Here's How Win Over Commanders Will Impact Eagles Long-Term Plans

Philadelphia has its biggest game of the season so far on Thursday night

Aug 15, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles helmets sit on the bench during the first half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Eagles have their most important matchup of the season to this point on Thursday night.

Philadelphia will welcome the NFC East rival and surprising Washington Commanders to town for a pivotal clash at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday night with a kick-off scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET. This matchup clearly is a clash between two contenders in NFC.

The Eagles currently are in first place in the NFC East with a 7-2 record. The Commanders aren't far behind with a 7-3 record. Washington hasn't had its bye week yet while the Eagles did in Week 5.

Philadelphia currently has a half-game lead over the Commanders, and a win on Thursday could have massive ramifications. A win would improve the Eagles' record to 8-2 while dropping the Commanders' record to 7-4. It's two-team race in the NFC East and a win would give the Eagles a full-game lead over the Commanders in the standings.

Plus, later on in the season, as we start to take a look at tiebreakers and such, a win on Thursday would skew things in the Eagles' favor. Philadelphia will have to face off against Washington once more this season, but a win on Thursday would give the Eagles a head start and a great chance to win the division unless there is a second-half fall-off like last year.

The Eagles look much different than they did last year and have won five games heading into the clash. This is the most important game of the season and could have a long-term impact on the Eagles' chances of winning the division.

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