The Washington Commanders did what many believed was improbable by defeating the previously unbeaten Philadelphia Eagles, 32-21, during the Week 10 edition of Monday Night Football.
The Commanders dominated the Eagles in the first half, possessing the ball for almost 24 minutes. If not for Philadelphia defensive end Josh Sweat’s strip-sack of Washington quarterback Taylor Heinicke on the first possession, the first half could’ve looked completely different.
However, despite the Eagles pouncing on the Commanders quickly, scoring a touchdown after the turnover, Heinicke and the Commanders were unphased, quickly answering Philadelphia with a 13-play, 76-yard drive that ended with an Antonio Gibson touchdown run.
The Commanders would enter halftime with a 20-14 lead.
While things didn’t go quite as smoothly on offense in the second half, the defense did its part, forcing three second-half turnovers in helping lead Washington to the upset win.
Let’s unpack the notebook and review everything we know from Washington’s win.
Final score: Commanders 32, Eagles 21
| Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Final |
| Washington Commanders | 7 | 13 | 3 | 9 | 32 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 14 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
Why the Commanders won
There are many reasons. First, Washington’s offense had a plan and, regardless of what happened, stuck with that plan. The goal was to run the ball and create favorable down and distance situations on third downs. When the running game would stall, offensive coordinator Scott Turner kept plugging away. It wasn’t pretty. It was effective. The Commanders kept the same plan for four quarters. Quarterback Taylor Heinicke played a good game, outside of one errant throw. and made some clutch throws to Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel to keep the chains moving.
It was over when....
Philadelphia defensive ends Haason Reddick and Brandon Graham converged on Heinicke with under two minutes remaining in the game. It was third-and-14 and Heinicke had given himself up. However, Graham and Reddick kept coming, with Graham making contact with Heinicke, drawing a 15-yard penalty, and essentially ending the game.
Fans can cry foul, but it was the correct call. And it was not a bang-bang call. Heinicke was on the ground for over two seconds when Graham hit him. No, it was not a malicious shot by Graham, but it was against the rules.
Commanders' top performers
- QB Taylor Heinicke: 17/29, 211 yards, 0/1
- RB Brian Robinson Jr.: 26 carries, 86 yards, touchdown
- WR Terry McLaurin: 8 receptions, 128 yards
- K Joey Slye: 4/4 on field goals, including from 55 and 58 yards.
- LB Jamin Davis: 9 tackles
- S Darrick Forrest: 6 tackles, interception, fumble recovery
Game notes
- Heinicke played a good game. He had the one throw he’d love to have back, but at that time, it ended up being as good as a punt. Anytime you go on the road and lead your team to a win, that’s a big deal. This is Heinicke’s team now.
- The running game did enough. There were a lot of two and three-yard runs in the win over the Eagles. Washington kept plugging away, with Heinicke often making a big play on third down.
- Anytime you take down a top team, you need a little luck. The ball bounced the right way for Washington on a couple of occasions, which doesn’t often happen.
- Good game plan from offensive coordinator Scott Turner. Turner gets a lot of blame when things don’t work out; he deserves praise for Washington’s offensive performance in Week 10.
What's next
The Commanders have a short week to prepare for the Houston Texans. Washington will be favored in this one. These are the games Washington would lose in the past. A win over the Texans would get the Commanders back over the .500 mark.
