Bills’ Moves At One Position Designed To Fix Playoff Flaw originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

If there was an obvious flaw on the Buffalo Bills defense throughout the 2025 playoffs, their defensive line wasn’t as dominant as the organization had hoped.

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The defense got gashed against the run by the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs in back-to-back playoff games… The latter being a crushing loss in which the defense needed a stop but couldn’t get it.

In response, Buffalo spend the offseason addressing the defensive line more than any other position.

Free agents like Michael Hoecht, Joey Bosa, and Larry Ogunjobi were brought into the fold. Draft picks like Landon Jackson, TJ Sanders, and Deone Walker were added to the unit.

The collection of veteran arrivals and young rookies should change Buffalo’s playoff run defense struggles going into the 2025 season.

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“We’re really excited about those young guys,” head coach Sean McDermott said on the team’s website. “And it’s not just them. They’re integrating into a veteran group in some ways, and some of the newer players are actually veterans. So, kind of hitting it from three different angles and been fun to watch those guys work with the coaches and work on their techniques.”

“As I’ve said before we’re going to go with as the D-line goes on the defensive side, so having some young players in there and adding some new players.”

Buffalo knew they needed to address their defensive struggles from last season, and they did so in a big way this year.

Time will tell if the Super Bowl contenders can get the rookie class to play up to their potential early in their careers… and if they do, McDermott’s excitement will be fully justified.

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Related: Blockbuster Trade Pitch Moves All-Pro Safety To Bills In ‘Honey’ Of A Deal

Related: Bills Named As Trade Destination For Top NFC Holdout Weapon

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.

The Buffalo Bills have had a busy offseason after coming up short against the Kansas City Chiefs once again in the playoffs. The majority of their biggest moves have seen them sign their core group of stars to long-term extensions, but they could stand to benefit from bringing back one member of their free-agent class, Amari Cooper, based on the current makeup of their roster.

Needing a boost at wide receiver, the Bills traded for Cooper from the Cleveland Browns midway through the season, giving up a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 seventh-round pick, while also getting a 2025 sixth-round pick back in return.

To this point, a return to Buffalo has been billed as unlikely for Cooper, but the team still needs help at the wide receiver spot, so a reunion isn’t totally out of the picture.

“The Bills should consider bringing Amari Cooper back, if just for depth purposes. General manager Brandon Beane might be OK with the wide receiver depth, but it’s not optimal,” Aaron Schatz wrote for ESPN.

Should Bills pursue reunion with Amari Cooper in free agency?

Article Continues Below

The Bills traded for Cooper with the hope that he’d become Josh Allen’s top target in the passing game, but that never ended up materializing. Cooper only caught 20 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns in eight games with Buffalo, as he never truly panned out for the team. As a result, the Bills pivoted and appeared set to move on from Cooper.

For the most part, though, Buffalo’s wide receiver room doesn’t look much different than it did last season, and they could still use an outside wide receiver to open things up in the middle of the field and potentially create big plays.

Cooper doesn’t appear to be the Pro Bowl-caliber wideout he once was, but he could still help the Bills, and who knows, maybe a reunion could happen as training camp draws near.

The No. 4 seed Houston Texans are back in the AFC divisional round for a second consecutive season following a 32-12 home win over the No. 5 seed Los Angeles Chargers.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud completed 22 of 33 passes for 282 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Stroud found receiver Nico Collins on a series of plays during a drive late in the second quarter that helped give Houston a lead it would never give up throughout the game.

The Chargers were unable to capitalize on its early six-point lead in the first quarter, giving up 23 unanswered points and the lead to Houston. The Texans would go on to score double-digit points in each of the last three quarters.

Quarterback Justin Herbert threw four interceptions, including two that the Texans managed to convert into 10 points. Herbert’s four interceptions are more than he had throughout the entire regular season.

It’s was the first time the two teams had met in the playoffs.

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USA TODAY Sports has live coverage of today’s game. Follow along for news, updates, scores and highlights of the wild-card tilt.

Texans vs. Chargers highlights

Final: Texans 32, Chargers 12

Running back Joe Mixon rushed 17 yards down the left side of the field to score for the Texans. Ka’imi Fairbairn’s extra-point attempt was good.

Chargers take one leap forward and two steps back

After Justin Herbert was sacked on consecutive plays for a total loss of 18 yards, the quarterback found Ladd McConkey down the middle of the field for an 86-yard touchdown on third-and-26 with 10:38 left in the fourth quarter.

Cameron Dicker’s extra point attempt was blocked and recovered by the Texans, who returned it for a defensive two-point conversion. The Texans lead the Chargers 25-12.

Score update: Texans 23, Chargers 6

The Texans settle for a 30-yard field goal from Ka’imi Fairbairn to increase the lead.

Another Justin Herbert interception

Defensive back Derek Stingley Jr. intercepts quarterback Justin Herbert for a third interception and returns it 54 yards. The Texans will start with the ball on the Chargers 13-yard line. The Houston Texans have all the momentum.

End of 3rd: Texans 20, Chargers 6

Quarterback Justin Herbert had his pass intended for Ladd McConkey intercepted by Texans defensive back Eric Murray and returned for a 38-yard touchdown. Ka’imi Fairbairn’s extra-point attempt was good.

Ka’imi Fairbairn adds to Texans’ lead

Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn made a 37-yard field goal to improve the Texans’ lead over the Chargers 13-6 with 4:48 left in the third quarter. Houston has scored 13 unanswered points.

C.J. Stroud avoids second interception

The Texans maintained possession after safety Derwin James’ interception of C.J. Stroud’s pass attempt in the endzone was overturned by officials following a review.

Chargers unable to convert on fourth down

The Chargers decided to go for it on fourth-and-2 but quarterback Justin Herbert’s pass receiver Quentin Johnston was ruled incomplete. The Texans will take over with the ball on the Houston 35-yard line.

