Comment PHILADELPHIA — Taylor Heinicke said he wasn’t paying attention. He said he didn’t give much thought to the possibility Monday night could be his last start if Carson Wentz returns to the active roster from his broken finger ready to start. His concern, he said last week, was winning. And to win a game against the NFL’s last undefeated team, he had to help his Commanders get third downs, sustain drives and be consistent – all things Washington has typically failed to do. At the time, perhaps his comments sounded like typical football talk – say the right thing, no matter how obvious, and hope and pray the result comes somewhere close. In retrospect, the quarterback’s hopes — and his play — were bright, and Monday’s game may have guaranteed him a chance to remain Washington’s starter regardless of Wentz’s health. With a heavy reliance on the running game and an efficient third-down game, Heinicke’s Commanders did what no other team has this season: Upset the Philadelphia Eagles, 32-21 — on their home court, no less. Svrluga: Taylor Heinicke beat the Eagles. The Commanders should stick with him at QB. Calling it “maybe the biggest win of my career,” Heinicke finished 17 for 29 for 211 yards, no touchdowns and one interception for a 66.9 passer rating. Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts went 17 for 26 for 175 yards, two touchdowns and an interception for a 94.2 rating. For the first time this season, the Commanders offense looked consistent and methodical as they scored four goals in the first half, three of which spanned 13, 12 and 16 plays. Washington (5-5) scored 13 points in the second quarter, holding the Eagles scoreless, a feat in itself. Philadelphia (8-1) entered the game having scored nearly 60 percent of its points in the second quarter and had yet to be shut out. “We’ve found that one of the best ways to slow down Jalen Hurts is to keep him off the field,” Governors Coach Ron Rivera said. But her dominance in the first half didn’t stop there. Washington outgained Philadelphia 235 yards to 101, converted 75 percent of its third downs (9 of 12) and ran 51 plays to the Eagles’ 19. Washington’s lead at 17 minutes, 38 seconds into the first half was the longest in franchise history, and was capped by a 58-yard field goal (the longest of Joey Slye’s career) that created a 20-14 lead and prompted a series of boos from Eagles fans. For the game, Washington ran 81 plays for 330 yards, including 152 on the ground, and converted 57 percent of its third downs (12 for 21). It was everything we expected and more. “In a situation like this, I’ve always thought we have the type of guys in this locker room that can do things, and we’re starting to see it come together,” said Rivera, who choked up in the locker room afterward. Two weeks earlier, his mother, Delores, died after a battle with lung cancer. Amid all the organization’s off-field drama, Rivera stressed to his team the importance of staying focused. During the week, he told his players to let him handle the small stuff. After the game, he fought back tears by telling his players his mother “would be proud.” “It means a lot because the kids were able to stay focused on what’s important,” he said. “… The hard work is starting to pay off.” After their decisive first half, the Commanders opened the second by forcing a punt and then embarking on another long drive that spanned 14 plays and more than eight minutes before Slye hit a 32-yard field goal to put Washington up. leads 23-14. The Commanders have not only defied their own game over the past two-plus seasons under Rivera — they’ve shown a control and attention to detail that has eluded them in most critical situations. With Heinicke at the helm, Washington plays on the edge, usually one throw away from disaster or glory. Last week against Minnesota, his deep pass over the middle was intercepted, costing the Commanders dearly as their three-game winning streak ended. This week, his heady plays made the difference. In the second quarter, center Tyler Larsen sent a snap over Heinicke’s head, but the quarterback dropped back, recovered and threw it out of bounds — beyond the line of scrimmage — to cost Washington just one down instead of one. important part of the home team or worse. Then in the fourth, on Washington’s final drive, Heinicke got away from pressure and took a knee on third down, drawing an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Eagles’ Brandon Graham as Graham tackled him. “That last game, we called a tilt for Terry [McLaurin], and it was one of those things where if it’s open, give it to him, and if it’s not, get a sack,” Heinicke said. “I wasn’t going to throw it if it wasn’t wide open. When I took that knee and saw them coming at me, I was hoping they would come at me and, sure enough, they did. It was a mistake on their part, but