Four takeaways after the Washington Commanders pulled off a season-ending win against the Philadelphia Eagles
Josh Johnson Throws First Touchdown in a While and Wins Second Game:
Quarterback Josh Johnson’s touchdown pass to tight end John Bates tied the game at 17 midway through the fourth quarter. It was his first touchdown since week 16 of 2021, when he was a member of the Baltimore Ravens. He later added another one on the ground to put the Commanders up 24-17.
On the night. Johnson finished 13 of 22 for 131 yards, one touchdown, one pick, and a rushing score. The win is just the second of his NFL career in 11 starts. Now there’s just one question remaining with him. Did he do enough to come back in 2026?
Commanders Play Spoiler (Sort of):
Philadelphia came into the game with a chance at the number two seed with a win and a Chicago loss. The Lions beat the Bears on a last-second field goal by Jake Bates. However, Washington made sure that the Eagles would lose out on two guaranteed win games. With the loss, the Eagles will take on the sixth-seed 49ers, who will have an extra day of rest over them, instead of the seventh-seed Packers, who lost their top defender in Micah Parsons.
Head coach Nick Sirianni’s decision to rest their starters will come into question by both the media and fans. The loss may have cost Washington some draft position, as now they pick seventh. However, doing damage to a division rival before going into the postseason might make it worth it.
Both Teams Take Advantage of Mistakes:
Washington’s first drive took nearly 10 minutes off the clock but resulted in no points after a missed field goal. Philadelphia would go 80 yards in nine plays to get the first score of the game. The Eagles’ second touchdown also came off a Washington miscue, this time a fumbled snap by Josh Johnson that set them up inside the 30.
However, Washington made the Eagles pay for their mistakes. Following a Josh Johnson interception, Philadelphia’s Tanner McKee would throw one himself while in the red zone that was turned into a field goal for the Commanders to take the lead at the half. Later on, with Washington down 17-10, two separate pass interference penalties by the Eagles set up first-and-goal at the one. That led to the Johnson-to-Bates touchdown.
Commanders Spoiled Their Own Chances
While the loss also hurt the Eagles' playoff picture in the process, the Commanders had a golden chance to capitalize on Sunday.
Entering kickoff, the Commanders had a chance to move as high as third in the 2026 NFL Draft but most likely fifth overall if the Eagles secured the win. That was because of both the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns pulling off the win during the early afternoon window, giving the Commanders the tie-breaker advantage.
Late in the third quarter, Arizona held a lead in a result that would have given Washington the fourth overall pick. The Cardinals ended up falling, 37-20, against the Los Angeles Rams to cement no higher than fifth overall, but the win vaulted the Commanders back to their pre-week 18 standing.
While a win over a divisional opponent is always nice, it proved to be a costly one for a team with limited draft capital next April.