Joe Mixon fumbles the ball away

Safety Tony Jefferson forced running back Joe Mixon to fumble the ball on the Texans’ opening drive of the second half. Jefferson also managed to recover the ball.

End of 2nd: Texans 10, Chargers 6

The Texans finished the first half scoring 10 unanswered points. Quarterback C.J. Stroud completed 14 of his 23 pass attempts for 180 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

The Chargers managed to limit the running back Joe Mixon to just 15 rushing yards on six carries.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert completed eight of his 20 passes for 97 yards and an interception. Running back J.K. Dobbins had just eight carries for 26 yards.

Texans take the lead late in the second quarter

Quarterback C.J. Stroud goes back to receiver Nico Collins for the 13-yard touchdown with 58 seconds left in the first half. Ka’imi Fairbairn’s extra-point attempt was good. It was a 13-play drive for 99 yards. The Texans lead the Chargers 7-6.

Nico Collins makes another big catch

Texans receiver Nico Collins was on the other end of a pass from quarterback C.J. Stroud for 34 yards to extend the drive and put Houston in the red zone with a chance to score with 1:05 left in the second quarter.

C.J. Stroud turns a busted play into a first down

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud mishandles the snap on third-and-16 from the Houston 17-yard line before managing to run back and collect the football. Stroud showed a strong level of poise as he continued to look downfield before finding receiver Xavier Hutchinson for the 34-yard completion. The Chargers lead the Texans 6-0 at the two-minute warning.

Texans unable to capitalize

The Houston Texans were unable to take advantage of the turnover as the Chargers’ defense held strong.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud completed a 13-yard pass on the first play of the drive to receiver Nico Collins but the Texans were unable to put anything else together on the four-play drive for 15 yards. Chargers defensive end Khalil Mack sacked Stroud for an eight-yard loss on second-and-10.

Justin Herbert throws an interception

Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter came up with an interception on Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert’s pass attempt to receiver Quentin Johnston.

Denzel Perryman injury update

Linebacker Denzel Perryman was listed as questionable to return with an elbow injury, according to the Chargers’ official X account. Perryman left the game with a left elbow injury after making a tackle during the first quarter.

End of 1: Chargers 6, Texans 0

Quarterback Justin completed five of nine pass attempts for 51 yards in the first quarter. Cameron Dicker was responsible for all six of the Chargers’ points in the opening quarter. C.J. Stroud completed four of his first six passes for 43 yards. Joe Mixon and the Texans’ rushing attack was limited to three yards on two carries.

Joey Bosa continues to apply pressure

Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa sacks Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud for a 5-yard loss on second-and-10.

C.J. Stroud feeling the pressure

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud ran out of the pocket to avoid the pressure from Chargers standout Joey Bosa on 3rd & 7 but nearly threw an interception in the process. Texans punted the ball and were also called for a 15-yard penalty after Kris Boyd was called for fair catch interference.

The Chargers lead the Texans 6-0 with 4:58 left in the opening period.

Chargers increase first-quarter lead

The Chargers convert the turnover into points with a 39-yard field goal from kicker Cameron Dicker.

The Chargers take another 2:53 off the clock with a six-play drive for 12 yards.

Chargers recover Texans’ fumble

Quarterback C.J. Stroud completed a pass to receiver John Metchie on Houston’s first offensive play before Chargers safety Alohi Gilman forced Metchie to fumble the ball. Chargers defensive back Derwin James recovered the ball. Chargers have taken over with the ball.

Chargers settle for an early field goal

The Chargers managed to reach the red zone but settled for a successful 35-yard field goal from Cameron Dicker to take the 3-0 lead with 9:37 left in the first quarter.

The Chargers took 5:23 off the clock on the opening drive with 10 plays for 57 yards.

Chargers start with the ball

The Houston Texans won the coin toss and decided to defer for the second half. Quarterback Justin Herbert and the Chargers will begin on offense.

What time is the Houston Texans vs. L.A. Chargers wild-card game?

Start time: 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT)

4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT) Location: NRG Stadium (Houston)

The Houston Texans will take on the Los Angeles Chargers as the NFL playoffs open with an AFC wild-card game at Houston’s NRG Stadium. The game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Houston Texans vs. L.A. Chargers TV channel

TV channel: CBS

CBS will broadcast the NFL wild-card game between the Houston Texans and the Los Angeles Chargers with Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Charles Davis (analyst) and Evan Washburn (sideline reporter) calling the action.

Houston Texans vs. Los Angeles Chargers live stream

Live stream: Paramount+ or Fubo

The NFL wild-card playoff game between the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers can be streamed on Paramount+ or you can turn to Fubo, which offers a free trial subscription. Fubo carries CBS, as well as NBC, FOX, ABC, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action through much of the playoffs.

Texans vs. Chargers predictions, picks

USA Today: Unanimous to go Chargers against the spread

Jarrett Bell: Chargers

Chargers Chris Bumbaca: Chargers

Chargers Nate Davis: Chargers

Chargers Tyler Dragon: Chargers

Chargers Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz: Chargers

Chargers Lorenzo Reyes: Chargers

The Arizona Republic: Chargers 27, Texans 17

Jeremy Cluff writes, “The Chargers have won three in a row and gave up an NFL-best 301 points this season. They will be able to outscore the Texans on the road, who interestingly scored 372 points this season, while also giving up 372 points.”

CBS Sports: Chargers 27, Texans 20

Pete Prisco writes: “The Chargers come into this game with an offense led by Justin Herbert, who has yet to win a playoff game. This is a big game for him. The Texans haven’t played as well as expected, especially C.J. Stroud. This makes this a big game for him, too. But the Chargers have the top-ranked scoring defense in the league, which will make this a challenge. I think their pass rush will be an issue against Stroud’s offensive line. Herbert will play well and find a way to win his first playoff game.”

