Johnson’s only win as an NFL starter came as a Redskins starter in 2018
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Washington Post (paywall)
Commanders lose another QB — and any fighting chance of beating the Eagles
Marcus Mariota leaves a close game with a hand injury, and Washington can’t keep up in a 29-18 defeat that featured a fourth-quarter brawl.
A hopeful start in a hopeful season had again unraveled for the Washington Commanders by the time the Philadelphia Eagles lined up for a two-point conversion Saturday night.
The visitors had just gone up by three scores late in the fourth quarter. Coach Nick Sirianni decided to go for two anyway. After Saquon Barkley barreled across the goal line, blocks along the line of scrimmage escalated. Shoving and jawing and swinging fists followed. Flags rained. Three players were ejected.
“Eagles versus Commanders, man,” wide receiver Terry McLaurin said. “That’s how it goes.”
The Commanders (4-11) lacked neither fight nor fortune in the first half of the game, forcing a fumble on the opening kickoff and jumping out to a halftime lead. But then the reality of this 2025 season again smacked them in the face.
Marcus Mariota exited Saturday’s game in the third quarter with an injury to his throwing hand. Coach Dan Quinn did not offer an immediate update on Mariota after the game.
Third-stringer Josh Johnson, the only other healthy quarterback on the active roster, entered and threw an interception off his back foot shortly thereafter. Barkley then started rumbling through arm tackles. And for the Commanders, another opportunity — and all that first-half momentum — dissipated.
The Athletic (paywall)
Eagles vs. Commanders takeaways: Philadelphia pulls away in second half to win NFC East again
Despite trailing a struggling Washington team at halftime, the Eagles (10-5) now know they will host at least one playoff game. The reigning Super Bowl champions became the first back-to-back NFC East winner since the Eagles ruled the division from 2001-2004. Philadelphia doesn’t yet know its playoff seeding or opponent, but the Eagles are almost certain to be the NFC’s No. 2 or No. 3 seed. The Eagles’ win also eliminated the Dallas Cowboys from playoff contention; Dallas will miss the postseason for the second straight season.
Still, some of Philadelphia’s season-long concerns didn’t go away. The Eagles committed two false starts in tush-push formations, failed to convert on their first four third-down attempts, lost a fumble on a kickoff return and missed two field goals. The Commanders led 10-7 at halftime.
A brutal Commanders season, meanwhile, somehow got worse. Washington (4-11) lost for the ninth time in 10 games and fell to 2-8 in conference games. With Daniels shut down for the season, Mariota started for the eighth time in 2025, but he exited with a hand injury. Washington still led when he left, but the Eagles scored on a 15-yard Jalen Hurts pass to Dallas Goedert and a 12-yard Saquon Barkley run to end the drama.
Washington Post (paywall)
On the wish list for Commanders fans? Meaningful football next season.
This holiday season, Washington is a complete afterthought. Which made Saturday’s game in Landover a party for Philadelphia Eagles supporters.
The goal over the next calendar year for the Washington Commanders must be to get to the cusp of Christmas 2026 and not stage a game like the one that took place Saturday evening at Northwest Stadium. Yes, the Commanders’ 29-18 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles was a slog that turned into a petty brawl by the end. But that’s not the real issue. The problem: It’s December, and this division game meant nothing for Washington. That has to change.
At this time next year, Jayden Daniels should be under center, not on the sidelines. He should be accompanied on the Commanders’ offense by left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who sat out Saturday with an injury but in 2026 should be playing under a new contract that keeps him here for years — helping protect Daniels. Surrounding them both should be better weapons: a pass-catching tight end to replace Zach Ertz, a downfield threat to accompany Terry McLaurin.
Commanders fans have hung in there and turned out during this disappointing season. But when Eagles defensive back Cooper DeJean easily and predictably picked off a woeful pass from third-string quarterback Josh Johnson late in the third quarter, the lower bowl exploded so loudly it felt like South Philly.
[T]hat’s not the environment any of the 2025 Commanders signed up for. This isn’t the season any of the 2025 Commanders signed up for. On the Christmas list for 2026: A healthy quarterback, a better roster, improved injury luck — and football over the holidays that means something in the moment and sets up the playoffs in the new year.
Commanders.com
Commanders fall to 4-11 after 29-18 loss to Eagles
The Commanders (4-11) have been looking for signs of improvement to close out the season, and although the game ultimately ended with disappointment, there were some positive moments. The defense hung with the Eagles’ offense for a majority of the night, forcing five scoreless drives from them and sacking Jalen Hurts twice. The special teams unit forced a turnover, which the offense used to take an early lead.
However, despite the Commanders keeping things close for most of the night, the offense struggled to find momentum in the second half, mostly because of the change at quarterback.
After getting 121 yards in the first half, the Commanders were held to just 62 until their final drive of the game.
Heavy.com
Jacory Croskey-Merritt : Keeps backfield split
Croskey-Merritt rushed the ball eight times for 25 yards and a touchdown in Saturday’s 29-18 loss to the Eagles. [Bill] saw all eight of his carries in the first half to lead the team, though he curiously disappeared in the final two quarters in favor of Chris Rodriguez. Croskey-Merritt wasn’t particularly efficient with his opportunity overall, but he did record long gains of 13 and seven yards while also punching in a touchdown from one yard away. It’s unclear why Croskey-Merritt was phased out of the offense, but he appears to still have a role, even after Rodriguez returned from a one-game absence.
