Eagles Expect More "Unscouted Looks" From Commanders

The Philadelphia Eagles have had to adjust early in games when opposing defenses come out with a new wrinkle that hadn't been seen during the week's film study.

Dec 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata (68) and guard Landon Dickerson (69) in the tunnel against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

It was close for three quarters, then the Eagles broke free with a 20-point fourth quarter to beat the Commanders, 26-18, in Week 11 at Lincoln Financial Field.

The scene shifts Sunday to Landover, Md., when the two NFC East rivals will meet again as the Eagles (12-2) look to get an early Christmas gift, because a win means they wrap up the NFC East title. Washington (9-5) needs a win to help keep its playoff hopes alive and, depending on what happens over the final two games, make like Grinches to Eagles fans and steal a division title.

The Eagles’ offense, as they have all season, began round one in typically slow fashion. They trailed 7-3 at halftime before erupting in the second half. Afterward, there was a lot of talk about the Commanders doing things defensively that they hadn’t shown on tape in the season’s first 10 games, otherwise known as “unscouted looks.”

This week, as the team’s prepare for Sunday’s 1 p.m. hookup, there’s talk about excepting the unexpected.

“You can spend all of this time preparing during the week, but when you get there on game day, it’s like a punch in the mouth, like, ‘Whoa, what just happened? We didn’t see that on film,’” said let tackle Jordan Mailata. “Every team is going to have a surprise for you, an ace up their sleeve.”

So, it’s all about adjusting. Maybe the Eagles are doing that better – at least more quickly - if the season-high 10 points they hung on the Steelers in a 27-13 last week is any indication.

Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata holds court in the locker room.. / Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

“We (adjust) on the sideline here during practice, just like talking detail-wise, then adjusting on the next play,” said Mailata. “I think the reason game-plan adjustments are so important for us – you can only draw that on game day – so learning from the past games of what we didn’t communicate well to how can we communicate it better moving forward.

"I think that’s been a really big part, the last 10 weeks, just working on the communication side of how can we communicate it better so we can understand it faster, and keep executing better?”

Mailata said that more teams are giving the Eagles unscouted looks this season.

"A lot more,” he said. “To be fair, not to toot our horn or sound a little arrogant, but I think we have a very good line, and a great scheme, so you have to throw a little hiccup there to rattle us. It does. It works.

"Every time we get an unscouted look, we’re like, ‘Whoa, we didn’t see that.’ But because we’ve learned on the sideline from past games, we’re able to communicate a little better moving forward, how to adjust our blocks, our techniques, and execute better.”

In the first meeting on Nov. 14, the offensive line and Saquon Barkley did what they have done well all season – punish defenders with their O-line hammers then unleash the league’s best running back this season.

Barkley ran 15 times for 56 yards in the first half He broke loose in the second half, using just 11 carries to amass 90 yards and fourth-quarter touchdowns runs of 39 and 23 yards in a span of just 20 seconds.

“We adjusted,” he said. “They came out with something a little different. They played really well. They’re a great team and they’re playing like one, too. Great defensive line, great linebacking core - got a legend over there in Bobby (Wagner). We know it’s gonna be a tough task, but if we continue to stick with it, continue to lean on them, hopefully, the same thing happens.”

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