Texans vs. Chargers: Wild-card playoff odds

The Los Angeles Chargers are favorites to defeat the Houston Texans, according to BetMGM.

Odds as of Saturday, Jan. 11

Spread: Chargers (-2.5)

Moneyline: Chargers (-155); Texans (+130)

Over/under: 41.5

Which NFL team has the most Super Bowl wins?

The Steelers are tied with the New England Patriots for the most Super Bowl wins with six.

Pittsburgh and Dallas have the unique distinction of playing each other more than any other team combination in Super Bowl history with three matchups.

NFL draft 2025 order entering wild-card weekend

Here’s how the first round of the 2025 NFL draft stacks up entering wild-card weekend action, according to Tankathon.com:

What teams made the NFL playoffs?

AFC

NFC

2024-25 NFL playoffs schedule

The wild-card round is set. All times Eastern.

Wild Card (all times Eastern)

All times Eastern

Saturday, Jan. 11

Los Angeles Chargers at Houston Texans, 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens, 8 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime Video

Sunday, Jan. 12

Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:30 p.m. ET, Fox

Washington Commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8 p.m. ET, NBC

Monday, Jan. 13

Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC

Divisional round

All times TBD

Saturday, Jan. 18

TBD at Kansas City Chiefs divisional game : TBD

: TBD TBD at Detroit Lions divisional game: TBD

Sunday, Jan. 19

AFC divisional game : TBD

: TBD NFC divisional game: TBD

Conference championships

Sunday, Jan. 26:

NFC championship game : 3 p.m.

: 3 p.m. AFC championship game: 6:30 p.m.

Super Bowl 59

Date : Feb. 9, 2025

: Feb. 9, 2025 Location : Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)

: Caesars Superdome (New Orleans) Time : 6:30 p.m.

: 6:30 p.m. TV: FOX

NFL standings

AFC

NFC

Houston Texans inactives vs. LA Chargers

LA Chargers inactives vs. Houston Texans

Where is Texans vs. Chargers wild-card game?

The Los Angeles Chargers take on the Houston Texans in an NFL playoff wild-card game from NRG Stadium in Houston. The venue has a capacity of 72,220 seats but can be expanded to accommodate 80,000.

Texans vs. Chargers weather updates

The Houston area will have a respite from the rain and should have sunshine on Saturday. According to Accuweather, there should be a high of 58 degrees, with temperatures dropping to 53 degrees in the afternoon.

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Who is the highest-paid NFL player?

The NFL’s top 18 players in average annual salary are all quarterbacks, according to OverTheCap.com. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott became the league’s highest-paid player before the 2024 season, agreeing to a four-year, $240 million deal. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is the first non-quarterback on the highest-paid list after striking a four-year, $140 million contract extension this offseason.

Who are the highest-paid NFL players at each position?

We have a complete list at every position:

Oldest players in NFL in 2024

Just four players in 2024 NFL player pool surpass 40 years old: Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Bears tight end Marcedes Lewis, Rams kicker Matt Prater and Titans kicker Nick Folk.

Only Rodgers will turn 41 during the season, with a birthday that came in the first week in December.

Here’s the full list of the top 11 oldest players in football:

QB Aaron Rodgers, Jets: 40 years old (Dec. 2, 1983) TE Marcedes Lewis, Bears: 40 years old (May 19, 1984) K Matt Prater, Rams: 40 years old (Aug. 10, 1984) K Nick Folk, Titans: 40 years old (Nov. 5, 1984) QB Joe Flacco, Colts: 39 years old (Jan. 16, 1985) C/LS J.J. Jansen, Panthers: 38 years old (Jan. 20, 1986) C/LS Jon Weeks, Texans: 38 years old (Feb. 17, 1986) P Thomas Morstead, Jets: 38 years old (March 8, 1986) C/LS Morgan Cox, Titans: 38 years old (April 26, 1986) QB Josh Johnson, Ravens: 38 years old (May 15, 1986) DL Calais Campbell, Dolphin: 38 years old (September 1, 1986)

Full list of highest-paid NFL players

Across all metrics, the top-10 highest-paid players in the NFL are all quarterbacks. Here’s how the breakdown looks by AAV, guarantees, and total contract value this season.

AAV

Dak Prescott, Cowboys: $60 million

Joe Burrow, Bengals: $55 million

Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars: $55 million

Jordan Love, Packers: $55 million

Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins: $53.1 million

Jared Goff, Lions: $53 million

Justin Herbert, Chargers: $52.5 million

Lamar Jackson, Ravens: $52 million

Jalen Hurts, Eagles: $51 million

Kyler Murray, Cardinals: $46.1 million

Guaranteed money

Dak Prescott, Cowboys: $231 million

Deshaun Watson, Browns: $230 million

Joe Burrow, Bengals: $219.01 million

Justin Herbert, Chargers: $218.74 million

Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars: $200 million

Lamar Jackson, Ravens: $185 million

Jalen Hurts, Eagles: $179.4 million

Jared Goff: $170.61 million

Tua Tagovailoa: $167.17 million

Jordan Love: $160.3 million

Total contract value

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs: $450 million

Joe Burrow, Bengals: $275 million

Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars: $275 million

Justin Herbert, Chargers: $262.5 million

Lamar Jackson, Ravens: $260 million

Josh Allen, Bills: $258.04 million

Jalen Hurts, Eagles: $255 million

Dak Prescott, Cowboys: $240 million

Kyler Murray, Cardinals: $230.5 million

Deshaun Watson, Browns: $230 million

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is the highest-paid non-quarterback by AAV at $35 million per year and San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is the highest-paid non-quarterback by total value at $170 million non-quarterback by total value at $170 million.

