Eagles expected to rest Jalen Hurts and starters on Sunday vs. the Commanders
The Eagles still have a chance at the No. 2 seed, but they will have to win without their full complement of stars.
The Eagles are expected to rest quarterback Jalen Hurts and most of their starters against the Washington Commanders on Sunday, NFL sources said Wednesday.
The decision to use the season finale as a “bye” week heading into the playoffs shouldn’t come as a surprise based on coach Nick Sirianni’s recent comments. The NFC East champion Eagles can still improve their seeding, but Sirianni emphasized the importance of giving players a week off.
“If I look back and how beneficial some of the byes that we’ve had have been, that’s part of the reason why you think through it,” Sirianni said Monday, a day after the Eagles beat the Bills, 13-12. “It’s a marathon of a season. You give your guys some rest, you get some time to think through some different things, even though you’re preparing for an opponent as you go.
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“Both times that I’ve been here that we’ve been to the Super Bowl, we’ve had that opportunity for a bye, and that’s ’22 and obviously ’24.”
Sirianni took advantage of resting starters in those seasons, while in 2023, he did the opposite and played Hurts and most of his starters with the NFC East still on the line. The Eagles performed poorly in the first half at the Giants. Most of the starters were eventually pulled when it became apparent the Cowboys would win the division.
The Eagles also suffered a significant injury in that game when wide receiver A.J. Brown left with a knee injury. He missed the first-round game at Tampa Bay, which the Eagles lost, 32-9. Hurts also dislocated a finger on his non-throwing hand in the Giants game.
The Eagles offense has been struggling for most of this season, but it had more success in wins earlier this month over the Raiders and Commanders — two of the worst teams in the NFL.
They had a solid first half at the Bills on Sunday but could do almost nothing in the second half and gained only 17 yards. Sirianni could use a rematch vs. Washington as an opportunity to give his offense some momentum heading into the postseason. Or it could backfire like it did two years ago.
The 11-5 Eagles are the No. 3 seed and would host the 11-5, No. 6 seed Los Angeles Rams or the 12-4 San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round. If they were to beat the Commanders and the 11-5 Bears were to lose to the eliminated Lions at home, the Eagles would be the No. 2 seed and would host the 9-6-1 Packers in Round 1.
Sirianni may believe that No. 2 quarterback Tanner McKee and his backups can still beat the 4-12 Commanders. Washington is expected to start third-string quarterback Josh Johnson, who entered the first meeting with the Eagles when backup Marcus Mariota was knocked from the game.
McKee and the Eagles reserves beat a poor Giants team playing most of its starters in last season’s finale.