LANDOVER, Md. − Jalen Hurts left the game with a concussion in the first quarter, and the Eagles found out what life could be like without their star quarterback.
Not right away, though.
It took a while for the Eagles to lose a 14-point lead and eventually the game, 35-33, as Commanders QB Jayden Daniels hit Jamison Crowder for a 10-yard touchdown with 6 seconds left.
That ended the Eagles’ franchise-record 10-game winning streak as they fell to 12-3 and a game behind Detroit for top seed in the NFC.
Kenny Pickett replaced Hurts and completed the touchdown drive that gave the Eagles a 14-point lead. But the lead vanished as former Eagle Olamide Zaccheaus burned them for two touchdowns, including a 49-yard TD early in the fourth quarter that gave the Commanders a 1-point lead.
But it took some of the toughest running for Saquon Barkley to get 150 yards with the Commanders keying on him without Hurts as a running threat. It took Jake Elliott making three field goals, including his first 50-plus yarder of the season after missing six others from that range.
It took Reed Blankenship’s interception with 2:53 left, after C.J. Gardner-Johnson was ejected in the third quarter for his second personal foul penalty.
The Eagles made their share of mistakes, too. And that ultimately cost them the game.
Pickett threw a costly interception that led to the Commanders’ first touchdown. And DeVonta Smith dropped a pass over the middle in the final minutes that would have given the Eagles a first down and a chance to run out the clock.
Instead, Elliott kicked a 40-yard field goal with 2 minutes left, giving Washington one more chance.
They didn’t miss.
Hurts was injured when he was hit by Frankie Luvu as he dove forward during a 13-yard run midway through the first quarter. Hurts at first seemed to refuse to come off the field, going into the huddle after the referee told him to get evaluated for a head injury.
Hurts then went into the medical tent as Pickett took over. Pickett finished the drive with a 3-yard pass to A.J. Brown.
It’s the first time this season that Hurts missed more than a play for an injury. Hurts eventually went to the locker room and was ruled out in the second quarter.
Pickett finished 14 of 24 for 143 yards with a touchdown and interception.
The game started off promisingly enough for the Eagles.
They did something they haven’t done all season by scoring a touchdown on their opening drive. The Eagles started at midfield after the Commanders were stopped on 4th-and-1 from their 49.
Barkley took over from there, running for 19 and 13 yards before taking the ball in from the 2.
The Eagles were back in business after Jalen Carter forced a Brian Robinson fumble to start Washington’s next possession. Nolan Smith recovered at the Eagles’ 43.
Hurts left midway through the drive for an evaluation, but Pickett didn’t miss a beat. He completed three passes to Brown, the third was a 3-yard touchdown for a 14-0 lad with 7:08 left in the first quarter.
But Pickett threw an interception to Frankie Luvu at the Eagles’ 25, which the Commanders converted into a touchdown.
Barkley’s 68-yard TD run on the ensuing series put the Eagles back up by 14 late in the first quarter.
It became a slog for Barkley, who had 109 yards rushing at that point, and the Eagles after that as the Commanders keyed in on Barkley.
And the Eagles couldn’t hang on.
Contact Martin Frank at [email protected]. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.
