Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley each had three rushing touchdowns as the Philadelphia Eagles routed the Washington Commanders 55-23 to clinch their second Super Bowl berth in three seasons.
The Commanders would commit three costly fumbles and an interception late in the contest, with all four turnovers resulting in Eagles touchdowns as the hosts ran away with the NFC Championship Game at Lincoln Financial Field.
Washington opened the scoring with a three-run first Zane Gonzalez’s field goals after a long 18-play drive that the Eagles answered with a first score that lasted just 18 seconds;
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Barkley hits the afterburners and runs for a 60-yard touchdown for the Eagles against the Commanders.
It was one of two first-quarter TDs for the future Hall of Famer, who went 118 yards on just 15 carries; his second coming after Washington receiver Dyami Brown coughed up his first fumble.
The Commanders cut Philadelphia’s lead to two midway through the second quarter as star rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels connected with Terry McLaurin for a 36-yard score, but that would be as good as it would get for the visitors.
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Jayden Daniels finds Terry McLaurin on a 36-yard touchdown pass for the Commanders against the Eagles.
Hurts rushed into the end zone and threw his only touchdown to AJ Brown, who had argued with Marshawn Lattimore for an earlier score, in the final two minutes of the first half, the Commanders coming back for a fumble on both ends.
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A Jalen Hurts touchdown for the Eagles leads to AJ Brown and Marshawn Lattimore going head-to-head.
Statistics leaders
Commanders of Washington
- Transition. Jaden Daniels, 29/48, 255 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
- In a hurry. Jayden Daniels, 6 carries, 48 yards, 1 TD
- Receiving. Zach Ertz, 11 catches, 104 yards
Philadelphia Eagles
- Transition. Jalen Hurts, 20/28, 246 yards, 1 TD
- In a hurry. Saquon Barkley, 15 carries, 118 yards, 3 TDs
- Receiving. AJ Brown, 6 catches, 96 yards, 1 TD
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Barkley hits the afterburners and runs for a 60-yard touchdown for the Eagles against the Commanders.
Hurts’ second rushing score, this one from nine yards, saw the Eagles extend their lead to 19 early in the second half, and although Daniels answered with a dart of his own from 10 yards out into the end zone; Conversion of two units. Another fumble by Austin Ekeler in the third quarter allowed Philadelphia to all but end the contest.
Hurts had another goal-line drive despite multiple fouling penalties against the Commanders, and Barkley completed his hat trick and rookie Will Shipley had his first NFL TD on a Daniels interception as the Eagles ran for the score in the fourth quarter, becoming the first team to score 50+ points in a conference championship game since Buffalo. Bills in the 1990 season
Philadelphia will now face either the Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl rematch of their loss two years ago, or they will face Buffalo in New Orleans two weeks later, with the Chiefs and Bills contesting the AFC Championship Game in Kansas City.
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Nick Foles presented the Eagles with the NFC Championship trophy after defeating the Commanders
What do they say? “The dream is to win everything”
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley. “I tried to play it down in my head, but it’s amazing. The goal wasn’t just to get here, it was to win. We’ll celebrate getting there and then get back to work.
“We knew it was going to take a team effort. The team came out and made big plays, and that’s how you get to the Super Bowl.
“I’ve always dreamed of it. But the dream wasn’t to get there, it was to win it all.”
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni on Jalen Hurts. “How about our quarterback? He’s a stud. He just wins.”
Sky Sports’ Phoebe Schecter in Philadelphia. “We talk about other people putting their team on their backs, and that’s what Jalen Hurts did.
“He showed the world everything he can do, from his ability to connect with the best targets, but also from a running point of view.
“It was a complete team win and they are ready for New Orleans.”
What’s next?
The 2024 NFL season concludes on Sunday February 9 with Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, live on Sky Sports NFL.
