THE Washington Commanders don’t have too much time to dwell on their one-point loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. With a quick turnaround, they need to shake it off and prepare for a crucial NFC East matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night.

Although it may seem difficult, Commanders Head coach Dan Quinn is taking lessons from their Week 6 game against the Baltimore Ravens to see what lessons they can apply that will help them defeat the Eagles.

“Well, I think I understand where they are philosophically,” said the Washington shared the head coach, explaining his approach in Philadelphia. “They’re a little bit different than they were with a new player up front though. So that changes something.

Quinn’s approach shows he’s at the heart of the Eagles’ strategy, recognizing the familiar elements and adjustments Philadelphia has made with a new player running its offense. Quinn is known for strategizing down to the smallest details, and he prepares Washington for what Jalen Hurts and this offense bring. Hurts is that rare quarterback who can keep a play alive with his legs or arm, which means the Commanders defense has to be ready for anything.

“One of the things that stands out to me from Philadelphia,” Quinn continued, “you have to be able to play two downs, which means (Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen) injuries can extend out of the play on a passing play to extend it as a passer and run, and you have to be prepared to play four-man football.

For Quinn, this “four-man football” mentality is important. With Hurts’ ability to extend plays, the Commanders need to stay locked in throughout the game, especially since the Eagles have no qualms about pushing him on fourth down.

Containing mobile quarterbacks has been a challenge for Washington this season, and Hurts is no exception. It will test Commanders’ ability to remain disciplined and alert, forcing them to expect the unexpected in every match.

Quinn made it clear that the Eagles’ flexibility has long been part of their game plan. “And that’s been a Philadelphia philosophy for several years,” he noted. “And so those are two things that jump out and will be a big part of this game plan.”

Washington knows they’ll have to be adaptable on defense to contain Hurts and prevent him from successful scrambles or game-changing big throws. On offense, they will likely rely on their running game to control the clock and keep Hurts out of the way as much as possible.

Keeping Quinn’s playing philosophy and lessons from previous encounters in mind, commanders strive to be prepared. If they can execute their game plan and make every count count, they just might defeat the Philadelphia Eagles and regain first place in the NFC East.

Stay with CommanderGameday and the Locked Commanders podcast for more FREE Washington Commanders coverage throughout the 2024 season.

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