Saquon Barkley, Eagles clinch NFC East title with win over Commanders

Saquon Barkley ran for 132 yards and a touchdown, and the Philadelphia Eagles clinched their second straight NFC East title with a 29-18 win over the Washington Commanders in Landover, Md.The Ea

Saquon Barkley, Eagles clinch NFC East title with win over Commanders

Saquon Barkley ran for 132 yards and a touchdown, and the Philadelphia Eagles clinched their second straight NFC East title with a 29-18 win over the Washington Commanders in Landover, Md.

The Eagles (10-5) became the first team to repeat as NFC East champions since 2004.

Jalen Hurts completed 22-of-30 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns. A.J. Brown had nine catches for 95 yards. Barkley averaged 6.3 yards on 21 carries and went over 1,000 yards rushing for the fifth time in his career.

Washington Quarterback Marcus Mariota left the game with an apparent injury in the third quarter after throwing an incompletion and left the game. The Commanders (4-11) announced he was evaluated for a concussion and cleared but was questionable to return with a right hand injury. He ultimately did not.

Mariota was seven of 14 for 95 yards. Backup quarterback Josh Johnson was five of nine for 43 yards and one interception.

Philadelphia outgained Washington 385-220.

The Eagles trailed 10-7 at halftime. On their first possession of the second half, they went on a 10-play, 83-yard drive that took 10:35 off the clock. Washington penalties on a fourth-and-7 and a third-and-eight extended the drive before Hurts found Dallas Goedert for a 15-yard touchdown.

On Washington’s next possession, Johnson was intercepted by Cooper DeJean, who returned it 11 yards to the Commanders’ 37. On first-and-10 from the 12, Barkley went up the middle and appeared to be stopped around the five, but broke two tackles and scored, pushing the lead to 21-10.

After the Commanders punted from near midfield with 6:44 left, the Eagles put it away. Barkley ripped off a 48-yard run and, two plays later, Tank Bigsby ran left for a 22-yard score with 4:26 remaining. The two-point conversion made it 29-10.

Washington’s Chris Rodriguez had a three-yard touchdown run with 1:10 remaining and Jeremy McNichols ran in the conversion for the 29-18 final.

DeVonta Smith capped a seven-play, 63-yard drive when he caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Hurts with 2:37 left in the first quarter to give the Eagles a 7-3 lead.

After Jake Elliott missed a 43-yard field goal in the second quarter, Washington drove 67 yards in nine plays. On second-and-goal from the one, Jacory Croskey-Merritt bulled his way in from the one and the Commanders led 10-7.