Jalen Hurts and the Eagles can clinch the NFC East title by beating the no-Daniels Commanders

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Jalen Hurts played the worst game of his career two weeks ago and one of the best of this season last week. Another good one could help the Philadelphia Eagles do something that hasn’t happened in two decades: winning consecutive NFC East titles.

It’s the longest drought in any division in NFL history.

The reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles (9-5) have bigger goals than being the best part of a mediocre quartet, of course, but Hurts and Co. can check clinching that off their list by beating the Washington Commanders (4-10) on Saturday in a rematch of last season’s conference title game.

Asked this week what sort of accomplishment it would be to become the first club with back-to-back NFC East crowns since the Eagles claimed four in a row from 2001 to 2004, Hurts replied: “It’s something we’ve got to do first, but something that’s always been on the back of my mind.”

He went from a four-interception, one-fumble disaster in a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 8 — Philadelphia’s third straight defeat, raising plenty of questions about Hurts, specifically, and the team as a whole — to a three-TD-pass, no-turnover masterpiece in a 31-0 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 14.

It’s this time of year that “you definitely look forward to,” Hurts said.

“September, October — (they’re) important games. You’re kind of finding yourself; it’s a new team; you find your groove,” he said. “But real things are found in December, January and February.”

While his team is on the verge of securing a return trip to the postseason, the Commanders have been eliminated, thanks to an eight-game losing streak they finally ended last week. They’re also without star quarterback Jayden Daniels, who made only seven appearances this season and has been shut down after hurting his left elbow.

It’s been quite a slide backward for the 2024 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and his team.

“I don’t want to miss games at all,” Daniels said. “It’s been frustrating.”

Mariota takes over at QB for Daniels

Marcus Mariota is Washington’s starting QB the rest of the way in place of Daniels. Mariota, Hurts’ backup with the Eagles in 2023, has completed 62% of his passes this season for 1,600 yards, with 10 TDs and seven interceptions. The Commanders are 2-5 in his starts. “He was very helpful when he was here,” Hurts said. “A lot of maturity, a lot of wisdom.”

Brandon Graham is still producing for the Eagles

Last week, Brandon Graham had his first two sacks since he ended his short-lived retirement after the Super Bowl and returned to Philadelphia in late October. At 37 years, 255 days old, Graham became the oldest player in Eagles history with a sack. “I feel like my training camp has been over with now,” Graham said. “I feel like myself now.” So is a re-retirement imminent? “We ain’t there yet, man,” Graham said. “I’m just trying to finish this year and enjoy the whole thing.”

Dallas Goedert just keeps scoring for Philadelphia

Dallas Goedert continues to shine at tight end following an uncertain offseason where he ultimately took a pay cut to stay in Philadelphia. He’s been as good as ever — especially in the red zone — after sticking around on a restructured one-year, $10 million deal plus incentives. Goedert’s two TD catches against Las Vegas gave him nine for the season, the second most by a tight end in franchise history (Pete Retzlaff had 10 in 1965). “Any time you go in the huddle and hear that play knowing you have an opportunity to get in the end zone, it gets you kind of excited, for sure,” Goedert said. “I think when I get a ball in my hand down there, I’m tough to tackle. I can find my way in, fight my way in.”

Many happy (punt) returns for Washington’s Jaylin Lane

Jaylin Lane’s 63-yard punt return for a touchdown last week against the Giants and his 90-yarder in Week 3 make him the first Washington player with a pair in his rookie season since the 1950s. The secret to that success? “I’m only as good as the other 10 guys out there,” Lane said. “I wouldn’t make it happen without those guys showing effort and getting blocks for me.” Next to his locker this week sat a framed picture from the coin toss in New York, showing him with Washington’s other two captains for that game. “I’m going to hang that up on my wall at home,” Lane said. “I didn’t know I was going to get that photo.”

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AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

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