Eagles-Commanders Film Review: Cool to see the development of Jordan Davis

This felt like one of those defensive performances where you finish the film thinking this Philadelphia Eagles defense is just getting better. The Washington Commanders don’t have a great offense, and after Marcus Mariota went out, it became a bit of a silly game, but that almost doesn’t matter. The Eagles played with a clarity and confidence that wasn’t there earlier in the season. This was another defensive performance that looked organised, physical, and increasingly comfortable in Vic Fangio’s structure.

Defense

Early on, the run defense set the tone, and it started on the edges. I’ve spoken a lot about the under center run game, and I thought I’d include this as an example of why the simple shotgun read-option style run isn’t as effective as it once was. Nolan Smith showed how modern edge play isn’t about reckless crashing and flying upfield anymore, but it’s about forcing the handoff, staying square, and then still having the explosiveness to close. When you combine that with Jordan Davis collapsing the interior, Washington had little margin for error. This type of run game isn’t as dominant as it was a few years ago, which is why it’s important to have variety.

What really jumps off the film, though, is how clean everything looks on the back end. Andrew Mukuba is obviously more talented than Marcus Epps and has a higher ceiling, but I think Epps understands this scheme better right now. Should he start in the playoffs if Mukuba is healthy? It’s an interesting debate to have. The communication in the secondary right now is outstanding. You see it snap after snap. The same thing is happening on multiple snaps. Quinyon Mitchell is essentially erasing the boundary, routes are being passed off seamlessly, and the coverage is rotating post-snap without panic. When Cover 6 (quarter-quarter-half) is executed this well, quarterbacks simply run out of answers. The margins to complete passes are just so small.

That communication showed up again in match 3 here, where it’s just perfect. Quinyon understands where his help is, so he lets the receiver go inside. Zack Baun knows when he can sit inside and leave the #3 to the safety, and there is nowhere to go with the football. When everyone is on the same page, pass rushers don’t need to win instantly, and Brandon Graham was the beneficiary here, arriving late for another sack because the quarterback had nowhere clean to go with the football. The communication is so clean!

That said, the film isn’t perfect, and Washington did show something that better offenses will absolutely try to copy. So, it’s worth highlighting here. By keeping Quinyon fixed as the boundary corner and using 3×1 formations, they forced Adoree’ Jackson into isolated situations against Terry McLaurin with no safety help. That’s a tough ask. Fangio’s trust in his corners is admirable, but there may be moments where a change-up, such as asking Quinyon to travel, becomes necessary against elite receivers. We saw this early on in the season, but lately he has stayed as a boundary corner, and I’ve explained why in the past. Good teams will try to attack this. As often in the NFL, you can’t do the same thing for too long, or teams will catch on. That’s why we love the game!

An injury to Nakobe Dean forced some rotation at linebacker, and Jihaad Campbell’s snaps were quietly encouraging. He was asked to do a bit of everything, and while it wasn’t spectacular, it was competent and pretty good overall. Considering how little work he’s had recently, not looking like a liability is a win, and there were flashes of why the Eagles value his versatility. I still enjoy him in coverage.

As the game wore on, Jordan Davis just kept making play after play. This wasn’t a two-series burst or a situational role; this was sustained dominance. He anchored against double teams, stayed light enough on his feet to close cutbacks, and didn’t fade as the snap count climbed. The past month has been the best football of his career, and it’s no longer just about “potential” with him; he’s actively controlling and dominating games. He’s going to get paid, hopefully by us, and he deserves it.

Washington also tried to manipulate Quinyon out of the action with motion, creating overloads away from him and essentially daring the Eagles to adjust. It worked occasionally, as you can see here. It’s another reminder that smart offenses will try to take advantage of what the Eagles are doing on defense, and the Eagles will need answers when opponents start scrutinizing what the Eagles are doing with Quinyon.

Even when things weren’t perfectly aligned, Quinyon Mitchell still made plays that defy logic. He’s outrageously good. The best cornerback I’ve seen since I’ve been properly writing about this team. There were reps where his leverage wasn’t ideal, where he expected help that didn’t materialise, and he still arrived on time to disrupt the catch. His timing at the catch point is absurd, and the way he recovers mid-route speaks to both elite athleticism and processing speed. Watching him and Cooper DeJean every week is a joy.

This is a cool rep. Late motion forced him to adjust from press to off coverage in real time as Washington went from a 3×1 to a 2×2. Some lesser corners would panic in those moments. Quinyon is not one of those. He gained depth, stayed patient, and still exploded downhill to break up the pass. Awareness plus physical gifts is how elite corners separate themselves. He’s as good as it gets.

Both of the safeties deserve credit, too. Blankenship and Epps are not a spectacular duo, but they are usually in the right place at the right time. Fangio’s run defense only works if the back end triggers decisively, and Reed Blankenship was excellent coming downhill. From depth, he closed the space quickly and finished strong. Those plays don’t always show up on highlight reels, but they’re foundational to everything else working.

The interception late was something you only see when playing QB3s. It’s a bad throw. However, Cooper DeJean has earned that moment. His coverage this season has been consistently excellent, and when you play that many good snaps, eventually the ball finds you. Josh Johnson looked uncomfortable all afternoon, and it’s hard to blame him. Imagine having to come in during a game and face this defense. That’s rough. Side note, and completely random, but I would love to see how Philip Rivers would attack this defense. I sort of wish we had to play the Colts. It would be fun to see.

Jordan Davis capped the day with another reminder that he’s not just an anchor. When he flies through gaps like this, beating double teams with quickness rather than power, it changes how offenses have to block him. He’s not just a big anchor on the inside. Size plus lateral agility is a nightmare combination, and he’s leaning into it fully right now. It’s cool to see his development.

The only real blemish came late, and it’s a familiar one. I deliberated whether to include this, but I thought I would, largely to stop any conversation about Adoree Jackson getting beaten in this game. Kelee Ringo continues to struggle in isolated situations, and while it’s never fun to single out one rep, the contrast between him and Adoree Jackson is becoming obvious. Jackson isn’t perfect, but he’s clearly the more reliable option heading into the postseason. This competition is clearly over.

Final Thoughts

The big picture is encouraging. This defense communicates at a high level, plays with confidence, and has stars peaking at the right time. There are still schematic pressure points that elite offenses will look to attack (as with every single defensive scheme), but the fundamentals are very strong. With Jordan Davis playing like this and Quinyon Mitchell locking down his side of the field, the Eagles have a defense that can compete against anyone. The real tests are coming soon, but right now, this unit looks ready for it.

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