Let’s catch our breath for a moment, like what just happened. Weren’t the Commanders supposed to complete their fairy tale arc by reaching the Super Bowl after 33 years? Wasn’t that on the script? Well, the Eagles had some other ideas about how they wanted that script to be written. So, right now, it’s the Eagles heading to New Orleans for their second Super Bowl appearance in just three seasons. The Commanders can only blame themselves in a game where the margin of error was supposed to be nil.

However, it was anything but perfect for the Commanders, who would have lots to ponder upon their flight back to Washington. Imagine conceding 55 points in an NFC Championship game. Well, before today, it was only an imagination. But the Commanders converted it into reality while ending up on the wrong side of history. Like never before in the 104-year history of the league, a team has conceded that many points being one game away from the Super Bowl.

I mean, Dan Quinn summed up clearly in his post-game pressers about where the Commanders actually lost the game. “We have lived in the complementary football, and that would be the turnover margin. And we didn’t create any opportunities for us and lost 28 points off those 4 turnovers. That was big.” See, the Commanders lost two fumbles in the first half. One of them came from Commanders’ receiver Dyami Brown, who had the football snatched away from his grasp by Eagles LB Zack Baun.

Then, the Eagles went on a short offensive drive, which was capped off by Saquon Barkley’s 4-yard TD run. Well, they were just beginning to self-destruct. With less than 2 minutes left in the first half, Commanders RB Jeremy McNichols caused another fumble, this time from a kickoff return. In the next few plays, AJ Brown caught a 4-yard pass from Jalen Hurts to give the Eagles a 27-12 lead. Who knows, maybe without those 48 and 24-yard TD drives from the Eagles. That came from Washington’s turnovers could have produced a different result.

However, that trend kept on going in the second half. This time, it was Austin Ekeler, whose fumble late into the 3rd quarter gave up another Eagles TD. And you know what they say about: when it rains, it pours. For the Commanders, that became a crushing reality as Jayden Daniels also threw an interception with 5 minutes of the game remaining. So when the dust finally settled in Philly with the Commanders heading home and the Eagles to New Orleans, Jayden Daniels also gave his thoughts on those costly turnovers that took the game away from the Commanders.

Jayden Daniels comes clean on self-inflicting mistakes with Super Bowl spot on the line

See, the Commanders had just finished their regular season with eight fewest turnovers in the league. And that streak continued for their first two playoff victories over the Bucs and the Lions. They were 6-0 coming into the Eagles game. However, they must have known that the Eagles also matched their record. Yes, the NFC East Champions also had a 6-0 turnover differential, having forced 4 takeaways against the Packers and then two against the Rams.

The Commanders lost this turnover battle on what was supposed to be a fairy tale afternoon for Washington. That minus-four turnover differential and conceding 28 points off it proved fatal in their hopes of returning to the Super Bowl. Like Dan Quinn before him, Jayden Daniels also pointed out how those turnovers were the reason they lost: “Turnovers play a huge factor into a game, especially playing a good team like Philly. Can’t give those extra possessions.”

However, Daniels refused to budge even after their season came to a crashing halt in Philadelphia. “I can’t be prouder of the guys in the locker room. Year 1. We all just meshed. We got to this point. But at the end of the day we lost. It sucks. But we’ll move on from this.” Well, those fans in Washington would surely be hoping their Commanders do take this loss as a lesson. Come back next season hungry and determined to get the job done without making mistakes like this time.