Despite 'Brotherly Shove' fumble, Eagles complete comeback to defeat Commanders 38-31

The team with two red zone fumbles isn't usually the team that wins. But that's what happened Sunday when the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Washington Commanders 38-31 despite a four-touchdown day from Washington QB Sam Howell.

The Eagles trailed the majority of the game and didn't take a lead until the fourth quarter. Even though the Commanders scored first and led for most of the matchup, the big news from the game wasn't about them. It was about the Eagles, who are usually unstoppable when they deploy the "Brotherly Shove" (so unstoppable that some people want it banned), actually failing at their signature play.

On first-and-goal in the third quarter, the Eagles fumbled at the goal line while trying execute the "Brotherly Shove," i.e. forcing quarterback Jalen Hurts into the end zone.

It was a heartbreaker of a fumble, since it finally would have brought the Eagles even with the Commanders 17-17. But it wasn't the first time the Eagles screwed up and wasted a touchdown opportunity against the Commanders. Earlier in the game, after the Eagles had spent nearly six minutes driving the ball 60 yards downfield, running back Kenneth Gainwell fumbled at the 5-yard line.

Philly's struggles against Washington aren't new. For some reason, the Eagles routinely stink when they play the Commanders. It doesn't happen 100% of the time, but it has been frequent in recent history. The Commanders inexplicably dealt the Eagles their first loss of the 2022 season in Week 10. The same thing almost happened in Week 4 this year, when the Eagles needed overtime to put the Commanders away.

They didn't need overtime on Sunday. After the "Brotherly Shove" fumble, the Eagles put all that in the rearview and scored 21 points in the fourth quarter. A.J. Brown made the biggest impact on this game with two touchdown catches, including one he somehow reeled in with just one hand.

Brown also set an NFL record, becoming the first player since the 1970 merger to have at least 125 yards receiving in six straight games.

Howell had a career day by completing 39 of 52 passes for 397 yards and four touchdowns.

Despite the Eagles' win, they have a few things to figure out this week before they face the Dallas Cowboys in a pivotal NFC East matchup in Week 9 at home. Their defense was a ghost against Washington, sacking Howell, the most-sacked quarterback in the NFL, just once. The run game has completely disappeared, and the repeated decision to give the ball to Gainwell in the red zone instead of anyone else continues to be inexplicable.

The Eagles and Commanders don't face each other again in the regular season until 2024. The Eagles are likely relieved. But with Howell playing like an MVP candidate against Philly, Washington might be down for another round.