mitchell blanketed him last month, but doing so could be risky considering how well Mitchell has done taking away No. 1 receivers this season.

Division games, especially the rematches, can often be tighter than they might look on paper. Add in the fact that the Eagles will be playing for the division title at the expense of Washington’s slim chances, and it’s fair to suggest this game might require the Eagles’ A-game. If they play the way they have for most of the season, though, they’ll have the NFC East wrapped up just in time for Christmas.

Prediction: Eagles 23, Commanders 20

The Eagles will visit Washington for a Sunday afternoon game against the Commanders. Here are our writers’ predictions for Week 16.

The Eagles have their first divisional rematch of the season and it comes just a little over five weeks after they beat the Commanders at home, 26-18, on Thursday night. They were a little sloppy on offense, Jake Elliott missed two field goals, and they trailed into the fourth quarter. But Vic Fangio’s defense came up with a huge fourth-down stop and Saquon Barkley took care of the rest with two long touchdown runs. The Eagles have been riding high since with four wins, while Washington lost to the Cowboys the following week and then beat the Titans and Saints.

Jayden Daniels has looked more like he did pre-rib injury, which seemed to affect his performance in the first meeting. The rookie quarterback was hesitant as a passer and ran for only 18 yards on seven carries. Credit should be given to the Eagles defense, of course, particularly cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who shut down receiver Terry McLaurin (zero catches in 20 routes vs. Mitchell). It’s likely Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury moves McLaurin around to get more favorable matchups. If Daniels can’t get him the ball, I’m not sure who else can hurt the Eagles. Tight end Zach Ertz is in concussion protocol and is unlikely to play, and No. 2 receiver Noah Brown and Austin Ekeler, Washington’s best option out of the backfield, were recently placed on injured reserve.

Kingsbury could open up throws downfield by having success on the ground, but the Eagles defense has been a difficult one to run on. Brian Robinson averaged only 3.9 yards a rush in the first game. But he also didn’t have a fully healthy Daniels to help in the zone read game and Robinson can be a load to bring down if he gets a head of steam.

The other difference that could benefit Washington is having cornerback Marshon Lattimore. The former Saint who was added before the trade deadline returned just last week. He’s capable of shadowing A.J. Brown, but DeVonta Smith makes devoting a best corner to one guy a tricky proposition. The two receivers brought their “A” games last week, and if Jalen Hurts can continue to play point guard and get the ball out quick, the Eagles’ pass offense should have opportunities against Washington.

Dan Quinn will want to pressure Hurts. He blitzed the quarterback on 41.5 percent of his drops in the first meeting and the results were mixed. Hurts completed 8 of 11 passes for 115 when faced with extra rushers, but he was also sacked twice. Quinn’s employs a penetrating front, which offers the Eagles opportunity to get their screen game going. It’s been lacking for most of the season. But there are other ways to exploit a Commanders D-line that the Eagles O-line should have advantages over. Hurts needs to trust his protection and get to his second and third reads if the first is taken away. He got into a habit of holding the ball too long and that’s partly why Kellen Moore dialed up a game plan with a lot of empty backfield.

But with Quinn using a lot of man coverage, there should be ample opportunity to get the ball to Brown, who’s open even when he technically isn’t.

The Eagles are more talented and deeper than Washington. They’ve beaten teams with winning records unlike the Commanders. But they can be toppled, like any team, if they have an off day. I predicted a few during their 10-game winning streak and have been wrong. They’ve only gotten stronger and now have the NFC No. 1 seed within their sights. But first things first: the Eagles can claim their second divisional crown in three seasons. It’s hard to pick against them doing so on Sunday.

Prediction: Eagles 27, Commanders 19

It’s been five weeks since the Eagles and Commanders met on a Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field and not much has changed.

The Commanders are good. The Eagles are better. Even if Robinson thinks Washington is the better team, you’ll have trouble finding many metrics that would agree with him.

But one big difference ahead of Sunday’s 1 p.m. tilt is the cornerback Lattimore being healthy. Lattimore finally debuted with the Commanders last week against the team that traded him to Washington, New Orleans, and the Saints didn’t target their former teammate once.

Lattimore is a difference maker on defense. The Eagles faced him earlier this season when he was with the Saints. Brown was out with a hamstring injury, and Smith was knocked from the game in the second half with a concussion, but Lattimore dominated. The Eagles targeted him just twice in that game, resulting in one catch for 14 yards.

On the year, Lattimore has been targeted 14 times in eight games.

He’s a big addition to a Commanders passing defense that already ranked as one of the better units in football.

Where the Commanders continue to struggle is the area the Eagles thrive: in the running game. It’s how the Eagles won the game in mid-November, by wearing down Washington’s defense for three quarters before finally breaking through late in the game.

