Sunday’s NFC Championship Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field will be a rubber match for a spot in the Super Bowl.
To preview this big NFC East battle, I reached out to our opponents in Hogs Haven. The wonderful Andrew York was kind enough to take the time to answer my questions about this tilt. Let’s see the answer. (Stay tuned to HH for my answer regarding the Eagles.)
1) Washington ends the longest NFC Championship Game drought in the NFL. That clear honor now belongs to Dallas (lol) Cowboys. I think the commanders must feel like they’re on a cloud. How does it feel for Washington to be here?
Yes, it feels really great. This was something that was thought to be possible in the second or third year of the rebuild, if all goes well. Achieving that in your first year feels almost unrealistic. The last time we went to the NFC Championship was the 1991 season, so there’s a whole generation of Washington fans who don’t know about that level of success. And for those who remember the ’91 season, it will bring back fond memories of a consistently fun team that fans could celebrate and have confidence in. During the Dan Snyder era, I seriously debated whether or not I should have children. Would I share this fandom with them, knowing it would likely bring them more sadness than joy? I currently have two children, the older one is 3 years old. They are just old enough to start watching some of the games together and get excited when they get excited about the big plays. It was so much fun sharing these experiences with her that I can’t wait to share more.
2) The coach’s starting right guard, Sam Cosmi, suffered a season-ending injury in Detroit. How concerning is his absence, and how will Washington replace him?
Yeah, that’s a concern, especially against Jalen Carter this week. Cosmi was one of the better players on our offensive line (and one of the only Ron Rivera draft picks still on the team). However, Trent Scott came in and filled in for him pretty well against the Lions. Scott has primarily been our depth offensive tackle so far, so it would have been interesting to see him serve as a replacement guard, but the coaches weren’t too happy with our depth IOL, and I think Scott would be more of a depth offensive tackle. I think he thought he could do a good job. Scott played well for three quarters against the Lions, but they don’t have as scary a front line as the Eagles, so I’d like to see how he performs in this game, or if they use another player.
3) What else has changed for the managers since the last time they faced the Eagles? What will be different for Washington entering this matchup?
Most of the differences are positive for commanders. RB Austin Ekeler is back from a concussion and provides an explosive element to his running and short passing game. DT Jonathan Allen returned from a torn pectoral muscle and seemed to play well against the Lions, providing some pressure and getting two QB hits. Marshon Lattimore played against the Eagles in their last matchup, but didn’t appear to be 100% healthy, aggravating his hamstring and forcing him out of the game. Last week’s game against the Lions appeared to be the first game in which he was actually back to 100%, allowing only no receptions on a single target.
4) What did you really like about the opportunities your leaders had?
How well we did against the Lions, a team with the highest point differential in the NFL and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Not only did they win the game, but they played relatively error-free soccer while taking advantage of the Lions’ mistakes. I think that’s the formula for winning in the playoffs, and one of the takeaways from the whole weekend was the team that made the fewest mistakes wins. If we can continue to play that brand of football, I think we have a chance.
5) What are your real concerns about the manager going into this game?
The Eagles probably have the most comprehensive roster talent of any team in the NFL, with most of their roster having been together for years, while the Commanders have players new to the team. Many, many of which have no track record. If you look back at the teams that beat us (Bucs, Ravens, Steelers, Eagles, Cowboys), the biggest thing they have in common is that they are mostly made up of locals and have played together for years. (For the Cowboys, this mainly applies on defense). I think the managers are coached to a very high level and the players have great chemistry, but there are limits to the amount of coaching and chemistry that can overcome the huge differences in talent and consistency, so this game It’s going to be a tough battle.
Also, although we beat the Lions, Jahmil Gibbs had 105 rushing yards, two rushing TDs, and six receptions for 70 yards. Saquon Barkley is basically better than Jahmil Gibbs.
6) Who will win this game and why? The Eagles are currently listed as the 5.5 home favorites, what are your score predictions?
I think the line started at 4.5, but it’s already moved to 6 and 6.5 in some places, so people are betting heavily on the Eagles. Objectively, the Eagles should win something like 27-21, as shown by the Vegas total. The Eagles have a more established roster and are used to this type of postseason success. The managers had just won the postseason, had an unproven roster, a rookie QB, and a “retread” head coach that no other team wanted to hire. The coaches have been underdogs in every postseason game so far and continue to be underdogs here, and it’s up to them to prove themselves once again.
