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NFL Playoffs - NFC Championship Game
Nuts & Bolts
Date: January 26, 2025
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Lincoln Financial Field - Philadelphia, PA
How to Watch: FOX
Matchup History: Washington leads all-time series 90-86-6
Last Meeting: Washington def. Philadelphia 36-33 on 12/22/24
Betting Lines: Via DraftKings
Spread: Washington +6
Over/Under: 47.5
Prediction: Philadelphia 26, Washington 23
Official Game Notes: HERE
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Head Coach: Dan Quinn (1st season, 14-5 record in Washington)
Record: 12-5 (4-2, 2nd in NFC East)
Last Time Out: Won @ Detroit 45-31 on 1/18/25 (NFL Playoffs - Divisional Round)
Highlights HERE
Player to Watch: Jayden Daniels
For the first time in 31 years, the Washington Commanders will play in a conference championship game.
Last Saturday, as a 9.5 point underdog, the Commanders waltzed into Detroit and took out the top-seeded Lions 45-31, forcing five turnovers along the way.
After falling behind 7-3, Washington was sparked by a 28 point second quarter that included a 58 yard touchdown by Terry McLaurin followed by an interception return for a touchdown by Quan Martin less than a minute later to give the Commanders a two possession lead.
The Lions were able to cut the deficit to three on two separate occasions, but Brain Robinson’s second rushing touchdown of the game in the early moments of the fourth quarter put Washington up by double digits for good, en route to a massive upset victory and sending the Commanders to its first NFC Championship Game since it last won the Super Bowl in 1991.
Awaiting Washington in the title game is its long-standing rival, Philadelphia. The Commanders split the regular season matchups with the Eagles, falling in Week 11 on Thursday Night Football in Philly 26-18 and defeating the Eagles in Washington 36-33 in Week 16, snapping Philadelphia’s franchise record winning streak of ten games in the process.
In the Week 11 meeting, the Commanders defense was feisty, allowing just three points in the first half as Washington stayed in front 10-6 going to the fourth quarter.
In the fourth, the Eagles scored three unanswered touchdowns, including two touchdowns by Saquon Barkley just 20 seconds apart to put the game out of reach.
In Week 16, Washington had five turnovers but also scored five touchdowns, all via Jayden Daniels touchdown passes, including a 9 yard score to Jamison Crowder with less than ten seconds to go. In that game, the Eagles lost QB Jalen Hurts to a concussion in the first quarter, leading to Kenny Pickett taking over as the quarterback for the remainder of the game, largely hindering Philadelphia’s offensive power.
For the Commanders to win what I believe to be a true toss-up game in Philadelphia, Daniels will need to exhibit the same poise he displayed in each of the last two playoff wins while continuing to take care of the football.
Besides Jayden, the Commanders will want to control the ball on offense and will need to force a turnover on defense while doing its best to slow down the league’s best running back Saquon Barkley.
So far in the playoffs, every team that has won the turnover battle has won the game. I’d expect that trend to continue in both Philadelphia and Kansas City.
Head Coach: Nick Sirianni (4th season, 52-23 record in Philadelphia)
Record: 14-3 (5-1, 1st in NFC East)
Last Time Out: Won vs. Los Angeles Rams 28-22 on 1/19/25
Highlights HERE
Player to Watch: Saquon Barkley
The Eagles are a home win away from a second Super Bowl appearance in three years.
Under the direction of Nick Sirianni, the Eagles have made the playoffs all four years as he’s gone 52-23 in-charge. And yet, Sirianni has faced scrutiny as a head coach, despite winning more games in his first four years as a head coach than any coach in NFL history.
Based on the talent at his disposal, it makes sense that Sirianni has found as much success as he has. This year, he led the Eagles to an NFC East title and 14-3 regular season, earning the NFC’s #2 seed in the process.
Thanks to the Commanders win in Detroit last weekend, Philadelphia now hosts its second NFC Championship Game in three years. The Eagles have won the last three NFC Championship Games they’ve hosted, and are 4-3 all-time at home in this situation.
Last Sunday, the Eagles barely scraped by against a pesky and well-coached Rams team in the snow at Lincoln Financial Field.
With 4:36 to play, Saquon Barkley ripped a 78 yard touchdown run to put the Eagles up 28-15, virtually sealing the victory (or so they thought).
The Rams responded in less than two minutes as LA found the endzone for just the second time in the game to make it 28-22 with 2:48 to play.
Back on offense, the Eagles went backwards, as QB Jalen Hurts took a critical sack as Philly went three-and-out, punting the ball back to Matthew Stafford and the Rams offense with 2:23 to go.
LA moved the ball all the way down to the Eagles 13 and had a third down and 2 before Defensive Tackle Jalen Carter sacked Stafford for a nine yard loss and setting up a fourth down and 11. The Eagles held on and won the game, getting the critical fourth down stop and advancing back to the NFC Championship Game.
The biggest question mark headed into Sunday for either team is the health of Jalen Hurts. The QB was injured in the third quarter against the Rams, but stayed in the game.
After injuring his left knee, over the final 18 minutes of the game, Jalen Hurts went 3/3 passing for just 19 yards, while also taking two sacks, including a safety. Granted, it was beginning to snow harder following the Hurts injury, but also the Eagles were clearly playing much more conservatively on offense, putting the ball into the hands of Barkley and away from Hurts.
Perhaps most importantly, Hurts did not rush the ball at all after the injury. Before, he carried the ball seven times for 70 yards and a touchdown. If Hurts is not a threat to run on Sunday against Washington, that is a huge defensive advantage for the Commanders.
Of course, it’s the NFC CHampionship game, so all bets are off. I’m willing to bet the Eagles offense will be at full go in an attempt to get to New Orleans and a second Super Bowl appearance in three years.
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