Heavy.com
Bobby Wagner, Commanders HC Send Eagles Warning About 2-Point Play
Dan Quinn wasn’t about to go scorched earth over the Philadelphia Eagles piling on his Washington Commanders by going for two when leading by 17 points late in the fourth quarter, but the head coach isn’t going to forget what happened during a 29-18 defeat in Week 16, and he’s sent his NFC East rivals a warning about the rematch in two weeks.
Quinn was asked by reporters what he thought when the Eagles chose to run a two-point conversion play when the game was well in hand with just 4:26 left on the clock. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley promptly converted, and Quinn reflected, “If that’s how they want to get down, all good. We’ll play them again in two weeks.”
Middle linebacker Bobby Wagner trod the same line between trying to brush off the Eagles chasing more points and the Commanders harnessing motivation for the return bout.
[M]any [Commanders players] were embroiled in the ugly fight that followed Barkley’s two-pointer.
Footage of the fracas was shown on Fox Sports: NFL, with the melee eventually resulting in Commanders defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and safety Quan Martin being ejected, along with Eagles center Tyler Steen.
Other players were involved, including second-year Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil.
ESPN
Eagles’ 2-point conversion ignites brawl; Sirianni defends play
Sirianni said the decision to go for two was math-based. The Eagles believed it was safer to go up 19 rather than 18 in case Washington scored two touchdowns, made both 2-point tries and kicked a field goal down the stretch.
“We did that in what we thought was the best interest,” Sirianni said. “To go up one more point in my mind is not running up the score.”
Eagles right tackle Fred Johnson said, “I guess they were upset [we went for two], but I don’t give a f—, it’s football. You can’t control what the next person does.”
Washington coach Dan Quinn was asked if going for two violated an unwritten code among coaches.
“I can only answer from my side and what I would do,” Quinn said. “If that’s how they want to get down, all good. We play them again in two weeks.”
As the play ended on the 2-point conversion, Washington safety Will Harris and receiver Darius Cooper got into in a shoving match on the other side of the line away from where it was run. Tempers flared from there, with corner Mike Sainristil engaged first in a shouting match with Johnson and then another with Steen.
Steen appeared to throw open-hand punches and was on the receiving end of some as well. Sainristil swung at Steen after being on the receiving end. Kinlaw also threw a punch during the fight.
Martin also threw a punch and, in a swarm of players, appeared to grab Steen’s face mask. Martin emerged from the group holding Steen’s helmet.
Running back Saquon Barkley ran toward the action but was cut off by Wagner, whom Barkley said reasoned with him.
“Bobby Wagner did a really good job of making it make sense to me in that moment: ‘What, you get to throw two to three punches at a helmet, hopefully you don’t break a hand, just to say you’re a tough guy?’ It’s not really worth it, and you lose a lot of money, too.
Quinn said he wanted to learn more about what happened, adding that the brawl isn’t something the team wanted but that he knows players are going to protect themselves. Still, he said, “Don’t like it, don’t want it at all.”
Riggo’s Rag
2 winners (and 5 losers) from Commanders’ loss to the Eagles
Loser No. 4
Ben Sinnott – Commanders TE
Fans were expecting to see a lot more of Ben Sinnott as a focal point offensively with Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz out for the season with a torn ACL. His huge play late in last weekend’s win over the New York Giants only raised encouragement about what he could accomplish from a starting role.
That was a step forward for Sinnott. Unfortunately, the 2024 second-round pick took a step back against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Sinnott got two targets, bringing in one for five receiving yards. The former Kansas State standout found it much more difficult from a blocking perspective against the Eagles’ defensive front seven. He wasn’t the only player who failed to meet expectations, but if he wants to cement his status as the top tight end next season, much more is required down the stretch.
The No. 53 pick last year has got two games left to prove he’s capable of having significant responsibilities on his shoulders. But the jury is still well and truly out on that.
Winner No. 2
Mike Sainristil – Commanders CB
It was honestly difficult to pick out anyone aside from Bobby Wagner as a standout for the Commanders in Week 16. There were a few flashes from those who’ve been on the fringes this season, but it was another subpar effort that left far more questions than answers.
Although his performance was far from perfect once again, Mike Sainristil was at least trying to make things happen. The feisty cornerback got things rolling in the best possible way with a forced fumble on the game’s opening kickoff. He’s been the only constant source of turnovers this season, which is a damnining indictment of how things have unfolded for Dan Quinn’s defense in 2025.
Sainristil has some coverage issues, but he held his own more often than not. He came up with an impressive pass breakup and was never found wanting for effort. It wasn’t easy to keep spirits high, so the fact that he kept driving himself and his teammates forward was a positive.
Commanders Wire
Commanders fall to Eagles: Instant analysis from loss
90: After leaning on the rushing game in the first half, which helped Washington take a three-point lead, the Commanders finished Week 16 with just 54 rushing yards between Chris Rodriguez Jr, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Jeremy McNichols, Josh Johnson and Marcus Mariota. At the half, Croskey-Merritt (25) and Rodriguez (24) combined for 49 rushing yards and a touchdown. However, Croskey-Merritt did not earn a carry in the second half, and Rodriguez gained 39 yards on nine carries and scored a touchdown; however, most of those yards and his score came in the final minutes of the game. This is Washington’s least efficient rushing performance of the season. The Eagles finished with 198 yards on the ground.
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FIGHT: Commanders BRAWL with Eagles, But Self-Inflicted Wounds DESTROYED Winning Chance
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Commanders.com
PHOTOS | Commanders vs. Eagles, Week 16
The Washington Commanders have begun warming up at Northwest Stadium for their Week 16 game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
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