Philadelphia Eagles vs. Washington Commanders Notebook: Practice Makes Philly a Believer in Shootout Win

It wasn't pretty but the Philadelphia Eagles finished a season sweep of the Washington Commanders.

LANDOVER, MD- How crazy is the NFL? 

One week, the Philadelphia Eagles can stunt Tua Tagovailoa and the high-flying Miami Dolphins. In the next, they get carved up by a Sam Howell-led Washington Commanders team that couldn't solve the moribund New York Giants in its prior matchup.

Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy came into things Sunday with an excellent game plan designed to get the football out of Howell's hands very quickly and the result was a 20 for 21 start for the first-year starter before Philadelphia's talent started to wear the Commanders down en route to a 38-31 shootout win.

Former Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz used to say games have personalities, and that was the case at FedEx Field field as Jalen Hurts threw for 319 yards and four touchdowns because he had to.

Philadelphia's personality under Hurts remains finding ways to win and this was No. 24 in the last 26 games the quarterback has started.

"He's a warrior," running back D'Andre Swift said of Hurts. "All I saw him doing is what he needs to do to get the win and making plays he always does. He's tough."

FINALLY FINDING THE SACK

Howell came into the game being sacked 40 times and on pace to shatter the all-time record that David Carr holds when he was taken down 76 times for Houston in 2002, the Texans' first-ever season as an expansion franchise. It took the Eagles, who have one of the best pass rushes in football, almost 58 minutes to get to him.

The Eagles' vaunted pass rush couldn't get home until desperation time for Washington, 4th-and-5 from the Commanders' own 25 with 2:18 remaining. With nothing else to worry about Haason Reddick took down Howell with a strip sack to essentially secure the victory.

A.J. DID IT

No receiver in the game's history had ever had six consecutive games with over 125 yards receiving until Sunday at FedEx Field when A.J. Brown surpassed the mark again with a 17-yard reception with 10:56 left in the game. 

Only Calvin Johnson in 2012 and Pat Studstill in 1966 had also done it in five consecutive games, something Brown tied last week against Miami.

Brown snared all eight of his targets for 130 yards and two touchdown catches, including a brilliant one-hander that highlighted the kind of run he's on.

"Not yet," Brown said when asked if he was thinking about the record. "I'm still working. I think it'll be where I sit down and I'll be like go A.J. but it's not right now. We got a big matchup. We got Dallas [next]."

A.J. Brown had another dominant performance vs. the Commanders / © Brad Mills, USA TODAY

TIGHTENING IT UP

It took the Eagles nearly 53 minutes of football to finally get the lead over Washington on Sunday. Typically, when the Eagles lose or even struggle, it's due to self-inflicted wounds.

Today, that was two fumbles inside the three-yard line, one of what looked like a shaky handoff to Kenny Gainwell and the other, an actual "tush push" failure when the snap didn't get up to Jalen Hurts.

Had the Eagles cashed in on those opportunities, this wouldn't have been as close and the overall turnover ratio is the one thing this season that needs to be corrected quickly.

SCARY TERRY

Terry McLaurin is usually an Eagles killer and that held up early when he got the scoring started with a 26-yard touchdown reception on a beautiful throw from Howell.

When the Commanders needed McLaurin most, however, he came up small with consecutive drops on third- and fourth-down with Washington and driving and needing a touchdown to tie the game.

For once, "Scary Terry" spooked his own team.

"Both throws were within my reach so I just have to be better," McLaurin said. "And I'm going to be better."

BELIEF

Nick Sirianni's message to his team this week was "belief" and that was needed after a slow start that left Philadelphia facing a 14-3 deficit, it's largest of the season.

You never want to have slow starts but All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson admitted there can be a silver lining to persevering.

"Sometimes you have to eat a sloppy joe for lunch," Johnson smiled. "It felt like a brown-bag lunch today and it wasn't pretty."

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Both Brown and Sirianni noted that Brown made almost the exact same one-handed catch he reeled in for touchdown in practice this week and the coach also noted that Hurts and Julio Jones, who caught his first touchdown pass as an Eagle, worked that play tirelessly during the week.

"He made a big-time play at a big-time moment," Hurts said of Jones. "I think he's not afraid of those. He's been in those moments a lof of times in his career."

It's something Sirianni loves to see because it helps players understand just how important practice is.

SHORT MEMORIES

It wasn't a great day for the a back seven that surrendered 397 passing yards to Howell and Reed Blankenship was a part of that, having his worst game of the season after missing the Miami game with a rib injury.

"It was amazing," Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay said of Blankenship's pick. "... He did a great. Definitely, you know I wanted him to score but he did a greta job."

The second-year safety didn't have a woe-is-me approach, however, and ultimately came up with a fourth-quarter interception that finally tiled the game to Philadelphia. 

"[Bieniemy] did a good job of mixing things up and getting the quick game call and had a lot of screens called as well," Howell said.