Philadelphia Eagles Game 'Most Important' So Far, Says Washington Commanders Coach Ron Rivera

Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera had a simple message about the team's upcoming matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera agrees with sport talk radio hosts in D.C. -- Week 8's game against the Philadelphia Eagles is indeed the most important game this season. However, his reasoning for having such opinion may be different than those who grace the airwaves believe. 

Rivera does think the Commanders are entering a must-win game against the Eagles in Week 8. But if you listen to him, you get the sense he'll have the same mindset in Week 9 when they travel to Foxborough to face the New England Patriots. 

“They're all important. They really are. This is the most important we'll have up to this day because it's the one we're about to play," Rivera said. That's the approach that we have to have and that's what we're talking about. 

"This is a big one for us. Next week will be the next big one for us, but the focus is Philadelphia and just trying to prepare for it, understanding what is at stake and like you said, 0-2 in the division, you obviously get a win in the division it's big. It's a win in the conference, which is just as big as well. We've got to go out there and play good football.”

Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell will try to lead the team to a win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8.  :: Eric Hartline/USA Today

The good news for the Commanders is that they gave the Eagles everything they could handle in a Week 4 game at Lincoln Financial Field, pushing Philadelphia to overtime. There's a blueprint for how to be competitive and likely a belief inside the Washington locker room that they are capable of playing with the 6-1 Eagles, who currently have the best record in the NFC. 

At the same time, you're left to wonder if the 34-31 overtime loss was Washington's chance to steal a game from the NFC East-rival Eagles. 

Quarterback Sam Howell was sacked five times in the first matchup between the two teams, and you wonder if he's in line to be taken down even more the second time around given that he's been sacked a staggering 40 times in seven games this season. 

Additionally, Eagles wideout A.J. Brown had nine catches for 175 yards and two touchdowns in the first meeting between the two teams. Since the start of Week 3, Brown has posted five consecutive games where he's had 125 or more receiving yards, the best of which came the first time the Eagles and Commanders squared off. Nothing Washington's secondary has shown in the three games since makes you think they are capable of slowing down one of the league's elite receivers. 

The Commanders are currently 6.5-point underdogs against the Eagles this Sunday at FedExField.