The Eagles have gotten to the point in their losing streak where a few promising drives aren’t going to buy them much patience.

Philadelphia's lost five straight and sits at 2-5 after Dallas handed them a 38-21 loss Monday night. Washington is coming off their bye at 1-4-1, so the Commanders don’t exactly have much room to laugh. Both teams need a win, and both have spent plenty of time explaining what went wrong.

This was supposed to be a star-studded heavyweight matchup, but that's far from the case now. Jalen Hurts is done for the year after a blood clot moved to his lungs, leaving Tanner McKee to run their offense. Terry McLaurin’s season's over after he tore his patellar tendon. Saquon Barkley’s availability is still up in the air. Jayden Daniels is still here, but he doesn't have much help around him.

Kickoff's set for 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

Philadelphia Needs an Offense They Can Repeat

The Eagles average 264.9 yards (which ranks 31st) and 18.1 points (29th) a game.

That’s a lot of Sundays spent making things harder than they need to be.

Monday did give us a few reasons to think this can get better. Philadelphia opened the third quarter with an 84-yard touchdown drive. Rookie Makai Lemon caught seven passes for 67 yards and scored his first NFL touchdown. There were stretches when McKee could get the ball out and keep the offense on schedule.

Those stretches need to stop being the exception.

Offensive coordinator Sean Mannion has to give McKee answers he can get to quickly. Against Carolina, McKee completed 22 of 31 passes when he got the ball out within 2.5 seconds. When he held it longer, he was just 4 of 14. It’s only one game, but it’s a pretty good clue about where he’s most comfortable.

Quick throws, clean reads, and manageable second downs would give this offense a chance to build some rhythm. Asking McKee to produce like he's Jalen Hurts is getting old.

Washington’s Blitz Is the Matchup to Watch

Washington’s defense will give Philadelphia a real chance to get the offense moving. The Commanders are allowing 254 passing yards per game, which ranks 28th. The Eagles won’t get much sympathy if they can’t find some offense here.

There is one pretty important catch, though: Washington brings pressure.

The Commanders blitz on 42.5% of dropbacks, the second-highest rate in the league. They’re allowing 6.1 yards per attempt when they blitz, compared to 8.3 when they don’t. McKee's completed just 10 of 21 passes against the blitz in his two starts.

That’s probably where this game gets decided for Philadelphia. McKee has to find the extra rusher, and his receivers have to give him somewhere useful to go when the ball needs to come out quickly. Lemon and Dallas Goedert should give him some options underneath. If Washington keeps sending extra bodies, the Eagles have to make those open spaces count.

There's still no official word on whether Barkley, DeVonta Smith, or Dontayvion Wicks are going to be ready to go for this one, but Goedert's been practicing.

Barkley can change a game with just a handful of touches. Philadelphia still needs a plan that works if that’s all they get.

They Have to Actually Do Something With the Ball

The Commanders hold the ball for 30:21 per game. They’re also plus-six in turnover differential, while the Eagles are minus-three. Those are real advantages in a game where neither offense can afford to give away many possessions.

But Washington just keeps finding other ways to waste opportunities.

Against the Giants, the Commanders blew a late two-touchdown lead and had one of the worst clock-management meltdowns the league has ever seen. It kept them from even getting a shot at a potential game-winning field goal. That may not have been a turnover, but it still cost Washington a chance to win.

The Commanders also rank last in the league on third down. Holding onto the ball doesn't do much if the next play is a punt.

Dan Quinn said this week:

We know the plan. Now, we’ve got to go do it.

Daniels is still the biggest reason for optimism. He threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns without an interception in the loss to San Francisco. With McLaurin gone, rookie Antonio Williams should see more targets. He already gave Philadelphia problems in the opener, catching four passes for 64 yards and a touchdown.

The Eagles’ Defense Has Work to Do, Too

Philadelphia can’t pin every loss on the offense.

Dallas came into Monday averaging 76 rushing yards per game, then ran for 204 against the Eagles. Javonte Williams had 155 of those himself. That should have Washington testing Philadelphia’s front early, especially with Daniels’ mobility adding another problem when plays break down.

The familiarity matters here. Both teams have already seen the other’s favorite concepts and how they respond when things get tight. The personnel has changed, but neither coaching staff is starting from scratch. One protection mistake or missed tackle can wipe out an otherwise solid night.

The Pick: Washington 23, Philadelphia 20

I’m taking Washington, but barely. Daniels, the extra recovery time, and Philadelphia’s defensive issues give the Commanders just enough of an edge at home. Still, they haven’t exactly been great at closing out games, so I wouldn’t call this a comfortable pick.

Another Eagles loss would extend the streak to six with nine games to turn things around. And with the Giants sitting atop the division at 4-2-1, both teams are already playing catch-up.

All stats courtesy of Fantasy Points Data.

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