Game Recap – Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles

November 15, 2022

By Noonefromtampa

First Half

Philadelphia won the coin toss and elected to defer to the second half. Antonio Gibson returned the opening kickoff 41 yards, but Armani Rogers was called for holding to put Washington back on the 8 yard line. Two short runs by Brian Robinson and an incompletion to Curtis Samuel led to a Tress Way punt. Fortunately for Washington, Reed Blankenship of the Eagles was called for roughing the kicker, which gave the Commanders a first down at their 28 yard line. However, Taylor Heinicke was strip-sacked on the next play with the ball being recovered by Marlon Tuipulotu. Jalen Hurts scored three plays later on a quarterback sneak to give the Eagles a 7-0 lead.

Washington responded well to the adversity by driving 75 yards in 13 plays for a touchdown. The drive started with three straight runs by Robinson, who gained a first down. Gibson picked a second first down a couple of plays later. On the next third and 2, Heinicke hit Terry McLaurin for 26 yards. Two plays later Jahan Dotson caught a 14 yard pass that gave the Commanders a first and goal at the Eagles 5 yard line. Gibson scored two plays later to tie the game.

The Eagles responded with a drive of their covering 78 yard in 9 plays. Hurts was able to spread the ball around completing passes to A.J. Brown, Jack Stoll, and Zach Pascal for total of 28 yards. After two incompletions, Washington gave up an 11 yard completion to DeVonta Smith. After a holding penalty backed up the Eagles to a second and 13, Benjamin St-Juste was called for a 30 yard defensive pass interference penalty, which gave the Eagles first and goal. Dallas Goedert caught a 6 yard jump pass from Hurts on the next play. Eagles 14, Commanders 7.

Logan Thomas caught a nine yard completion to start the next drive. Robinson the picked up the first down with a short run over the left side. Several plays later it was third and eight, but Heinicke was able to complete a slant to McLaurin for 14 yards. The drive petered out after that when a fourth and one try was quashed by a delay of game penalty. Joey Slye converted a 44 yard field goal. Eagles 14, Commanders 10.

On the next Eagles series, Hurts was able to complete a pass to Smith on third down but the next play a deep pass to Brown was intercepted by Darrick Forrest at the Washington 14 yard line. After picking up a first down, the Commanders found themselves in third and six. Heinicke found Samuel wide open across the middle and he picked up 23 yards. Heinicke made a great play on a bad snap over his head, by picking up the ball and getting outside the tackle and throwing it away up field. Third down conversions seemed to be a theme on this drive. On the next third and five, McLaurin picked up 18 yards but on the next third and 10 he only picked up 9 yards on his reception. That wasn’t a problem, though, because on fourth and one, Samuel picked up 2 yards on inside handoff jet sweep. Robinson powered through the Eagles on the next play for 12 yards to give the Commanders first and goal from the three.  Two plays later Robinson out-drove two Eagles defenders to stretch the ball across the goal line for the touchdown. Commanders 17, Eagles 14.

The Washington defense got a three and out when Brown fell on his comeback route and Washington got the ball back with 1:06 left on the clock. Gibson caught a pass on first down but was injured on the play which forced Washington to burn its last timeout. Heinicke ran around the right end on a keeper to pick up a first down on third and two. Two plays later Dyami Brown made a great catch on a low throw for a 15 yard pickup. Washington could not pick up any additional yards on their next play, but Slye was able to nail a 58 yard field goal.

Commanders 20, Eagles 14.

Second Half

Philadelphia came out to the start the second half with a short run by Miles Sanders and 4 yard catch by Smith. Kendall Fuller broke up a slant to Brown on third down forcing a punt. Arryn Siposs punted the ball 48 yards out of bounds at the Washington twenty yard line.

Washington started with three straight Robinson runs which picked up a first down. The Commanders was flagged for a false start penalty, which is usually a death knell for them.  However, Washington was able to over come that with McLaurin picking up 11 yards and Heinicke running for the first down. Heinicke then hit McLaurin for 41 yards after he ran past Darius Slay on a go route. Washington was able to pick up another first down and have first and goal at the Philadelphia 6. Heinicke was sacked on third down and Slye hit the 32 yard field goal. Commanders 23, Eagles 14.

Philadelphia then went on their best drive since the first quarter. Behind Sanders running and Hurts throwing the Eagles were able to move the ball down the field. The big plays on the drive were a 16 yard pass to Quez Watkins and a 15 yard completion to Goedert. Five straight running plays picked up 24 yards. Hurts then hit Smith for an 11 yard touchdown pass when St-Juste missed the tackle at the 5 yard line. Commanders 23, Eagles 21

On the next possession, Washington came out running the ball with Robinson and Samuel, although technically one of Samuel’s runs was actually a shovel pass. The Commanders were helped by an unnecessary roughness penalty call on a helmet-to-helmet hit. Washington had moved out to the Eagles 43 when Heinicke threw a floater deep to McLaurin which was intercepted by C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

The Eagles then moved out to their 31 via their running game. Hurt hit Goedert on a short pass where he was tackled by Jamin Davis and John Ridgeway, Davis recovered the ball and returned it for a touchdown. On the review Davis was ruled down by contact but the replay also showed a facemask penalty on Davis that the officials missed. Washington looked horrible on their three plays, which included a penalty that was declined. Slye bailed them out again with a 55 yard field goal. Commanders 26, Eagles 21.

The Eagles picked up a first down on pass to Watkins but were called for holding on the next play to give the Eagles a first and 20. Hurts hits Watkins for a 51 yard completion but St-Juste was able to recover and knock out the ball which was recovered by Forrest.  Gibson picked up 6 yards on two running plays. On third down, Heinicke hit Samuel for an 18 yard completion, but Jahan Dotson was called for pass interference. Gibson picked up 12 yards on a nice catch and run but came up two yards short.

On the next series, Washington’s defense held the Eagles to a three and out behind a key third down sack by Montez Sweat. However, the Eagles committed a penalty on the punt and were forced to re-kick the ball, which cost them valuable time on the clock. Washington got the ball back after the two minute warning.

Two running plays netted 3 yards and Washington called a pass play. Heinicke took a sack by kneeling, but Brandon Graham plowed into him causing an unnecessary roughness penalty giving Washington a first down. The Commanders ran the clock down to eleven seconds and punted the ball away to the Philadelphia 10 yard line. The Eagles went with the lateral it around play, but Kamren Curl hit Smith as he went to lateral it back and Casey Toohill picked up the loose ball and walked in for the touchdown.

Commanders 32, Eagles 21

Game Thoughts

This was one of Scott Turner’s better game plans and play calling efforts. He relied more on the run game and tried to minimize long third downs which often leads to bad plays by Taylor Heinicke.

Heinicke was himself, which means he was all over the place. He had a great first half and not so great second half but made enough smart and/or lucky plays to win the game. Hey Taylor is now 2-0 on Monday Night Football.

Game ball to Joey Slye for two tremendous field goals of 55 and 58 yards.

The Football Gods decided that most of the calls and breaks went to Washington, or a member of the 1972 Dolphins paid for a voodoo hex on the Eagles.

Keeping the ball away from Jalen Hurts was obviously the key to keeping Washington in the game. The turnovers which have been missing from the excellent defense the Commanders have been playing for the past several weeks came tonight in the form of 3 fumble recoveries, an interception, and a gift touchdown to end the game.