The Washington Commanders rallied from a 14-3 deficit to get back into Sunday’s NFC championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Then they ceded control right back with a series of second-quarter miscues that allowed Philadelphia to reassert control. The miscues included multiple mistakes by cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore and Mike Sainristil that aided a pair of Eagles touchdown drives.
Lattimore’s woes started on fourth down with 2:14 remaining, when the Eagles decided to go for it with five yards to go from the Washington 45-yard line while leading, 14-12. Lattimore had man coverage on Brown, who ran a go route and broke free down the left sideline. Jalen Hurts found Brown for a 31-yard gain to the Washington 14-yard line.
Three plays later, Hurts looked to DeVonta Smith in the end zone on third-and-8. Again, Lattimore had man coverage. This time, Lattimore grabbed Smith’s arm before the ball arrived and got flagged for pass interference.
Instead of an incomplete pass on third down, the Eagles found themselves in first-and-goal at the 1-yard line. Hurts scored a touchdown on a tush push to put Philadelphia up, 20-12. Lattimore made yet another mistake on the score.
He lined up across from Brown on the play and got into a shoving match with the Eagles receiver that carried on after the whistle blew. Officials flagged Lattimore for unnecessary roughness, and the Eagles faced an extra-point attempt from the 1-yard line instead of the 2.
The Eagles went for two, and didn’t get it, so Lattimore’s penalty ultimately didn’t hurt Washington. But an even bigger mistake on the ensuing kickoff did.
Commanders returner Jeremy McNichols fumbled the ball on the return, and the Eagles recovered it for a turnover deep in Washington territory.
This set up another touchdown drive and a rough series from Sainristil.
The Commanders stopped the Eagles short of a first down by holding Saquon Barkley to four yards on third-and-10. But Sainristil hit Barkley late after he was clearly out of bounds and drew a flag for unnecessary roughness.
Another crucial mistake for the Commanders
Mike Sainristil was given a flag for unnecessary roughness on this late hit on Saquon Barkley as he was out of bounds.
Good call or bad call? pic.twitter.com/oSldHxRnkf
— samu_hendrix_jnr 𝕏 (@SHJ2847) January 26, 2025
Instead of facing fourth-and-6 and a likely field goal attempt, the Eagles picked up an additional 10 yards with the penalty and faced first-and-goal at the 10.
Two plays later, Hurts found Brown in the end zone on third-and-4 for a touchdown. Hurts beat Sainristil on the play.
The touchdown extended Philadelphia’s lead to 27-12, and the Commanders found themselves in a daunting hole after digging out of another one early.
