December 17, 2024
Colleen Claggett/For PhillyVoice
Jalen Hurts and the Eagles can clinch the NFC East this week in Washington with a win or tie.
The setup is right there for the Eagles to win the NFC East this week.
They've won 10 straight after putting away Pittsburgh on Sunday, and with the season in its home stretch, they're now headed down to Washington this week at 12-2 and with their magic number narrowed down to one.
The Commanders have been the Eagles' direct competition within the division this year at 9-5, but the Birds took the first matchup here in South Philly back in Week 11 and just never stopped building momentum, while Washington, though still in playoff contention, has cooled down a bit from a fierce start to the year.
For Week 16, the sportsbooks are liking the Eagles to close out the NFC East race. Here's a look...
| Sportsbook | Spread | Money Line | Total O/U |
| DraftKings | PHI -3.5 | PHI -170 WSH +142 | 45.5 |
| FanDuel | PHI -3.5 | PHI -174 WSH +146 | 45.5 |
| BetRivers | PHI -3.5 | PHI -186 WSH +150 | 45.5 |
| BetMGM | PHI -3.5 | PHI -175 WSH +145 | 45.5 |
| bet365 | PHI -3 | PHI -170 WSH +145 | 45.5 |
Led by breakout rookie QB Jayden Daniels and star receiver Terry McLaurin, the Commanders are approaching the week as the fifth-ranked offense in the NFL in yards per game (373.9) and as the sixth-ranked unit in points per game (28.3).
They've won back-to-back games, but did so to come back from a stretch where they lost three straight – to two of the league's better teams in the Steelers and Eagles, and then a crumbling Dallas – and then defeated the Titans and then the Saints, who haven't been all that imposing.
MORE: Jalen Hurts is a winner, Lane Johnson is still elite, other Eagles thoughts
The Eagles are countering that with the league's best defense in terms of yards allowed on average (275.6), the NFL's leading rusher in Saquon Barkley (1,688 yards), and a Jalen Hurts-led passing game that finally got in gear with last week's dismantling of Pittsburgh.
Hurts went 25-for-32 passing for 290 yards and two touchdowns (plus a Brotherly Shove score), A.J. Brown made eight catches for 110 yards and a TD, and DeVonta Smith came up with 11 grabs for 109 yards and six on the board himself – not to mention, running back Kenny Gainwell also made a few big offensive plays subbing in behind Barkley.
The Eagles' offense prided itself, and maybe made itself reliant, too, on Barkley and the run game over the past several weeks, but on Sunday, they approached the Steelers in a completely different way, which will give the Commanders a whole lot more to worry about this week.
“Just wanted to be multiple, make sure all of our tools are sharp when we need them," Hurts said after the Eagles beat the Steelers. "You may not need every tool in the toolbox, but just to know it’s in good shape doesn’t hurt.”
The Eagles are likely going to need them again this Sunday if they hope to clinch the division, and pretty soon down the line with the playoffs approaching and the push for the best seeding possible coming down to the wire with the Lions and Vikings.
MORE: Kenny Gainwell has been clutch behind Saquon Barkley
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