Jayden Daniels’ nascent NFL career is all of 10 games old, yet the Washington QB responsible for the instant reshaping of the Commanders into a respectable franchise, and, finally, winners, already knows when a big game is on the schedule.
“I think people just know it’s Philly week,” Daniels said.
Oh yes, Commanders-Eagles, as serious as it gets this time of the NFL season. As a bonus, for the first time in nearly three decades, the outcome truly matters for either team.
Daniels has the Commanders (7-3) on the precipice of their biggest regular-season game in the series against the NFC East rival Eagles (7-2) in decades.
Hyperbole?
Not a chance. Washington and Philadelphia meet — not only with the division lead at stake — but with both teams at least four games over .500 entering the game for the first time since 1996.
Terry Allen and Ricky Watters. Koy Detmer and Gus Frerotte. Norv Turner and Ray Rhodes.
Names forgotten to the history books until this week when every piece of the series rivalry has been resurrected as part of the anticipation for the primetime showdown at Lincoln Financial Field. The only drawback to the game is the short week — the Eagles won at Dallas and the Commanders lost to the Steelers on Sunday — has robbed the rivalry of a few extra days of hype.
Behind QB Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley — who ranks second in the NFL with an average of 110.1 yards per contest while Washington is 28th in the league defensively against the run, allowing 142.7 yards per contest — the Eagles are riding a five-game winning streak; the Commanders have won three of four games.
The Eagles are 3 1/2-point favorites, per BetMGM Sportsbook.
“I’m excited just to go to Philly and that type of atmosphere,” Daniels said. “Heard they got very passionate fans, so man, I can’t wait. I can’t wait to go out there and see that fan base, and just experience that. And I know it’s going to be a great venue, a great site, and we’ll just go out there and see what happens.”
Led by Daniels, the offense keeps putting up points, week in, week out, even against stingy opponents like Pittsburgh, which entered Sunday allowing just 14.9 per game. The QB is building a strong connection with receiver Terry McLaurin, who topped 100 yards receiving for the fourth time in the past eight games, accumulating 113 on five catches.
The Eagles, who have won by 20-plus points in three of their last four games, understand the challenge Daniels presents.
“A really good player who started off on fire, so we’ll have a challenge here this week,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “You know how he’s going to the right place with the football, being accurate, the things he can do when things do break down.”
With a win, Washington would move to 8-3, its best record through 11 games since, yup, 1996.
“Taking our show on the road to go up and have another division battle, Thursday night in November, like come on, what are we talking about? Washington coach Dan Quinn said.
While the Eagles had the earliest bye in the NFL in Week 5, the Commanders have the latest in Week 14 and the injuries are piling up after a relatively healthy start to the season. Running back Brian Robinson Jr. (hamstring) missed the past two games, and right tackle Andrew Wylie (shoulder) and kicker Austin Seibert were out against Pittsburgh.
The short turnaround doesn’t help those matters, but Quinn is trying to turn it into a positive.
“This is a really tough-minded group, and so if you told them it was going to be on a Wednesday, they’d be down for it,” Quinn said. “Short weeks, it’s hard, but it also favors guys who are like, ‘Hey man, I’m down for the fight and I’ll be ready and whatever it takes’ kind of attitude. And we got a lot of those kind of guys with a big giant-sized chip on their shoulder.”
Raiders to stick with Minshew at QB
Gardner Minshew will remain the Las Vegas Raiders’ quarterback when they visit the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
Coach Antonio Pierce made the announcement Wednesday after considering going with the recent pickup Desmond Ridder.
“Gardner gives us the best opportunity to move forward, and he has every opportunity to go out there and help us get a win,” Pierce said.
Minshew is completing a career-high 67% of his passes, but he has eight interceptions and just six touchdowns. He also has lost four fumbles, tied with Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson and Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts for most in the NFL.
Jags rule out QB Lawrence against the Lions
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence will miss his second consecutive game because of an injury to his left, non-throwing shoulder.
Coach Doug Pederson ruled Lawrence out Wednesday and said Mac Jones will start at Detroit (8-1) on Sunday.
“We don’t want to put a player out there that’s not a hundred percent, so we’re going to rest him more week,” Pederson said.
Jacksonville has a bye week after playing the Lions, so Lawrence will get three weeks of rest before attempting to return against Houston on Dec. 1.
Colts make richardson QB again
Anthony Richardson showed the Indianapolis Colts over the past two weeks off the field that he could be their starting quarterback.
Again.
Two ugly losses might have helped convince Indy’s brain trust, too.
Either way, Richardson has won back the job.
Coach Shane Steichen announced Wednesday that he was making yet another quarterback change, handing the reins back to the 22-year-old Richardson while benching 39-year-old Joe Flacco.
“He’s going to be our starter again, he’s going to start for the rest of the season and we’re going to go from there,” Steichen said. “ I informed Joe of the decision yesterday. He’s the ultimate pro. He respects the decision, he understands it.”
Steichen made the first change because he said Flacco gave the Colts (4-6) the best chance of winning now.
Instead, Flacco committed six turnovers in two losses, the offense struggled to get in the end zone or stay on the field and Indy’s lost ground in the race for the AFC’s seventh and final playoff spot.
Denver Broncos assistant head coach Mike Westhoff has resigned because of problems with his vision.
Westhoff, 76, is a former special teams coordinator with the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints who came out of retirement to join head coach Sean Payton’s staff in Denver in 2023.