Jayden Daniels’ nascent NFL career is all of 10 games old, yet the Washington rookie quarterback 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 tonight — 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.
“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.”
Colts change QBs
Anthony Richardson will be the Indianapolis Colts’ starting quarterback Sunday against the New York Jets and he will start for the rest of this season, coach Shane Steichen said Wednesday.
The move comes two weeks after Steichen benched Richardson in favor of 39-year-old Joe Flacco.
Flacco had struggled the last two weeks, committing six turnovers in two ugly losses.
Lawrence still out
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 and said Mac Jones will start at Detroit (8-1) on Sunday.
Lawrence took a hit to his left shoulder while scrambling in a game Nov. 3. Jacksonville has a bye week after playing the Lions, giving Lawrence three weeks of rest before potentially returning Dec. 1 against Houston.