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The Philadelphia Eagles are going to the Super Bowl for the second time in three years after earning a 55-23 win over the Washington Commanders in the 2025 NFC championship game.

Philadelphia’s offense was firing on all cylinders during their blowout win. Saquon Barkley was predictably the driving force of the Eagles’ offensive success, taking his first carry of the game 60 yards for a touchdown and racking up 118 rushing yards and three scores on the day.

Jalen Hurts also enjoyed his best game of the playoffs to date. Despite dealing with a knee injury and uncertainty at center with both Cam Jurgens and Landon Dickerson banged up, Hurts was efficient through the air. He completed 20 of 28 passes for 246 yards and a touchdown while getting A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert involved early and often in the contest.

On the ground, Hurts didn’t have his same typical level of mobility. Still, he found a way to impact the game with his legs, logging a nine-yard touchdown run on a designed quarterback draw and continuing to operate the “Tush Push” with high-end success. He finished the day with 16 yards on 10 carries but, like Barkley, scored on the ground three times.

Washington struggled to keep pace with Philadelphia’s offense despite another solid effort from Jayden Daniels. The rookie led the Commanders in passing (255 yards) and rushing (48) but saw his supporting cast let him down at key moments throughout the game.

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The Commanders lost the turnover battle to the Eagles 4-0. Daniels was responsible for one – a fourth quarter interception that occurred with Washington trailing by 25 points – but the team’s three fumbles were what ultimately undid them.

Dyami Brown, Jeremy McNichols and Austin Ekeler all put the ball on the ground. The Eagles recovered each fumble and turned them into seven points apiece. That allowed Philadelphia to pull away from Washington, especially McNichols’ late first-half gaffe, which allowed the Eagles to build a 15-point lead they would never relinquish.

As a result, Philadelphia won the rubber match between the NFC East rivals. The Eagles will now look to win their second Super Bowl in franchise history while the Commanders head into the offseason looking to fortify a roster that surprisingly made an NFC championship game run.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, highlights and more from Sunday’s Eagles vs. Commanders NFC championship game below. All times are Eastern.

Eagles vs. Commanders NFC championship game highlights

Will Shipley gets in on rushing fun, scores first career touchdown

The Shipley has not sailed just yet.

The Eagles running back put another rushing TD in the ledger, the seventh of the day for Philadelphia.

Saquon Barkley hits pay dirt for third TD of game

This Saquon guy is pretty good.

The Eagles running back scored a very early dagger on the Commanders, with a four-yard TD run to put the Commanders up 47-23. Elliott would nail the extra point to give the Eagles a 25-point lead with 7:48 left.

Nolan Smith sacks Jayden Daniels on fourth-and-12 to create turnover on downs

Daniels was sacked once combined in his first two playoff games. The Eagles brought him down behind the line for a third time on fourth-and-12 to create a turnover on downs.

The Eagles maintain a 41-23 lead with 10:19 left in regulation.

Jayden Daniels completes fourth-down pass to Zach Ertz

The Commanders are effectively in do-or-die mode down 18 in the fourth quarter, so they went for it on a fourth-and-6 from their own 34-yard line. Daniels found Ertz for a first down while the Commanders tight end recorded his ninth catch of the day.

Tom Brady praises Nick Foles for Philly Special

Nick Foles is in attendance at the Eagles vs. Commanders game. So is Fox analyst Tom Brady, who Foles’ Eagles defeated in Super Bowl 52.

Brady cracked a joke about his relationship with Foles during the broadcast, referencing that Brady failed to catch the lone pass thrown to him during Super Bowl 52.

“Nick, I don’t hate you,” Brady said. “I’m jealous of you! You caught it, I didn’t!”

Jalen Hurts punches in 1-yard TD run to extend lead back to 18

After three consecutive encroachment calls on the Commanders, the Eagles finally snapped the ball to Hurts. He was ushered over the goal line on the tush push to extend Philadelphia’s lead to 41-23.

Washington will have 12:24 left to make up the three-score deficit.

Frankie Luvu jumps over Eagles O-Line twice on 1-yard line

The Commanders are trying to stop the tush push by any means necessary. The result? Luvu jumped over the Eagles’ offensive line twice on the 1-yard line.

The issue? The ball hadn’t been snapped. As a result, the Commanders were warned of a potential unsportsmanlike conduct and were later informed that the officials can award a score if they continue to take those actions.

Eagles recover third Commanders fumble after Austin Ekeler has ball punched out

The Commanders put the ball on the turf for the third time of the day at the end of the third quarter. Ekeler had the ball punched out of his hands after making a quick catch and the Eagles pounced on it.

Philadelphia now has the ball in good field position with an 11-point lead entering the fourth quarter.

Frankie Luvu blitz, tackle for loss on third down forces Eagles punt

The Eagles were facing a third-and-5 on the cusp of field goal range when Nick Sirianni and Kellen Moore dialed up a running play. Frankie Luvu sniffed it out and perfectly timed a blitz that allowed him to tackle Saquon Barkley for a 3-yard loss.

As a result, Philadelphia was forced to punt rather than going for it on fourth-and-8. The ball went into the end-zone for a touchback, giving Washington a chance to cut their deficit to one score.

Kenneth Gainwell injury update

The Eagles are down Gainwell, their backup running back and kick returner, for the rest of the game. He has been ruled out with a concussion.

Will Shipley will now serve as the backup behind Saquon Barkley.

Commanders fourth quarter comebacks

One of the reasons Washington earned the “Cardiac Commanders” nickname is the team’s penchant for making improbable comebacks. In 19 games this season, Jayden Daniels has logged five fourth quarter comebackers and game-winning drives.

Washington is still down by 11 points, but this stat could become important as the game continues.

