The Philadelphia Eagles are sitting at 2-5 heading into a critical Sunday night matchup. This game against the Washington Commanders is not just another regular-season contest. It is a fight for the division title. The Eagles lost their Week 1 meeting, but the roster looks very different now. They need a win to stay alive in the NFC East race.
Injury Woes Mounting
The team has faced a brutal stretch with players hitting the injured reserve list. Running back Dameon Pierce was moved to injured reserve this week. He joins Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley on the shelf. Carson Steele was also waived with an injury designation. Star running back Saquon Barkley wants to play despite his issues. He is dealing with a hamstring problem and a back injury from last week. The coaching staff must decide if risking Barkley is worth the gamble. Per Bleeding Green Nation, the staff should consider whether it is worth risking Barkley re-aggravating an injury.
The offense is missing key weapons too. Wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks will not play on Sunday. The defense has fewer injuries, but their recent performance was poor. They had their worst game of the season even when the offense finally scored points. This combination of bad luck and bad play is dangerous.
Division Stakes Are High
Both teams are struggling in the NFC East. The Cowboys, Giants, and Commanders have all had tough weeks. Dallas dominated Philadelphia just last week in a 38-21 loss. Now the Eagles face Washington at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. The game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday. NBC will broadcast the game with Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth calling the action. Yahoo Sports suggests the NFC East remains open for contention throughout the remainder of the season.
The officiating crew changed right before the game. The NFL moved from Alex Moore’s crew to Shawn Hochuli’s team. Hochuli has overseen games where the Eagles are 12-4. He last worked a game for Philly when they lost to the Bears in Week 3. Thursday night’s Panthers-Packers game featured several poor officiating decisions that prompted this shift.
The Bottom Line
The 2026 season is slipping away fast. Winning the division could be out of reach if the Eagles lose this game. To regain momentum, the Commanders desperately require a victory. Jayden Daniels will lead Washington against a Tanner McKee-led Philadelphia unit.
