Friday, December 19
3:44 PM: Lane Johnson won't make his return this week against the Commanders, but the latest episode of Hard Knocks got an inside look into the rehab of the All-Pro right tackle, who is dealing with a foot injury.
"Not being out there, not being a part of it, it's frustrating," Johnson said on Hard Knocks. "So I hate it. I absolutely hate it. But I'm attacking the rehab process as diligently as I can."
Johnson has missed the last four games after leaving the Lions game early due to injury. His return is nearing, and the hope is he will hit the ground running.
"All things are pointing to a good return here," his trainer, Gabe Rangel, said. "Hopefully [he] can come back even stronger than we left. — Matt Ryan
9:54 AM: Tight end Dallas Goedert feels it, and he wants to keep it going. An impressive offensive performance on Sunday against the Raiders, he hopes, carries over into Saturday's NFC East tilt against the Washington Commanders.
Ride the wave, he says.
"Looking to ride the momentum that we put out last week. I thought we played a clean game," said Goedert, who chipped in with two touchdown receptions in that win, upping his season total to nine. "We were really efficient and we want to keep building on that."
This is the first meeting of the teams since the 2024 NFC Championship Game, won by the Eagles 55-23 at Lincoln Financial Field, and the stakes are significant: One win for Philadelphia clinches the NFC East title for the Eagles. It would mean back-to-back division crowns for the Eagles, something no team has done in the NFC East since the 2001-2004 seasons.
And yes, the players and the team are aware of it. But it is not the focus.
"There have obviously been mentions of it, but it is not truly a big deal. We want to win the game, and whatever that brings, great," Goedert said. "We have bigger goals in mind. We know the NFC East is our first step and that, as it's been all season, our goal is to get better each and every day."
It won't be easy to beat a Commanders team that is 4-10 and coming off a win over the New York Giants. Washington always, always, always plays the Eagles tough, no matter the records.
"It is a great rivalry, no doubt about it. We see them a lot. We know how chippy it can be and how exciting it is to go to their stadium and battle," Goedert said. "They play hard and they have a good defense. It's going to be another great challenge on a short week." — Dave Spadaro
Thursday, December 18
5:12 PM: "Stop the run and then you have fun." That is the mindset that you will find throughout most of the NFL's defenses, which focus on stopping the run first and then turning the opposing offense into a one-dimensional attack.
And that is exactly what the Eagles are looking to do on Saturday evening against the Washington Commanders, a team that has one of the best running games in the league, averaging 137 yards on the ground, fourth-best in the NFL.
"They have quarterbacks who can run and they do a lot with the personnel they have to get the running game going," linebacker Nakobe Dean said. "We know that with Marcus Mariota at quarterback he can threaten you with his arm and his legs. So we have to be disciplined and play our game.
"Priority number one should always be to stop the run. Stop the run and then you have fun. If we can execute the way we know we can execute, we'll be fine. That's the key for our defense."
Dean has been a force for the Eagles against the run and when called upon to blitz the quarterback: He has four quarterback sacks, timing up his blitzes well and then blowing up running backs in pass protection.
"I enjoy it," Dean said. "It's something that we do to impact the game, to expose some areas that we think we can take advantage of, and if it results in a negative play, then I've done my job."
He is doing his job, for certain. Dean's play has helped lift the Eagles' defense, one that has improved throughout the course of the season. — Dave Spadaro
1:04 PM: Things are slowing down for wide receiver Darius Cooper, and not so coincidentally, his playing time is speeding up.
The rookie wide receiver, who made the 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent from Tarleton State, had a career day in Sunday's win over Las Vegas. Cooper recorded two receptions for 29 yards, both season highs for Cooper, and he played 21 offensive snaps, equaling the number from the pervious game in Los Angeles. His high for the season is 26 snaps, in the blowout win over the Giants, and Cooper has been in double digits snap counts with the offense – as well as a full load on special teams all season – in six of the last seven games.
Other than spending four weeks on Injured Reserve, Cooper has been active for every game this season, adding a valuable role on special teams and in the offense.
"It's been a blessing. I'm learning every day and I have grown so much and gained so much since those first days in the spring," said Cooper, a star wide receiver in his five seasons at Tarleton State. "It's been a great journey so far and I just want to keep it going.
