The Eagles preach and practice attacking the football on defense. Facing the Commanders, it was easy to see why.

Zack Baun was still hooked up to the oxygen machine, catching his breath after the Washington Commanders’ eight-minute, 18-play opening drive, when Saquon Barkley happened.

The star running back ripped off a 60-yard rushing touchdown on the Eagles’ first offensive play of the game Sunday, putting the Eagles up 7-3 and forcing Baun back into action moments after his backside touched the bench. Oxygen mask off, helmet on.

“When it’s time to go, it’s time to go,” Baun explained.

If Baun felt depleted on that next series, it didn’t show. On the fourth play of the drive, the All-Pro inside linebacker forced the first of three Commanders fumbles to help the Eagles win the turnover battle in their 55-23 romp in the NFC championship game. Baun did his best impression of former Bears defensive back Charles Tillman on Commanders receiver Dyami Brown, popping the ball loose with his fist.

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Reed Blankenship fell on the loose football at the Commanders’ 48-yard line, bringing the offense back on the field and setting up Barkley’s second rushing touchdown. Baun is no Wayne Gretzky, but like the hockey legend, he expressed an understanding that a player misses 100% of the shots he doesn’t take, both on net and at the football.

“Just punching at the ball and shots on goal,” Baun said. “You can’t score unless you shoot. It’s got to be on your mind. That’s the hard part. You’re just thinking, ‘Get this guy to the ground,’ and then you implement trying to punch, it’s a whole different game.”

Knocking the ball loose was on the Eagles’ minds all night long, both on defense and on special teams. Late in the second quarter, on the kickoff following Jalen Hurts’ first Tush Push touchdown, Will Shipley forced a fumble on Commanders return man Jeremy McNichols. The rookie running back was left unblocked by Commanders safety Percy Butler off the line, then evaded a block from the off-returner Luke McCaffrey before striking McNichols.

Kenneth Gainwell fell on the ball at the Commanders’ 24, setting up a quick scoring drive in which Hurts connected with A.J. Brown on a 4-yard touchdown pass to put the Eagles up, 27-12.

Shipley, the Eagles’ fourth-round pick out of Clemson, is a running back by trade. He hasn’t been asked to do much tackling or hitting throughout his career. Still, Shipley said that the takeaway circuit that the Eagles have started practice with every Thursday has made swatting at the ball a habit for defensive players and special-teamers alike. One stop of the circuit in particular, a shock-and-shed drill run by inside linebackers coach Bobby King that involves punching out a ball from a dummy has been illuminating for Shipley.

“That’s one that’s really helped me, just ‘cause I haven’t played defense,” Shipley said. “So being able to use my hands, shed somebody, and go for that ball, I feel like that’s kind of exactly what happened tonight.”

The second half brought more takeaways for the Eagles. Late in the third quarter, with the Commanders down two scores, Oren Burks punched the ball out of Commanders running back Austin Ekeler’s grasp following a reception. Jalen Carter attempted to corral the ball, but it slipped out of his hands. Baun came to the rescue, falling on the loose football just a moment before Commanders center Tyler Biadasz, his former Wisconsin teammate, tried to do the same. Hurts scored yet another Tush Push touchdown on the ensuing possession to put the Eagles up, 41-23.

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Burks, the 29-year-old inside linebacker, has stepped up as the starter alongside Baun since Nakobe Dean went down in the wild-card round against the Green Bay Packers after suffering a torn patellar tendon in his knee. Baun credited Burks with bringing the takeaway mindset to Philadelphia after spending the previous two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and learning under four-time All-Pro inside linebacker Fred Warner.

In his last three postseason games, Burks has forced two fumbles, including one against the Packers on special teams. While Burks has primarily served as a special-teams ace throughout his seven-year NFL career, he said he never lost confidence in his ability to contribute on defense.

“Just staying the course,” Burks said. “Just working. Knowing that you can add value in some way. You never know what that’s going to look like.”

In addition to the Eagles’ three forced fumbles, Quinyon Mitchell picked off Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels late in the fourth quarter. All four of the Eagles’ takeaways resulted in touchdowns.

Shipley credited Nick Sirianni for renewing the team’s emphasis on takeaways after the bye week for their resurgence in that category. In Weeks 1-4, the Eagles had forced just two turnovers, both of which were interceptions. Plus, the Eagles had coughed up the ball on eight occasions for a differential of minus-6.

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Since then, including the postseason, the Eagles have come up with 34 takeaways while turning the ball over just seven times. Ten of those takeaways have occurred in the playoffs alone.

When the final whistle blew and midnight green and white confetti showered Lincoln Financial Field, Baun got a chance to catch his breath. He carried his son, Elian, in the crook of his arm as he celebrated the Eagles’ impending trip to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, the city where he spent the first four years of his NFL career.

“This is crazy,” Baun said. “This is wild. We work really hard at this. And we work hard all year.

“But at the same time, it feels like we’re supposed to be here. With the work we put in. The guys we have. The coaching staff we have. Just feels like we were supposed to do this.”