we’ll live with it.” The Eagles’ offense also exposed Heinicke’s development. “Very much,” Rivera said. “It’s one of the things he learns, to take what he’s given.” Throughout Monday’s game, the Commanders were mostly sound and when they made a mistake, they bounced back to make up for it. They committed to the run early and stuck with it (Brian Robinson Jr. finished with 86 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries), opening up chunk plays in the passing game. They moved the ball and ate up clock, converted on critical third downs and, for the most part, stayed out of their way. But the first two minutes of the game signaled the start of another first-half disaster. Armani Rodgers was flagged for holding the opening kickoff, resulting in a 33-yard loss on a long return by Antonio Gibson. Washington then went three and out. After a roughing penalty gave Washington the ball back, Heinicke was sacked. Philadelphia recovered the ball and needed just three plays to find the end zone on Hurts’ one-yard drive. The Commanders responded with their first long drive, using 10 plays sandwiched around two long passes — a 26-yard reception from McLaurin on third-and-two and a 14-yard catch from Jahan Dotson on second-and-11. Gibson capped the drive with a run of one yard. This offense was completely different from what Washington had shown in the weeks before. Four takeaways from Monday night’s win A few mistakes would follow. Cornerback Benjamin St-Just was called for pass interference on a deep pass by Hurts, and although the call appeared questionable, it led to another Eagles score, this time a six-yard pass to tight end Dallas Goedert to put Philadelphia up 14-7. Washington was then flagged for delay of game on fourth-and-one, prompting offensive coordinator Scott Turner to throw his hands up in the booth and the offense to settle for a 44-yard field goal by Slye. But after an interception by safety Darrick Forrest and two more Washington scores before halftime — a one-yard touchdown run by Robinson and that 58-yard field goal by Slye — the Commanders had a 20-14 lead at half time. It was the first time in more than two years that Washington scored at least 20 points in the first half. The Eagles appeared to recover after Heinicke was sacked by Javon Hargrave in the third quarter at the Philadelphia 14-yard line. The punt forced Washington to settle for a 32-yard field goal that extended its lead to nine. Philadelphia responded with a big drive, using 11 plays as Hurts threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Devonta Smith to make it 23-21. A turnover wasn’t in Washington’s plans, but given the circumstances, it wasn’t a glaring mistake. It was third-and-three at Philadelphia’s 43 when Heinicke launched a rocket down the left sideline to McLaurin who hung in the air long enough for safety CJ Gardner-Johnson to come up and grab it. Heinicke has said in the past that if he has a 50-50 chance with McLaurin, he plans to give the star receiver that shot, and his decision to do so here seemed wise, even though the outcome was poor. Had the throw sailed a little farther, the Commanders would have been steps from the goal line. Instead, he retired, a turnover that ultimately had little consequence. “He’s been great since he got here — honestly,” McLaurin said. “… He really plays like every play is his last. He plays without fear, man.” On the ensuing possession, defensive tackle John Ridgeway forced a fumble on a short pass to Goedert that linebacker Jamin Davis recovered and returned for a touchdown. The score was overturned on review — but the turnover stood and set up another chance for Washington to extend its lead. Slye, having the game of his life, hit a 55-yard field goal with 7:33 left to give Washington a 26-21 lead. But no Commanders game, especially with Heinicke at quarterback, can end without some late-game drama. This time it came courtesy of the defense. What to know from NFL Week 10: Bills-Vikings saga stole the show Hurts fired a 50-yard pass to Quez Watkins, who stumbled to the turf, got back up, then lost control of the ball when St. Juste hit him. Forest recovered the scrum to end what could have been the game winner. “We definitely came into this game knowing that no one believed in us,” Forrest said. “… We came in ready to fight.” With his team in position to seal the victory in the final minutes, Dotson was flagged for offensive pass interference, nullifying a 21-yard catch by Curtis Samuel on third down. But after the punt, defensive end Montez Sweat thwarted another Philadelphia drive with a sack on third down. Heinicke then stuck to the plan: convert third down, keep the drive going. On third-and-seven with McLaurin tightly covered, Heinicke scrambled before kneeling and drawing the penalty to Graham that earned the Commanders another set of down…
