The NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles will attempt to sweep the visiting Washington Commanders for the sixth time in nine seasons on Sunday afternoon.
The Eagles (11-5) won both meetings with Washington (4-12) in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023 and registered a 29-18 victory two weeks ago in Landover, Md.
The rematch features a familiar Week 18 NFL storyline with both teams wrestling with whether to play their starters.
The Eagles still have a chance to secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC — if they beat the Commanders and Chicago loses to Detroit — but reportedly are planning to rest their regulars for the wild-card round. At worst, they will have the No. 3 seed.
The Commanders have lost 10 of their last 11 games and have little to play for — other than the proverbial pride and a few potential personal payouts — and may decide to give younger players a chance to audition for 2026.
Meanwhile, the Eagles will sit quarterback Jalen Hurts and several starters.
Tanner McKee, the Eagles’ sixth-round pick in 2023, will make his second NFL start in place of Hurts. He also started in Week 18 last year, throwing for 269 yards and two TDs in a 20-13 win over the New York Giants. This season, McKee has completed 3 of 3 passes for 33 yards in three cameo appearances.
“He’s really good about knowing where to go with the football, seeing the defense and being able to deliver things accurately,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “… He’s able to sit in that meeting room with Jalen for hours upon hours a day just learning from him, and that’s a big deal.”
With Marcus Mariota (quad) ruled out Friday, Washington will give 39-year-old journeyman quarterback Josh Johnson his second straight start.
Johnson, who has only one win in 10 career starts since he was drafted in 2008, took over after Mariota sustained hand and quad injuries in the Week 16 loss to the Eagles. Johnson completed 15 of 23 passes for 198 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in a 30-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas.
With Jayden Daniels shut down for the season, Washington’s other options under center are veteran Jeff Driskel, who hasn’t thrown a pass in two years, and untested Sam Hartman.
Even though the season has been a disappointment, Commanders coach Dan Quinn said he loved seeing “the number of guys that are really hungry for this opportunity and chance to compete together” on Sunday.
“Obviously this game doesn’t have the magnitude we hoped it would have when the schedule came out, but at the same time, we also recognize it’s a really important opportunity for a lot on our roster, and so we don’t take that lightly,” Quinn said Wednesday.
At least a couple of veteran Commanders will be clamoring to play. Linebacker Von Miller needs one sack to trigger a $1 million bonus for reaching nine sacks. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel needs 93 receiving yards to claim a $450,000 bonus for 800 yards and two touchdowns to collect a $250,000 bonus for eight touchdowns.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley needs 87 all-purpose yards to reach 1,500 and earn a $250,000 bonus.
Washington put center Tyler Biadasz (knee/ankle) on injured reserve on Wednesday. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil (oblique) did not practice all week and was ruled out on Friday. Offensive lineman Brandon Coleman (knee) is questionable. Running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (illness) and linebacker Bobby Wagner (knee/rest), who sat out Wednesday’s practice, returned to full practices on Thursday and Friday and have no injury designation.
Philadelphia defensive tackle Jalen Carter (hip), right tackle Lane Johnson (foot), linebackers Nakobe Dean (hamstring) and Jaelan Phillips (ankle), safety Marcus Epps (concussion) and tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) did not practice all week and were ruled out on Friday. Goedert leads the team with 11 TD receptions.
–Field Level Media
