Official Game Thread - Week 18 - Commanders @ Eagles

[SkinsFTW]

He almost won a 3rd one, which was that game in 2018 on a Saturday against the Titans.

In that game, Adrian Peterson tried to singlehandedly put the team on his back and carry us to victory against a favored Titans team. He came close but Josh Johnson threw a game sealing INT in the 4th quarter

This was amongst the group of years that I cannot remember much of anything because the team was just a total joke. How do you remember all that? Bravo for actually watching and remembering a game like that lol.

 

[method man]

This was amongst the group of years that I cannot remember much of anything because the team was just a total joke. How do you remember all that? Bravo for actually watching and remembering a game like that lol.

That was the year they were 6-2 until Alex Smith got hurt. I enjoyed that year because of Adrian Peterson.

 

[SkinsFTW]

That was the year they were 6-2 until Alex Smith got hurt. I enjoyed that year because of Adrian Peterson.

Now I remember, I was living in the Philippines that entire year so I only got to listen to the games on my laptop with SiriusXm.

That 6-2 everybody knew that they weren't going anywhere. Alex Smith was not very good either but he did what he always did and won most of his regular season games. AP made the wins possible though that is for sure.

 

[method man]

Now I remember, I was living in the Philippines that entire year so I only got to listen to the games on my laptop with SiriusXm.

That 6-2 everybody knew that they weren't going anywhere. Alex Smith was not very good either but he did what he always did and won most of his regular season games. AP made the wins possible though that is for sure.

They were a game out of the playoffs that season too. If memory serves correctly, they would’ve made the playoffs had they beaten the Titans that game. They may still have been alive that final week vs the Eagles but the Nick Foles led Eagles destroyed them

 

[heisenberg]

You’re not wrong at all, and I hope it bites them big time. But the numbers Howie/Sirianni are looking at say that 18/20 teams in the last 10 Super Bowls had a rest week. Only two teams played their starters straight through and won

I would imagine that stat is skewed heavily due to the two best teams in the league having a bye week in the playoffs.
Half of the teams that make the superbowl are number one seeds, if you remove them (since the eagles had no shot at number one) you'd probably get drastically different results.
The real number to compare would be 2 seeds who played their starters through versus 3 seeds who rested their starters week 18.

You'd probably have insufficient data to make a good decision but you gotta remove the best teams in the league who play one less playoff game all with home field advantage.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

I would imagine that stat is skewed heavily due to the two best teams in the league having a bye week in the playoffs.
Half of the teams that make the superbowl are number one seeds, if you remove them (since the eagles had no shot at number one) you'd probably get drastically different results.
The real number to compare would be 2 seeds who played their starters through versus 3 seeds who rested their starters week 18.

You'd probably have insufficient data to make a good decision but you gotta remove the best teams in the league who play one less playoff game all with home field advantage.

In 1991 the team was 14-1 and went to play Philly. Gibbs had his eye on the prize, #1 seed locked up, so played backups as I recall.

The Eagles won on a last second FG and celebrated wildly.

The Redskins did what they were supposed to, finished one of the most dominant seasons in NFL history (by some statistics, the most dominant) with a Super Bowl win.

Yes, you're right - #1 seeds who have everything locked, it's an easy decision. The Eagles on the other hand... well, they think they're the #1 so... (?)

 

[Riggo44]

Sirianni is a dumbass too. That locker room is a powder keg. It's easy when you're winning 11-12-13 games, but let them have a season like we just had?

 

[clskinsfan]

Sirianni is a dumbass too. That locker room is a powder keg. It's easy when you're winning 11-12-13 games, but let them have a season like we just had?

They wont with that roster though.

 

[Riggo44]

They wont with that roster though.

If they have to rely on McKee extensively? Lose Brown and Barkley for long stretches, along with half their defense? I don't see Sirianni weathering a storm of injuries we just had

 

[clskinsfan]

If they have to rely on McKee extensively? Lose Brown and Barkley for long stretches, along with half their defense? I don't see Sirianni weathering a storm of injuries we just had

Their backups almost beat yesterday man. That roster is stacked. And Roseman built it the right way.

 

[heisenberg]

Their backups almost beat yesterday man. That roster is stacked. And Roseman built it the right way.

Their backups almost beat Josh Johnson yesterday.
They won't always be facing washed up nobodies on 4 win teams with nothing to play for.
The eagles even with their stacked roster have had all sorts of tension and struggles mostly on offense.
You throw in the injuries we had this year and I could see the wheels falling off that wagon at least for the year anyway.

 

[Riggo44]

Their backups almost beat yesterday man. That roster is stacked. And Roseman built it the right way.

Really? That's disingenuous at best. Sure, they had 2nd and 3rd stingers (as well as Jordyn Davis playing most of the 1st half). We have had 4th and 5th stringers at DE, CB--including street free agents like Preston Smith. Yes, we had Kinlaw, Payne, Wagner, Luvu, McLaurin, Bill etc. But had 1 starter playing on the OL in Conerly...and JOSH JOHNSON at QB. You're seriously overrating the Eagles. Their starting defense is legit, but not without holes; their offense sucks. It sucks. Their depth isn't as great as one would think it is.