Jayden Daniels scores 10-yard touchdown on speed option run

Daniels continues to be a big-time playmaker for the Commanders. On a third-and-1 in the red-zone, Daniels cut a speed option run to the middle of the field. He found a lane and scampered through it with ease to get the score.

The Commanders went for 2 after the touchdown and converted on a Daniels pass to Olamide Zaccheaus. Washington is now trailing 34-23 with 5:01 left in the third quarter.

Jalen Hurts stats today

Hurts was subject to criticism after lackluster performances in each of the Eagles’ first two playoff games. He is having a much better game thus far in the NFC championship game.

Hurts has completed 16 of 22 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown while adding 15 yards and two scores on the ground. The Eagles have 34 points on the board with just under 9 minutes left in the third quarter thanks, in part, to Hurts’ strong performance.

Jalen Hurts runs for 9-yard touchdown, extending Eagles lead to 34-15

Any concerns about Jalen Hurts’ knee have been put to bed on Sunday. The Eagles quarterback has now run for two touchdowns, the second of which came on a designed QB draw on Philadelphia’s second drive of the half.

Jake Elliott makes the extra point and the Eagles’ lead is now 19 points.

Eagles defense responds, forcing three-and-out thanks to Jordan Davis sack

The Commanders’ first second-half drive went similarly to the Eagles’ first drive. Washington ran for a short gain on first down before Jordan Davis picked up a key sack of Jayden Daniels to a force a third-and-20.

Washington stalled out and this time, Tress Way didn’t fake the punt. He sent it 45 yards to the Eagles 32-yard line before Cooper DeJean returned it 10 yards to the 42.

Eagles go three-and-out to start second half after sacking Jalen Hurts

Hurts continues to struggle when pressured. He started the half by trying to outrun Washington’s defense to the sideline before being pushed out for a loss. He then took a sack on second down to put the Eagles well behind the chains, eventually forcing the team into a punting situation.

Braden Mann uncorked the first punt of the afternoon for either side. It traveled 43 yards with no return, as Jayden Daniels and Co. will start the second half from their own 26-yard line.

Cam Jurgens playing center to start second half with Landon Dickerson injured

The Eagles are making a change their offensive line to open the second half. Jurgens, the team’s normal starting center, is back into the lineup after sitting the first half with a back injury. Landon Dickerson, who had played in his place and normally starts at left guard, is on the sideline with a knee injury.

Eagles halftime stats vs. Commanders in NFC championship game

The Eagles couldn’t have asked for a much better half offensively. The team capitalized on two Washington turnovers, turning both into touchdowns, and saw both Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley perform well in a favorable defensive matchup.

Defensively, the Eagles limited the Commanders as best as they could and the lone special teams blemish was a missed 54-yarder by Jake Elliott.

Below is a look at the notable first-half stats for Philadelphia:

Jalen Hurts: 12-of-18 passing, 141 passing yards, 1 TD, 6 carries, 8 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD

Saquon Barkley: 9 carries, 85 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs, 1 catch, 4 receiving yards

A.J. Brown: 4 catches, 61 yards, 1 TD

Dallas Goedert: 3 catches, 32 yards

Zack Baun: 10 tackles, 1 forced fumble

Commanders halftime stats vs. Eagles in NFC championship game

The Commanders enjoyed a solid first half, generating a respectable 214 yards and 15 points against a top-tier Eagles defense. However, two turnovers that led to 14 Eagles points undid their efforts, to create a 12-point deficit to overcome.

Below is a look at the notable first-half stats for Washington:

Jayden Daniels: 15-of-24 passing, 139 passing yards, 1 TD, 4 carries, 31 rushing yards

Brian Robinson: 7 carries, 22 yards

Terry McLaurin: 2 catches, 43 yards, 1 TD

Zach Ertz: 5 catches, 34 yards

Frankie Luvu: 3 tackles, 1 sack

Eagles lead Commanders 27-15 at halftime

Jayden Daniels led an impressive quick drive to end the half and got Washington into field goal range. Zane Gonzalez made the 42-yard attempt to cut Philadelphia’s lead to 12 points.

That silver lining helped atone for a late first-half situation during which things unraveled for Washington. Philadelphia got a touchdown thanks to a Marshon Lattimore pass interference penalty and on the ensuing kickoff, Jeremy McNichols fumbled the ball back to the Eagles.

As a result, the Eagles built a double-digit advantage that they took into halftime. Philadelphia is set to get the ball after halftime too, so their 12-point halftime lead may be difficult for Jayden Daniels and Co. to overcome.

The Eagles are only outgaining the Commanders 233-214, but the story of the game has been turnovers. Philadelphia forced two in the first half and turned them into 14 points. Washington didn’t force any.

If not for a missed Jake Elliott field goal, the damage could have been worse for the Eagles. Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley will look to continue their success through the air and on the ground in the second half once they get the ball.

Jalen Hurts finds AJ Brown for touchdown to capitalize on Commanders turnover

The Eagles have now scored touchdowns on back-to-back drives that were sandwiched by Jeremy McNichols’ kick return fumble. Hurts found Brown on an out-breaking route on third-and-goal and the veteran managed to reel it in and get his feet down for the score.

Jake Elliott makes the extra point and the Eagles have a 15-point lead with just 39 seconds left in the half.

Mikey Sainristil whistled for unnecessary roughness, extending Eagles drive

The Commanders were on the verge of getting off the field and forcing an Eagles field goal when Sainristil hit Saquon Barkley just as the running back was going out of bounds. The officials ruled Barkley was hit late on the play, though his foot hadn’t yet hit out of bounds at the time of the penalty.

Regardless, the call set up a first-and-goal for the Eagles with less than a minute left in the first half.

