Crossing Broad
It was fun while it lasted, but the Eagles’ backups blew a fourth quarter lead on Sunday night, losing 24 to 17 at home to Washington in the season finale.
They battled throughout, and had some really nice moments, but the story of the game was the Birds’ secondary, which committed something like 17 pass interference penalties for what felt like 700 yards. They looked like they were each infused with the spirit of Izel “Toast” Jenkins while trying to cover Terry McLaurin and Treylon Burks, and by “trying to cover” I mean they grabbed and held because they couldn’t keep up. Mix in a Tanner McKee interception, and a questionable series of red zone calls on 3rd and 1 and 4th and 1, and the Birds couldn’t get the job done.
It amounted to a missed opportunity, because the Detroit Lions knocked off the Chicago Bears on a walk-off field goal, wining 19-16 at Soldier Field. With the Birds and Bears both losing, Philly will host San Francisco in the 3/6 game and Chicago gets the 2 seed and division rival Green Bay.
That’s somewhat of a bitter pill to swallow, but is anybody scared of the 49ers at home? After that performance against Seattle? And is anybody scared to go on the road in the divisional round? Don’t think so. The #2 seed would have been nice, but the only thing beating the Eagles in January is the Eagles. Bring on the next opponent.
To the observations we go:
1) Kevin Harlan is the best. This was a low-stakes, Week 18 NFL game and he put a lot of effort and enthusiasm into the call. Al Michaels would have fallen asleep in the booth.
2) It’s somewhat of a bummer that neither Commanders game ended up meaning much this season. It would have been nice to build on this renewed rivalry with a good Washington team, but between Jayden Daniels’ injury and the funkiness of the schedule it just didn’t happen in 2025.
3) Jacory Croskey-Merritt with one of the worst pitches you’ll ever see on the failed flea flicker. Looked like a wounded duck coming out of his hands.
4) That first Washington drive was something else. 17 plays, 79 yards, 9:48 off the clock, and they clank a field goal off the upright. If you looked for “bend, but don’t break” in the dictionary, it would be that drive.
5) Tank Bigsby doesn’t mess around, does he? It’s been fun all year long watching him get downhill.
6) Tanner McKee isn’t exactly prime Michael Vick back there, but he’s not a statue. He’s got some shiftiness in the pocket and a little bit of that innate Big Ben twitch. You saw some of it on the Eagles’ first scoring drive.
7) The Birds started DeVonta Smith in an effort to get him to 1,000 yards on the season, and he hit that mark with three receptions for 52 yards in the first quarter. Another great year...