Tucker pointed out on the broadcast that they lost 23 (I think) man games to starters this year: lowest in the NFL. They were never really tested.

 

[clskinsfan]

Fair points from both of you. But you cannot compare their roster depth to ours. We are injured for a reason. That reason is we have the oldest roster in the NFL. Old players get hurt. It also doesnt help that we chose a frail QB over one that is most likely the MVP this year. But that debate is moot.

 

[heisenberg]

But you cannot compare their roster depth to ours. We are injured for a reason. That reason is we have the oldest roster in the NFL. Old players get hurt.

That's a seperate argument though, and one in which i agree with you on.

They are less likely to have the injuries we just did because their roster is built better but if they did, and it is possible, I believe they could lose the fragile chemistry they possess.
Two years ago they completely collapsed down the stretch and it had nothing to do with injuries.

The eagles are good and they have a well built roster but they dont have dynasty like chemistry, its fragile and inconsistent.

 

[Riggo44]

Old players get hurt. It also doesnt help that we chose a frail QB over one that is most likely the MVP this year.

Two issues here:
1. It wasn't just old players getting hurt: LMC, Layne, Daniels (more on him in a second), Amos, Armstrong are not old. Armstrong is the oldest of that group at 28--they all missed significant time. Meanwhile Wagner played the whole year. So it wasn't just an age thing.
2. Yes Maye had a great year, but lets pump the breaks on that one for a bit--he faced the easiest schedule ever recorded by DVOA.

 

[heisenberg]

I'd listen but You'd be really hard pressed to convince me the eagles didn't fuck up badly laying down to us.
Maybe they thought they bears would win, I dont know, either way they have a harder path now than they would have had they played to win and it could be considerably harder.

They were the 2 seed last year and had all home games on their way to a championship.
This year they could have faced the packers week one instead of the niners and nobody would prefer the niners to the packers right now and in the divisional round they could have had a home game against the bears or 9ers and now they'll most likely have to travel to Chicago.

That is a lot of advantage to give up to rest your starters.

 

[ArtMonkWasMyHero]

I can't really disagree with you, but I would put Ed Rubbert and Anthony Allen in their own wing of the Pantheon. In my mind's eye I can still see Rubbert uncork that 88 yard bomb to Allen against the Cardinals. It was one of the most ecstatic moments my then-15 year old self had experienced...

A great moment indeed- I was there.

I was thinking more of somewhat obscure QBs who have had moments where they punched above their weight. JJ just had one.

 

[Bulldog]

If you look at the Commanders vs. the Eagles the one question I would ask you is how many Commanders would be starting for Philly in their first playoff game in 2025?

I don't see that many.

So, if we are looking at organizations, starter quality, depth quality, front office consistency and proven performance, etc. Washington has a LONG way to go to build that kind of credibility.

That's just the reality.

Until proven otherwise 2024 was an outlier not a confirmation that Washington is back among the better organizations and is given all the credit to bounce back strong in 2026.

One thing I am watching is the status of Daron Payne. If this organization gives Payne a new contract given his antics over the past couple of years after receiving the $95M extension, then I will have a lot less faith we are really moving forward.

There is no doubt in my mind that Gibbs, Parcells, Belichick, Reid, McVay would be moving on from Payne for 2026, taking the draft pick(s) they can pick up for him.

 

[Riggo44]

If you look at the Commanders vs. the Eagles the one question I would ask you is how many Commanders would be starting for Philly in their first playoff game in 2025?

I don't see that many.

So, if we are looking at organizations, starter quality, depth quality, front office consistency and proven performance, etc. Washington has a LONG way to go to build that kind of credibility.

That's just the reality.

You mean the Eagles, who have had one of the best GMs in place for almost a decade have a more established, proven roster than the Commanders, who were run by the worst owner in the history of the sport; driven further into the ground by a Coach-GM that possibly has CTE, and have had just 2 years to begin to build the roster and recover from decades of neglect?

Get right out of town! This is a stunning, startling revelation, let me tell you.

 

[Bulldog]

No, but I see a number of posters on this forum that exude a degree of confidence in the coach and GM that may OR may not be warranted, we simply don't know the answer as of yet.

This is an unfinished tapestry we are working on here. It may turn out to be a beautiful painting but it's only in the rough stages.

So, when we beat the Eagles and people have a back and forth about what beating an Eagles team in Game 17 means, I think the answer is 'not much'.

I don't see any purpose in arguing whether the Eagles third corner or third quarterback is really that reliable or how well some guys played that are probably not going to be here in 2026.

Again, I am waiting to see what Peters decides to do with Daron Payne to give me an inkling of how conservative or aggressive we are going to be in changing the culture. Payne has been anything but a player that has lived up to his contract and bringing him back on an extended deal to me would be a sign we are still in the business of paying for mediocrity.

Since you admit Roseman is a top GM, let me ask you if you believe he would bring Payne back?