Jeremy McNichols fumbles kick return, Eagles recover

Washington has now committed two uncharacteristic turnovers in the NFC championship game. The second came on a kick return, when third-string running back Jeremy McNichols was leveled by third-string Eagles running back Will Shipley and lost the ball.

Eagles backup running back Kenneth Gainwell jumped on the ball and gave the Eagles the ball back, leading 20-12 with 1:36 left in the first half.

Jalen Hurts powers in 1-yard touchdown to extend Eagles’ lead

The Eagles capitalized on Marshon Lattimore’s pass interference call. Hurts took the first-and-goal carry and pounded it up the middle tush-push style to extend Philly’s lead.

Lattimore was called for a penalty during a skirmish after the play with Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown. As a result, the Eagles went for two, but Washington was able to stop Hurts on another tush push carry. Philadelphia’s lead remains at 8 as a result.

Marshon Lattimore called for pass interference, setting up Eagles goal-to-go opportunity

The Commanders brought pressure on Jalen Hurst on a third-and-13 but the quarterback managed to escape it and throw the ball on the run to DeVonta Smith. The receiver wasn’t able to reel in the pass, but Lattimore was called for pass interference after grabbing Smith several times near the end of the play.

That set the Eagles up with a goal-to-go opportunity from the 1-yard line.

Jalen Hurts completes 31-yard pass to AJ Brown on fourth-and-5

The Eagles decided to be aggressive on fourth down, much like the Commanders were early in the game. On fourth-and-5, Washington brought a blitz, but Hurts had just enough time to feather a downfield pass to Brown, who beat Marshon Lattimore on the play.

The throw hit Brown perfectly on the hands and set the Eagles up at the Washington 14-yard line as the two-minute warning arrived.

Landon Dickerson injury update

Dickerson moved over to center today to start in place of Cam Jurgens. He is now dealing with a left knee injury and wearing a knee brace.

Dickerson has remained in the game at center, but his efficacy will bear watching as the game continues.

Terry McLaurin turns quick slant catch into 36-yard TD

Jayden Daniels found McLaurin on short pass on third-and-3 and the Commanders’ No. 1 receiver turned the catch into a big gain. He ran across the field and through a couple of tackles before bulling his way into the end zone.

The Commanders went for two, but Austin Ekeler was tackled behind the line after catching a quick pass. As a result, Philadelphia maintains a 14-12 lead, though Jake Elliott’s missed field goal proved costly.

Jake Elliott stats

Elliott endured a rocky year for the Eagles. He made just 28 of 36 field goal attempts during the 2024 regular season. His 77.8% conversion rate was the second-lowest of his career, and he made just 1 of 7 kicks from 50-plus yards during the season.

Elliott had been 6 of 6 in the postseason before his miss against the Commanders. The push right was his first missed postseason field goal in 23 attempts.

Jake Elliott misses 54-yard field goal after Jalen Hurts sack

The Eagles were facing a third-and-6 in field goal range but a miscommunication between center Landon Dickerson and tight end Grant Calcaterra allowed Frankie Luvu to come through unblocked and deck Hurts for a 9-yard sack.

That pushed Elliott’s field goal back to the 54-yard line. Elliott missed the kick wide right, making him just 1-for-8 on attempts from 50-plus yards this season.

Eagles run tush push despite backup center, Jalen Hurts knee injury

For anyone wondering whether Cam Jurgens’ absence and Hurts’ knee problem would prevent Philadelphia from using its most effective short-yardage run, the answer is no. The Eagles ran it on a third-and-1 and while Hurts didn’t generate the same type of powerful push as he often does, Philly was still able to push him forward for a first down.

Saquon Barkley spotted massaging calf on sideline

Barkley got two touchdowns on his first two carries of the game, but evidently, he is trying to keep his calf loose. He was spotted using a massager on his leg by Fox’s broadcast crew.

Commanders settle for 46-yard field goal after stalling out

Washington got near the red-zone after Tress Way’s fake punt and Dyami Brown’s 24-yard reception but consecutive incompletions to open the second quarter forced them to settle for a field goal attempt.

Zane Gonzalez made the 46-yard field goal with ease to cut Philadelphia’s lead to 14-6.

Eagles lead Commanders 14-3 after first quarter

Washington opened the scoring with a field goal on an 18-play opening drive but since then, Philadelphia has dominated.

Saquon Barkley has 64 yards and two touchdowns on two touches so far. Meanwhile, the Eagles have limited Jayden Daniels, allowing the talented rookie to complete passes but largely limiting the Commanders’ big plays through the air. Their defense has already sacked Daniels, which matches the total amount of times he had been sacked in Washington’s two wins combined.

Dan Quinn has remained aggressive, as Washington is 3-for-3 on fourth downs, including a 23-yard fake punt conversion where Tress Way hit Ben Sinnott for a massive gain. The Commanders are driving as a result of that fake and a second-and-16 rope Daniels threw to Dyami Brown, so they could put a dent into Philly’s 11-point lead early in the second quarter.

Washington fakes punt, converts fourth down to avoid three-and-out

The Commanders appeared to go three-and-out on their third drive of the day, but Dan Quinn and special teams coordinator Larry Izzo dialed up a trick play. Washington faked the punt and Tress Way feathered a perfect pass to tight end Ben Sinnott to keep the Commanders’ drive alive.

That breathes some life into Washington’s offense, trailing 14-3.

Did DeVonta Smith make sideline catch?

Smith appeared to make a toe-tap catch on the sideline on the Eagles’ second drive of the day, which ended with a touchdown. However, a closer replay review revealed his toe was very close to the line when he came down with the ball.

The Eagles ran to the line quickly and got a play off before the Commanders could challenge the play. As such, the call on the field held up and helped Philadelphia on its second touchdown drive.