The Eagles’ passing attack is back, but they’ll attack the Commanders with whatever it takes to win the game. Expect a balance of passing and running, but it’ll likely be Barkley and the Eagles’ offensive line that make the difference.

» READ MORE: Eagles RB Saquon Barkley is feeling good after getting banged up Sunday vs. the Steelers

Daniels is one of the faces of the future in the NFL, but the Eagles have the right answers for this Washington offense.

Are the Eagles due for a clunker? Maybe, but that clunker was Carolina. It’s hard to pick against the better team here. There will be divisional champion hats on the victor in the visitors locker room come Sunday at 4 p.m.

Prediction: Eagles 27, Commanders 17

Both teams enter Sunday’s game with plenty on the line. The Eagles take the NFC East and stay in the hunt for the conference’s top seed with a victory. A wild-card spot in the playoffs becomes much more attainable with a win for the Commanders.

The Eagles must put together a better showing against Washington in their second meeting this season if they want to come out on top. There were too many sloppy mistakes on offense the last time they saw the Commanders, particularly early in the contest. The Eagles struggled with negative plays and missed opportunities in the passing game, ultimately scoring just three points in the first half. Barkley bailed the group out, ripping off a pair of explosive touchdown runs in the fourth quarter to solidify the lead.

The Commanders secondary will look different this time around thanks to the addition of Lattimore. The veteran defensive back didn’t face Brown in Week 3 when he was on the New Orleans Saints while the receiver dealt with a hamstring injury. Back in 2022 in the Eagles’ 20-10 loss to the Saints, Lattimore allowed two receptions for 15 yards on four targets to Brown, according to Pro Football Focus. He also had a pick-6 on a pass from Gardner Minshew that was intended for Brown.

On defense, the Eagles must follow a similar formula to success that helped them to a win last month. McLaurin, the team’s top receiver, didn’t have a target in the first half and finished with just one reception for 10 yards. With a duplicate performance, Mitchell can continue to make his case for defensive rookie of the year. The Eagles could catch a break in the secondary if Ertz isn’t able to suit up.

» READ MORE: Eagles’ Quinyon Mitchell making a strong case for defensive rookie of the year: ‘He’s living up to the hype’

In their last outing, the defense kept Daniels in the pocket, limiting him to just 18 rushing yards on seven carries (his second-lowest performance of the season) and sacking him three times. If the Eagles offense can execute cleanly in the passing game like it did against the Steelers and contain the Commanders’ No. 6-ranked scoring offense, then the Eagles should extend their win streak to 11 games.

Prediction: Eagles 28, Commanders 23

Although these teams faced off just over a month ago, there are some key differences that should make this weekend’s rematch challenging for the Eagles as they look to clinch the NFC East and sweep the season series against Washington.

The Commanders have added Lattimore to the defensive secondary after the four-time Pro Bowler missed the previous meeting between the teams because of a hamstring injury. Daniels, who was returning from a ribs injury last month against the Eagles, is also healthier and continuing to show rapid development as the favorite for offensive rookie of the year.

What hasn’t changed is the Commanders apparent inability to beat quality teams. They’re 0-4 against teams with winning records this season, making them the only squad in the NFL above .500 without beating anyone with the same distinction. They’re also fresh off a down-to-the-wire win against the 5-9 New Orleans Saints, who nearly upset Washington if not for a failed two-point conversion attempt in the game’s final moments.

This will be another instructive test for the Eagles’ passing game, which looked resurgent against a talented Steelers defense but will need to show it can stay ahead of opposing defenses. Quinn will likely be quick to key in on the wrinkles added by Moore last week and will no doubt have an amended plan to the one that fell apart in the second half of the teams’ previous meetings. Speaking of that second half, the Eagles scored touchdowns on three consecutive drives in large part due to adjustments in the run game to exploit the Commanders’ aggressive defensive line. Mixing in the gap-scheme runes that punish over-pursuant linemen could help get the offense start quickly, a phenomenon that has eluded them for most of the year.

On the other side of the ball, it’s hard to bet against the Eagles defense at this point in the season. Perhaps the Commanders offense will force the issue to McLaurin after Mitchell blanketed him last month, but doing so could be risky considering how well Mitchell has done taking away No. 1 receivers this season.

Division games, especially the rematches, can often be tighter than they might look on paper. Add in the fact that the Eagles will be playing for the division title at the expense of Washington’s slim chances, and it’s fair to suggest this game might require the Eagles’ A-game. If they play the way they have for most of the season, though, they’ll have the NFC East wrapped up just in time for Christmas.

Prediction: Eagles 23, Commanders 20

The Eagles play in Week 16 against the Washington Commanders. Join Eagles beat reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as they dissect the hottest storylines surrounding the team on Gameday Central, live from Northwest Stadium.