Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles: what to watch for

Running back 'Bill' Croskey-Merritt has been a steal for Washington after being drafted in the seventh round in 2025. He’s fourth among rookies with 776 rushing yards, and only Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart has more touchdowns on the ground. Last week against Dallas was his best performance, rushing for 105 yards and two touchdowns on just 11 carries.

But as good as he has been, there is one part of his game that needs to be expanded on. Croskey-Merritt hasn’t been a major factor in the passing game, only having nine receptions on the year. He hasn’t caught a pass in his last five games. Is he not getting enough opportunities, or can he not be counted in the passing game?

Stats point to the former as Croskey-Merritt only has 13 targets on the year and is credited with zero drops. With this being the last game of the year, the Commanders might try to get him to work on catching to see what can be expected from him in 2026.

Meanwhile, another Commander enters Sunday's finale with a receiving incentive, one of three players with something on the line.

No player has embodied the role of a journeyman more than quarterback Josh Johnson. He’s played for 14 NFL teams and had some time in the UFL and XFL. Last week was his first start since 2021, following injuries to both Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota. He played well, given the circumstances, not turning the ball over and giving the Commanders a chance at the end.

Now comes the Eagles and the third-best scoring defense in the entire league. While the Eagles have clinched the division, they still have a shot at the number two seed, so don’t expect them to rest starters. Multiple Commander players are fighting for roles in 2026, and Johnson is one of them. While figuring out the 2026 offensive staff will be the ultimate determining factor, Johnson also enters Sunday with one final audition with a chance to prove himself as the veteran the Commanders need in a 2026 quarterback room that only features Jayden Daniels under contract heading into the offseason.

After a lackluster second half in his first showing against Philadelphia, Johnson managed the offense better in his first start as Washington's defense was the story of the 30-23 Christmas Day loss vs. Dallas, but Johnson has a chance to show stability at the quarterback position against the Eagles.

In a game that's expected to be a short-handed NFC East rematch, Washington has draft capital to play for on Sunday with the latest string of injuries marking a blow against a likely depleted Eagles team.

This has been covered all year, so it’s no surprise to say that the Commanders have been killed by injuries. Jayden Daniels has had elbow issues all year, Terry McLaurin has only played in nine games because of a quad injury, and Zach Ertz could have played his last game after suffering a torn ACL against Minnesota. Washington’s starting lineup looks completely different from the one that showed up in the first game because of the many injuries suffered.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, is expected to rest multiple starters ahead of the playoffs as head coach Nick Sirianni pointed to the chance to get fresh.

“At the end of the day, it’s not a guarantee that we can get the 2-seed but I can guarantee that I can rest the starters,” Sirianni said. “Just thought that was the best thing for our football team right there. Feel really good about the guys that are going to go in there and play. 

Washington could move up as high as second overall in the 2026 NFL Draft depending on Sunday's outcomes, but they will need a lot of help from the field. Add in that Washington's strength of schedule will rise after this week, it doesn't bode well for too much change.

But with draft capital at a premium for a team with just two picks across the first two days, Washington has a chance to create more offseason leverage with one more loss.