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Barkley scores second touchdown of first quarter to extend Eagles lead

The Eagles continue to move the ball well against the Commanders’ leaky run defense. On first-and-goal, Philadelphia handed the ball to Barkley and he took it off tackle to the right side and scampered in for his second score of the day with ease.

Jake Elliott makes another extra point and gives the Eagles a 14-3 first-quarter lead.

Dyami Brown fumbles after screen pass reception, Eagles recover

The Commanders haven’t turned the ball over much during the postseason. The Eagles forced them into one on their second drive, as Zack Baun punched the ball out of Dyami Brown’s hands after a screen pass.

Safety Reid Blankenship jumped on the ball, giving the Eagles possession at Washington’s 48-yard line. Philadelphia has a chance to build on its early 7-3 lead.

Commanders vs. Eagles time of possession stats

After one drive apiece, the Commanders are winning the time of possession battle 7:03 to 0:18. The Eagles are winning the game 7-3 thanks to Saquon Barkley’s explosive rushing touchdown.

Saquon Barkley runs for 60-yard TD on first Eagles offensive snap

The Commanders were always going to have trouble containing Barkley. On the first play of the game, he took an outside toss around the left tackle for an easy first down. From there, he cut back over the middle of the field and Washington couldn’t tackle him.

Jake Elliott’s extra point is good, and the Eagles have an early 7-3 lead.

Commanders score first: Zane Gonzalez makes 34-yard field goal to cap 18-play opening drive

Washington’s drive came to an end after the Eagles stopped Austin Ekeler short of the sticks on a third-down receptions. Dan Quinn opted not to go for it on fourth-and-3 and called upon Gonzalez to open the scoring. Gonzalez made the kick to give Washington an early 3-0 lead.

The Commanders’ opening drive lasted 7:03. The Eagles will get their first touch of the game with just under 8 minutes left in the first quarter.

Jayden Daniels scrambles for 5 yards on fourth-and-2

Dan Quinn went for it on fourth down again and Daniels delivered another conversion. This time, the Eagles covered well on the play, but the rookie quarterback found a seam in the defense and scrambled beyond the line-to-gain.

The Commanders are in field goal range and may be able to eat up half of the first quarter as the drive continues.

Commanders convert fourth down on opening drive

Dan Quinn is remaining aggressive early in the NFC championship game. On a fourth-and-5 just over midfield, Washington went for it. Jayden Daniels found Zach Ertz open on the sideline for a gain just beyond the sticks.

The Commanders are 2-of-3 on third downs to open the game but have now converted their first fourth-down attempt.

Eagles defer to start game, kick to Commanders

Philadelphia won the coin toss on Sunday and deferred its choice to the second half. That means Washington’s offense will be on the field to start the day as Jayden Daniels and Co. looks to get off to a fast start.

Who did Jayden Daniels play for in college?

Daniels spent the first three seasons of his college career playing at Arizona State. He then transferred to LSU for his final two seasons, becoming the latest in the line of great Tigers pro quarterbacks.

Daniels’ success during his final season in Baton Rouge allowed him to become the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. He is now seeking to become the first rookie starting quarterback to make it to the Super Bowl.

Has Jalen Hurts won a Super Bowl?

No, Hurts has not won a Super Bowl during his NFL career. He was still playing college football in 2018, when the Eagles beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52, and couldn’t lead Philadelphia to a win over the Kansas City Chiefs in a 38-35 Super Bowl 57 loss.

Hurts could position himself for a second bite at the Super Bowl apple with a win over the Commanders in the NFC championship game.

Eagles vs. Commanders start time

Date: Sunday, January 26, 2025

Sunday, January 26, 2025 Time: 3 p.m. ET

The NFC championship game meeting between the Eagles and Commanders will kickstart the NFL’s Sunday action, kicking off at 3 p.m. ET. The AFC championship game between the Bills and Chiefs game will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Eagles inactives vs. Commanders

The biggest news of the afternoon surrounds Eagles center Cam Jurgens. Jurgens is dealing with a back injury, and while he isn’t inactive today, he may be only be available in an emergency or backup role.

That could deliver some challenges for the Eagles’ offensive line.

Most rushing yards in an NFL season including playoffs

Saquon Barkley is potentially in the running to make NFL history in the NFC championship game. He needs just 148 yards to overtake Terrell Davis for the most rushing yards in a single NFL season including the playoffs and just 3 yards to surpass Davis in second place on the list.

Below are the top-five rushing totals, playoffs included, in NFL history:

Terrell Davis, 1998 Broncos: 2,476 yards Terrell Davis, 1997 Broncos: 2,331 yards Saquon Barkley, 2024 Eagles: 2,329 yards Eric Dickerson, 1984 Rams: 2,212 yards Adrian Peterson, 2012 Vikings: 2,196 yards

Barkley averaged 148 rushing yards against the Commanders in two matchups during the 2024 NFL season, so he has a chance to break the record during the NFC championship game.

Jalen Hurts injury update

Hurts is off the Eagles’ injury report for Sunday’s game against the Commanders. That said, he anticipates wearing a brace on the left knee he injured against the Rams after being bent back awkwardly in the third quarter of Philadelphia’s divisional round game.

“It’s been progressing, like coach said,” Hurts told reporters when asked about his injury at Friday’s practice.

Commanders inactives vs. Eagles

The Commanders are going to be light in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Defensive tackle DaRon Payne and standout guard Sam Cosmi will both be unavailable for today’s matchup.

Eagles vs. Commanders TV channel

Cable TV: Fox

Fox will host coverage of the NFC championship game on Sunday. The network’s No. 1 broadcast crew featuring play-by-play man Kevin Burkhardt, game analyst Tom Brady and sideline reporters Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi will call the game.

