Commanders vs. Eagles: Struggling NFC East squads face off on 'Sunday Night Football'

Two NFC East teams desperate to get their seasons on track meet under the bright lights of "Sunday Night Football" when the 1-4-1 Washington Commanders host the 2-4 Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles won the first meeting between these rivals, 24-22, back in Week 1, but that Eagles team is far different from this one. The most notable difference is that there will be no Jalen Hurts. The star quarterback is out for the rest of the season with blood clots, just the tip of the iceberg for a team decimated by injuries. Saquon Barkley has missed time with a hamstring issue and looked far from 100% in his Week 7 return. He will play despite having hamstring and back ailments. Wide receivers DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) and linebacker Jihaad Campbell (hamstring/quad) are all out as well.

The Commanders, meanwhile, are in dire straits, and coach Dan Quinn could really use a win coming out of the bye. Jayden Daniels has played well since returning from his elbow dislocation, but he will be without Terry McLaurin, who suffered a season-ending torn patellar tendon in Week. Daniels has not won a start in over a year; this could be as good a chance as any.

How to watch Commanders vs. Eagles

Date: Sunday, Nov. 1 | Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Location: Northwest Stadium (Landover, MD)
TV: NBC | Stream: fubo (try for free)
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Commanders -6 (via DraftKings)

What to know

Stoppable force (Eagles offense) vs. movable object (Commanders defense): This season, the Eagles are 29th in points per game and 32nd in yards per play. The Commanders, meanwhile, are 31st in points per game allowed and 22nd in yards per play allowed. This should be a decent chance for Tanner McKee and the Eagles offense to build off of a Week 7 performance against the Cowboys in which they showed some progress. Plus, the Commanders are without standout interior defenders Daron Payne (who suffered a season-ending injury Friday) and Javon Kinlaw. On the other hand, this is an opportunity for Washington's blitz-happy defense to take advantage of an undermanned, underperforming offense.

Jayden Daniels looks to get back in win column: Wins aren't a quarterback stat, but Jayden Daniels certainly would love to pick up a victory; he hasn't had one as a starter since Week 5, 2025. Since then, he has missed 10 games and gone 0-7-1 as a starter. Still, it's hard not to be impressed by how well Daniels has played in the past two weeks. He threw for 199 yards and ran for 103 yards and two scores in a 27-27 tie against the Giants that included a comical error at the end, and then he had his second. career 300-yard passing game against the 49ers in Washington's last game. With no McLaurin, expect a heavy dose of Stefon Diggs, Chig Okonkwo and Antonio Williams.

Primetime scares: The game is happening one day after Halloween, but primetime has been spooky time for Washington. The team has lost six straight primetime games. Only the Colts (seven straight) have a longer active losing streak.

Commanders vs. Eagles prediction

The Eagles' offensive struggles are to be expected. The defensive struggles last week against the Cowboys were surprising, and the unit simply has too much talent to perform like that. It also performed very well in Week 1 against Washington, and I anticipate a return to closer to that form. Washington badly needs a win: at home, off a bye, as a favorite, with Dan Quinn on the hot seat. But I don't think it'll happen. Pick: Eagles 20, Commanders 17

How to watch Commanders vs. Eagles on 'SNF'

Zachary Pereles 2 min read

Trade deadline targets and biggest needs for all 32 NFL teams Josh Edwards 13 min read

NFL's 'scariest' teams: Beware of Seahawks defense

Zachary Pereles 4 min read

Prisco's Week 8 picks: Lions hand Vikings their first loss Pete Prisco 6 min read

NFL Week 8 expert picks against the spread, top best bets Carter Bahns 12 min read

Report: Micah Parsons targeting Thanksgiving eve return vs. Rams Zachary Pereles 1 min read

Colts engaged in Jonathan Taylor talks: 5 teams reportedly interested Zachary Pereles 3 min read

Commanders' Daron Payne suffers season-ending foot fracture Zachary Pereles 1 min read

Three other women accused Josh Jacobs of abuse following his arrest Zachary Pereles 3 min read

Garrett Wilson trade rumors: Jets backing off interest from others Brad Crawford 2 min read