The scoreboard showed a 29-18 Eagles victory, but the real story of their Week 16 clash with the Commanders was written in the post-game tension between the two head coaches. After the loss dropped the Washington Commanders to 4–11, head coach Dan Quinn made some solid remarks on Nick Sirianni’s late-game decision that led to a full-on scuffle on the field and a tense debate afterwards.

“If that’s how they want to get down, all good,” Quinn said, via NFL reporter Ben Standig’s post on X. “We’ll play them again in two weeks.”

While speaking during the post-game conference, Quinn shared his thoughts on Sirianni’s decision to go for a two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter. While the coach’s response was short, he made it clear that his team would give a firm response to the Eagles. Both teams will meet again in their last game of the regular season in January 2026. So, what was the controversial play that drew attention and ensued chaos on the field? 

It all went down late in the fourth quarter during the Eagles’ 22-yard touchdown run with just 4:26 remaining. After Michael Pryor reported as an eligible receiver, running back Tank Bigsby burst through the left side of the line for the score. Instead of settling, the team stayed aggressive and went for a two-point conversion. Running back Saquon Barkley took the handoff and pushed through the left tackle, leading to a successful conversion. 

While the gamble paid off, the aftermath was messy after things heated up on both sides. There was pushing, shoving, and plenty of trash talk. In no time, the referees threw six flags when the situation escalated. Next, Eagles lineman Tyler Steen and Commanders defenders Javon Kinlaw and Quan Martin were ejected from the game. 

Further, the Commanders did manage to score a consolation touchdown with the help of running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. Unfortunately, the Eagles had already sealed their fate by then. The win helped Sirianni’s team ‌secure a postseason spot and blocked the Dallas Cowboys from going further. Meanwhile, the Eagles added another milestone to their Week 16 statement win.

The Eagles break the NFC East’s 21-year trend

The Eagles finally snapped the NFC East curse that had lasted over two decades. With the win, the team has won the division in back-to-back seasons for the first time in 21 years. They achieved the feat by defeating Dan Quinn’s team on Saturday, securing their second straight NFC East crown. But this isn’t the first time the Eagles have hit this milestone. They last pulled it off during their dominant run from 2001 to 2004.

Since then, the division has had a different winner every single season for 20 years. No matter how strong a team looked, repeating always seemed impossible in the NFC East. During this stretch, the Eagles and Cowboys dominated the standings. They both won seven division titles each. Meanwhile, the Commanders and the New York Giants added three titles each.

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And now, the Eagles have finally broken the trend. Reacting to the achievement, Barkley maintained a focused perspective. Turns out, the milestone didn’t surprise him. 

“Being in this division for the last eight years, you know how tough it is,” he said, via NBC Sports. “To do something that hasn’t been done in 20 years is pretty cool. But that can’t be the focus. Obviously, that’s the goal. But the focus has to be on the little things. We put ourselves in a position to do it. Now we just have to go and take advantage of it.”

Now, the win gives the Eagles a division title and a much-needed confidence boost. The victory over Dan Quinn’s Commanders also shows that Nick Sirianni’s team has brought rare stability to a division known for its chaos.