Eagles vs. Commanders: Everything fans need to know about the NFC championship game
The Eagles and Commanders will meet for the third time this year in Sunday's NFC championship game, with the winner advancing to the Super Bowl.
Thanks to their 28-22 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the snow, the Eagles have advanced to the NFC championship game. And for the third time this season, the Eagles will face the Washington Commanders. But this time, it’s in the playoffs — with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
The NFC East foes from Washington surged this season after finishing at the bottom of the division in 2023, led by offensive Rookie of the Year front-runner Jayden Daniels and new head coach Dan Quinn.
Whether you’ve been here all season or you’re just starting to pay attention, we’ve got you covered with answers to some of the biggest questions surrounding the Birds’ NFC championship opponent, the Commanders.
When is the Eagles-Commanders game?
The NFC championship game will be on Sunday, Jan. 26, at 3 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field.
How can I watch the game?
The Eagles-Commanders game will be televised free on Fox, called by Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady, the same team that called the Eagles’ wild-card win over the Green Bay Packers — and the same one that will call the Super Bowl.
How can I buy tickets?
Single-game tickets are not yet on sale for Sunday’s NFC championship game. Tickets for the divisional round went on sale the Tuesday before the game at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster, so a similar release time is likely, but we’ll be sure to update this section once the Eagles officially announce where to buy.
As always, tickets will be available on the secondary market, including platforms like StubHub and TickPick, if you don’t manage to secure them directly through Ticketmaster.
» READ MORE: Eagles survive, storming past the Rams to reach the NFC championship game with a 28-22 win in the snow
How did the Commanders get here?
The Commanders’ path to the postseason started in 2023, when much-maligned former owner Dan Snyder sold the team for a record $6.03 billion to a group led by current 76ers majority owner Josh Harris. The following offseason, the franchise hired Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as head coach, replacing Ron Rivera. He brought in former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator, and drafted Daniels, fresh off a Heisman Trophy-winning senior campaign at LSU, at No. 2 overall.
Those moves paid dividends. Daniels threw for 3,568 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions — adding 891 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. The Commanders also brought in veterans, like longtime Eagles tight end Zach Ertz and 11-time All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner, to aid in establishing a new culture for the franchise.
Washington knocked off Tampa Bay on a game-winning field goal, and forced five turnovers in Detroit to upset the top-seeded Lions, 45-31. Daniels passed for 299 yards and two touchdowns against Detroit with no interceptions.
The Commanders went 12-5 this season, the most wins in a season since the franchise’s last Super Bowl win in 1991, and made their first NFC championship game since that year.
Who are the Commanders’ best players?
Daniels is an obvious standout, but he’s not the only critical piece on this Commanders roster. Receiver Terry McLaurin is Washington’s top receiving threat, with 1,096 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns this season. Daniels is the leading rusher, but running back Brian Robinson is formidable as well, rushing for 799 yards and eight touchdowns this year. Robinson rushed for 77 yards and two touchdowns in the divisional-round win over Detroit.
The Commanders’ offensive line also massively upgraded from last year, and the combined pieces bumped Washington up from the 24th-ranked offense in the NFL in 2023 to the seventh-ranked offense in 2024.
Do they have any key injuries?
Starting offensive lineman Sam Cosmi suffered a right knee injury in the win over the Lions and was seen wearing a large knee brace and crutches on the sideline. He started every game for the Commanders this year, and he was ruled out for the season on Sunday with an ACL tear, Quinn confirmed.
» READ MORE: Belly dancing, grilled camel, and Jennifer Slay’s banana pudding. Eagles tailgaters stepped up for the playoffs.
What happened in the Eagles’ last game?
The Birds pulled out a narrow win over the Rams, thanks to long touchdown runs from Saquon Barkley (x2) and Jalen Hurts and two forced fumbles from Vic Fangio’s defense — plus a little help from the snow. The offense stagnated after a strong first drive, but did just enough to capture the win.
Any notable Eagles injuries?
Linebacker Nakobe Dean is out for the rest of the season following a torn patellar tendon he suffered in the wild-card win over the Packers. Rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell suffered a shoulder injury during the first defensive drive of the divisional-round game vs. the Rams and was later ruled out of the game. His status will be something to watch heading into the NFC championship game. Jalen Hurts also came up limping against the Rams and when he returned to the game, he had a brace on his left knee. But Hurts finished the game and didn’t miss a snap.
Have the Commanders played the Eagles yet this year?
The Commanders and Eagles played twice this year, splitting the season series. The Birds beat the Commanders, 26-18, in Philadelphia in Week 11, with two rushing touchdowns from Barkley in the fourth quarter to put the game away on the road.
The Commanders pulled off a comeback 36-33 win over the Eagles in Washington on Dec. 22, scoring three fourth-quarter touchdowns to win the game after Hurts left with a concussion. The Birds forced five turnovers but could not stop Daniels and the Commanders offense down the stretch.
Both were one-possession games, so this could be a nail-biter, Birds fans.
» READ MORE: Jared Verse embraced being the villain this week. But it was Saquon Barkley and the Eagles who got the last word.
Have they met in the playoffs before?
The Birds and the Commanders have met just once before in the playoffs, in the wild-card round in the 1990 season. Washington, led by quarterback Mark Rypien, beat Randall Cunningham and the Eagles, 20-6, at Veterans Stadium.
Washington was eliminated the following round by the San Francisco 49ers, but went on to win the Super Bowl the following season.
What’s next?
The winner of the NFC championship game will advance to the Super Bowl, which will be played at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m.
If the Eagles lose, their season is over.