"I am a totally different player than when I came here. Just as far as where to line up, all the technique stuff, my level of confidence. I'm working hard, going out there and listening and taking advice, and I just take it a day at a time. I just want to go 110 percent every play."
Cooper has been used at times in the blocking game and he has excelled, using his 5-11, 210-pound effectively. He's strong, he's fast, and he is understanding that whatever the coaches ask him to do, he's on it.
"Blocking, I feel, is more of a mindset than anything else and I enjoy it," he said. "There is a technique to it for sure, but it's going out there and scrapping. I enjoy it. It is a big part of the game and whatever it takes to help the team win." — Dave Spadaro
10:03 AM: Marcus Epps has been with the Eagles since early in the season, but he is now back in a familiar role.
Epps joined the Eagles back in 2019 after he was waived by the Vikings, and the safety saw his first starting opportunities in Philadelphia. He became a full-time starter in 2022, helping the Eagles reach the Super Bowl, but he departed in free agency and signed with the Raiders. However, Epps returned this offseason and is now back in the starting lineup with rookie Andrew Mukuba sidelined.
"It doesn't feel much different, honestly," Epps said on re-joining the Eagles. "I mean, the standards, the expectations are all the same. So when you have that set in place and a group of guys that come in and put the work in each day, it makes it easy for someone like me to come in and seamlessly fit in.
"… Just trying to keep on stacking days, stacking practices, and just do whatever it takes to help the team win."
Epps got his first start this season against the Chargers and impressed early making some booming hits. He's playing alongside Reed Blankenship, who made his first career start next to Epps in 2022.
That familiarly has helped Epps quickly adjust to Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio's system and make the transition as seamless as possible.
"It's really nice playing back there with Reed. I mean, we still have the same chemistry and repertoire that we had back in 2022," Epps said. "So it really made these first couple starts for me, he made it a lot easier on me, just knowing I have a guy over there that I can trust and I know he trusts me. So it makes it a lot easier to play off of each other when you have that trust and that chemistry. And honestly, it felt like we ain't skipped a beat since I left and came back, so that felt good."
Tuesday, December 16
6:55 PM: Jalen Hurts had one of the most efficient games of his career in last week's 31-0 rout over the Raiders, helping the Eagles snap a three-game losing streak.
When asked about how important "joy" is in Hurts' process, he responded that "joy comes from winning."
Hurts has long been vocal that winning is the only thing that matters on the football field, and he was able to help the Eagles get back on the right path on Sunday. The Eagles have had their ebbs and flows this season, and through it all they have found ways to win, no matter how it looks.
"The thing for us is we've gotten to this point and we've been able to get to this point and be playing in big time games not really establishing an identity, and so I think it is healthy to have won games in a lot of ways," Hurts said. "I think it's encouraging to be able to build off of something positive." — Matt Ryan
Monday, December 15
3:53 PM: Commanders Head Coach Dan Quinn announced during his Monday press conference that the team is shutting down quarterback Jayden Daniels for the remainder of the 2025 season.
"We're going to sit him for the final three games," Quinn said.
Daniels has yet to be cleared for contact from a dislocated elbow injury that was suffered initially during the November 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Daniels missed only three games before returning on December 7 against Minnesota, but he landed hard on his elbow, reaggravating the injury.
The Commanders, who snapped an eight-game losing streak on Sunday against the Giants, held out hope that Daniels could return, despite the team being eliminated from playoff contention. With the Commanders playing against the Eagles on Saturday, and then on Christmas against Dallas just five days later, the decision was made for Daniels to rest.
"You adjust and this is the best plan for him and for the team right now," Quinn said.
For the second straight game, a former Eagles backup quarterback will start against Philadelphia. Marcus Mariota will be under center when the Commanders host the Eagles this Saturday evening (5 PM on FOX). It's the first of two meetings in a three-week span for the NFC East rivals, who battled in January for the NFC Championship. With a win on Saturday, the Eagles would become the first team to win consecutive NFC East titles since Philadelphia did so from 2001-04.
Mariota has completed 62 percent of his pass attempts for 1,600 yards with 10 touchdowns against seven interceptions for an 87.0 QB rating.
Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick in 2024, was the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, leading Washington to the NFC Championship Game last season. Myriad injuries limited Daniels to just seven games this season. He's completed 60.6 percent of his attempts for 1,262 yards with eight touchdown passes against three interceptions for an 88.1 QB rating in 2025. – Chris McPherson