Eagles vs. Commanders predictions, picks

Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff believes the NFC championship between the Eagles and Commanders will play out:

Lorenzo Reyes: Eagles 28, Commanders 18

Eagles 28, Commanders 18 Tyler Dragon: Eagles 30, Commanders 27

Eagles 30, Commanders 27 Jordan Mendoza: Eagles 27, Commanders 25

Eagles vs. Commanders live stream

Live stream: Fubo

Cord-cutters looking to live stream the NFC championship game can turn to Fubo. Fubo carries NBC, as well as CBS, FOX, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action through the remainder of the season.

The Fox Sports App will also carry the Eagles vs. Commanders game.

Eagles vs. Commanders odds, moneyline, over/under

The Eagles are favorites to defeat the Commanders, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Not interested in this game? Check out expert picks and best bets for every NFL game this week.

Spread: Eagles (-6)

Moneyline: Eagles (-300); Commanders (+240)

Over/under: 47.5

Which NFL team has the most Super Bowl wins?

The Steelers are tied with the New England Patriots for the most Super Bowl wins with six.

Pittsburgh and Dallas have the unique distinction of playing each other more than any other team combination in Super Bowl history with three matchups.

Updated 2025 NFL playoff bracket

Just two games remain before NFL fans will know who plays in Super Bowl 59. They are as follows:

NFC championship game: Eagles vs. Commanders

AFC championship game: Chiefs vs. Bills

Eagles vs. Commanders weather updates

Conditions will be mild during the NFC championship game between the Eagles and Commanders. Below are the full details of Sunday’s forecast for Philadelphia, Penn., according to the National Weather Service.

High temperature : 41 degrees

: 41 degrees Low temperature : 24 degrees

: 24 degrees Chance of precipitation : 0%

: 0% Wind: 5-15 mph

How many Super Bowl have the Commanders won?

The Commanders have won three Super Bowls. They are as follows:

Super Bowl 17

Super Bowl 22

Super Bowl 26

The Commanders have not been back to the Super Bowl since Super Bowl 26, which was played in 1992, so an NFC championship win over the Eagles would mark a long-awaited return to form for Washington.

Eagles vs. Commanders playoff history

The Eagles and Commanders have met just once in the postseason despite playing one another 180 times (and counting) in the long-running rivalry. That matchup came in the 1990 NFC wild card game (played in 1991) and saw Washington win it 20-6.

Art Monk and Gary Clark both caught touchdown passes from Mark Rypien to give Washington the win.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning watches from the sideline as his No. 1 Ducks try and mount a second-half comeback against the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California on Wednesday, Jan. 1 2025. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian

Nobody said it was going to be perfect.

The first year of this new-fangled 12-team College Football Playoff was bound to have some growing pains. But two rounds into the revamped postseason, it’s impossible to ignore just how poorly conceived and sloppily assembled this whole enterprise was.

That was as true before Oregon’s humiliating defeat in the Rose Bowl as it is the morning after.

This is not sour grapes.

The CFP gave us a system that is not simply in need of some minor tweaking. The thing has failed.

A champion will be crowned on Jan. 20, and it will be a deserving champion. But the process by which that team was determined will not fairly honor the college football season that led to that point.

Six of the first seven games of the playoff have been one-sided duds, decided by double-digit margins. Three of the four teams that earned first-round byes lost in the quarterfinals, with second-seeded Georgia facing a tall order against Notre Dame in Thursday’s Sugar Bowl.

This year, the biggest advantage any team in the playoff field receives is the opportunity to host a game on campus. But it is nonsensical that that advantage goes to the teams seeded fifth through eighth, and not the teams with the best regular seasons.

Oregon’s reward was a 25-day layoff between games against one of the nation’s top teams that played a tune-up game at home a week earlier.

Nobody would have designed it that way.

“We didn’t take advantage of our opportunity,” Dan Lanning said on Wednesday night. “I’m not going to make excuses for our opportunity.”

That’s what he needed to say. Nobody wants to hear from the losing coach that it wasn’t a fair fight, even if it wasn’t.

And let’s be clear: The Ducks were beaten by Ohio State, not by the CFP committee or the bracket.

But in this case two things are simultaneously true.

One, that Oregon was thoroughly outclassed in the Rose Bowl and, two, that the Ducks were not adequately rewarded for posting the nation’s only undefeated regular season and winning their conference championship.

Oregon’s regular season success already feels emptier because of what happened in Pasadena. But winning in the regular season has been completely devalued by a system that actually better rewards teams that suffer a loss or two than one that manages to run the table.

This year it’s an Oregon problem. But next year it could be an Alabama or Texas or Michigan problem.

And the CFP simply can’t face these issues again.

So what to do?

The obvious answer is to eliminate automatic byes for the four-highest ranked conference champions. The CFP should simply follow its own rankings. Half of those four this year backed into that first-round bye. Boise State and Arizona State only leapt into the top four because the ACC could not produce a deserving champion and because the Big Ten and SEC represent a disproportionate number of the country’s best teams.

Conference champions should earn a home game, but not an automatic bye.

And if home sites are going to be part of the playoff — and they are perhaps already the best part — then the top teams need that advantage, too. Moving to home sites through at least the quarterfinals would allow for that.

Yes, that disrupts what remains of the bowl system. And none of the Rose, Fiesta, Orange or Sugar Bowls are going to be eager to give up their spots in the College Football Playoff.

But this is bigger than those institutions continuing to rake in cash.

The playoff system was overhauled only to give us a system that already needs to be overhauled.

I’m a proponent of the expanded playoff. It’s better for the sport when more teams have something meaningful to play for at the end of the season.

But those in charge of the system set itself up for failure by not anticipating obvious and predictable pitfalls.

Like Oregon did against Ohio State, the CFP just ends up looking ridiculous.

— Bill Oram is the sports columnist at The Oregonian/OregonLive.