Eagles can clinch the NFC East by beating the Commanders, but home field matters more to them

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Saquon Barkley has yet to win a division title since entering the NFL and thinks it would be cool if he and the Philadelphia Eagles could accomplish that.

Cooler — and much colder than domed stadiums elsewhere — is the chance for a playoff game or two in Philly, which he has experienced as a visitor.

“It was loud and hectic,” Barkley said. “It’s not a myth about home-field advantage. It’s not a myth about the energy and vibe you have playing at home.”

Riding a franchise-record 10-game winning streak into their game Sunday at the Washington Commanders, Barkley and the Eagles can clinch the NFC East and one of the conference’s top two seeds if they make it 11 wins in a row. Hosting opponents at Lincoln Financial Field, and perhaps the NFC running through it this winter, is far more of a motivating factor than another banner hanging from the stadium’s rafters.

“I can only imagine the fear of the teams that have to walk through those gates at the Linc,” safety Reed Blankenship said. “That’s big time if we get home-field advantage.”

The Eagles, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings are all 12-2 going into Week 16, and one of them will get a first-round bye. The Commanders (9-5) can clinch a playoff spot by knocking off Philadelphia and getting some help around the league in the form of losses by Atlanta and either Seattle or the Los Angeles Rams.

“Obviously they want to beat us, and we need to beat them,” Washington running back Brian Robinson Jr. said. “It’s a great feeling to know what we’re fighting for.”

Making the playoffs in quarterback Jayden Daniels’ rookie season and the first year with general manager Adam Peters and coach Dan Quinn and their staffs in charge would be a major step forward in the rebuilding process.

For the Eagles, who lost to Kansas City in the Super Bowl in the 2022 season, a division championship would be a bounce back after their collapse and first-round defeat in ‘23. But that doesn’t mean they’re discussing it internally as an important goal.

“We know that if we do win this game, that will happen, but really all we can focus on is our preparation,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “We’ll talk about that when we’re able to put the hat on or the T-shirt on there. That’s when we’ll talk about that.”

Rushing record

Barkley took a day off from practice this week to recover from a rugged workload that has him leading the league in carries and with a nagging injury that cost him some snaps against Pittsburgh.

Barkley said he feels “pretty good” as he resumes his chase of Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards for the Rams in 1984. Barkley ran for 65 yards against the Steelers, a total that hampered a realistic shot at catching Dickerson over the final three games.

“I’m fully aware of how far I am,” Barkley said. “I’m not scared of it.”

Barkley remains the NFL rushing leader with 1,688 yards. He needs 418 yards over the final three games — an average of just over 139 yards apiece — to break Dickerson’s record. The 27-year-old has surpassed that total five times this season.

“If I don’t get it, I’m not going to be depressed,” Barkley said. “If I get it, I’m not going to be that crazy happy, either. It’s a record. Records are meant to be broken. My mindset is focused on winning games and competing for a championship, and that’s the only thing that really matters to me.”

Barkley ran for 146 yards and two TDs in November against Washington, sparking the Eagles’ 26-18 comeback victory.

Daniels’ growth

After completing roughly 61% of his passes in five games since returning from a rib injury, Daniels is at nearly 82% the past two. The 24-year-old called it a matter of “just finding completions, getting the ball in my hands and letting the guys make plays.”

But the process of getting Daniels more comfortable throwing from the pocket has been ongoing since spring workouts.

“Remaining a passer longer, (opposing) guys stay in coverage longer, the receivers down the field are working,” Quinn said. “I think that part of the game, there’s been improvement, and I would say we’re still progressing in that spot.”

Jalen hurts

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts steered the passing game back on track against Pittsburgh and did it with a broken finger on his non-throwing hand.

The injury didn’t necessarily affect his throwing, and he accounted for three TDs in the 27-13 victory over the Steelers. Hurts said the injury did hamper his running style and played a role in a lost fumble.

“It’s an adjustment,” he said. “I think on the run, I know for sure, I don’t have my ball in the inside arm, I’d have it on the outside arm if I felt comfortable doing it. I just wasn’t and not at that state. It’s a game of adjustments and finding a way. I’ve got to be better knowing my circumstance.”

Hurts wore a splint on his left hand, covered by a glove, and threw for 290 yards and two TDs against the Steelers. He’ll likely wear similar protection at Washington.

“It’s on the up,” he said. “Breaks don’t heal in a day.”

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