Saquon Barkley set the tone and the Eagles' defense took advantage of every Commanders miscue. Here are five takeaways from the NFC Championship Game.
It was close in the first half, with Washington staying within one score for much of the first two quarters. But Philadelphia separated in the second half with a dominant running game and opportunistic defense.
Barkley took his first touch of the game 60 yards for a touchdown. His second carry was a four-yard score. The formerThe first touchdown of the game was of the utmost importance. The Commanders had just grinded out an 18-play, seven-minute drive that ended in a field goal. Then, the Eagles threw one knockout punch courtesy of Barkley. That put Washington on its back foot for the rest of the game, allowing Philly to establish its dominance on the ground -- which is how Nick Sirianni's squad likes to play. Barkley, as always, deserves a load of the credit, with an assist to the Eagles' stellar O-line.Two came in the first half, and both led directly to touchdowns for the Eagles. The first was just after Barkley's initial touchdown, which put Washington in a 14-3 hole. The next was just before halftime, with 1:36 to play, on a kickoff return while trailing 20-12 -- extending the halftime deficit to 27-15. Washington's third and final fumble was the death blow. With the lead cut to 34-23, the Commanders were driving down the field with a chance to make it a one-score game late in the third quarter. That's when Austin Ekeler coughed it up, and the rout was on from that point. Philly scored two straight touchdowns to put the game well out of reach, and the Eagles added a late interception for good measure. It's simple, but playoff games typically come down to the little things -- taking care of the ball and avoiding penalties. Washington did neither of those things in this one. Barkley is the headline addition from last offseason, but the Eagles general manager saw a number of his moves pay off on Sunday -- specifically on defense., led all players with 12 total tackles, had a hand in forcing the Commanders' first fumble and recovered the third. Rookie cornerbacks Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell helped quiet Washington's passing game, with DeJean teaming with Baun to force a fumble and Mitchell securing a fourth-quarter interception. Even Oren Burks, a career journeyman, took down Daniels once, forced a fumble in the third quarter and added nine total tackles. Roseman is regularly praised for his work on the Eagles' roster every offseason, so much so that it's become a point of frustration for opposing fans. But the results prove that Roseman's work should be recognized in the way that it is. He's kept the Eagles in contention for years while remaking both sides of the ball, and now his team is in position to win him a second Super Bowl ring.Despite the loss, the Commanders' rookie quarterback left everything on the field. Daniels capped his rookie season with another strong performance -- 29 of 48, 255 passing yards, 48 rushing yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Washington converted 4 of 5 fourth downs, largely thanks to Daniels' poise and confidence. The LSU product was aiming to be the first rookie quarterback to ever lead his team to the Super Bowl, but poor ball security by his teammates put him in an impossible situation. The future looks brighter than ever in Washington, with Daniels still on his rookie contract for years to come. The team has the third-most projected cap space this offseason , and now they'll know exactly how to build around their franchise quarterback. But while it's easy to say Washington will be back, that is never guaranteed in the NFL. We'll see what Daniels has for an encore next season.For the third time in eight seasons, the Eagles are going back to the Super Bowl. Now, the goal is for this trip to end like the first one and not the second one.So, the bright side is that plenty of Eagles players know what to expect over the next two weeks. The Super Bowl is about so much more than just a game, with players having to deal with advanced preparation, abnormal travel and media schedules and different timing on game day with all the commercials and extended halftime show. That experience for a team is invaluable on the Super Bowl stage.Coffee, crude oil and cut flowers: Here are the Colombian goods you may be paying more for under Trump's tariffs
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