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2025 NFC Championship Game: The Best Reactions From The Eagles Win vs. Commanders

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Saquon Barkley Super Bowl

How did New York Giants fans feel Sunday? 

It could not have been good, right from the start of the Philadelphia Eagles’ 55-23 victory over the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game at Lincoln Financial Field, earning a trip to Super Bowl LIX. 

They probably started getting queezy after allowing the star running back to leave via free agency, Barkley ran 60 yards for a score on his first carry. On his second, he had two TDs. The MVP candidate also scored in the fourth quarter. 

Barkley finished with 118 yards on 15 carries and three scores, proving a run-first offense can still thrive in the modern NFL. The Eagles collected seven rushing TDs Sunday. 

Not to be outdone, embattled quarterback Jalen Hurts also scored three times, leading the Eagles to their second Super Bowl in three seasons.

X (Twitter) users responded to Barkley showing his human side of being a father, before showing off his superhuman running back skills in the opening quarter … 

Philly fans were pumped early … 

The Commanders opened the conference final with an 18-play drive, resulting in a Zane Gonzalez 34-yard field goal. Commanders coach Dan Quinn opted not to go for a fourth-down play from the Eagles’ 16. The Commanders ranked first in fourth-down conversions … 

As chants of “MVP … MVP … MVP” rained down from the stands, Barkley celebrated his 60-yard scoring run on his first touch. Against the NFC East-rival Commanders, Barkley has collected TD runs of 68, 60, 39, and 23 this season … 

Eagles’ Zack Baun created an early turning point, forcing a first-quarter fumble. It’s what Baun does, forcing six fumbles this season. After starting the season with just four turnovers in their first outings, the Eagles’ takeaway streak reached 13 of 14 games …

On two touches, Barkley scored two TDs … 

Quinn is a gambler. A successful fake punt resulted in the Commanders notching their second Gonzalez field goal, pulling to within 14-6 … 

The Commanders pulled to within two (14-12) on Terry McLaurin’s 36-yard touchdown catch and run. The wide receiver had 10 TDs in his past nine starts … 

Hurts scored his first TD on a 1-yard “Tush Push,” capping a 12-play, 72-yard drive. The scoring late in the first quarter was just getting started … 

After Commanders kick returner Jeremy McNichols fumbled on the preceding kickoff, wide receiver A.J. Brown showcased his “Inner Excellence” on a 4-yard TD catch with 57 seconds left until halftime. It was still too much time … 

Twenty seconds later, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels engineered a quick drive, allowing Gonzalez to notch his third first-half field goal. He didn’t carry the pre-game heckling into the game … 

After opening the second half with a 9-yard TD run and then Daniels answering with a 10-yard scoring run, Hurts had help on his third TD rush and second “Tush Push.” The score came after three encroachment penalties and another forced fumble. The Eagles were starting to pull away, leading 41-23 …

Things got worse for the Commanders as Barkley matched Hurts with his third TD, this one on a 4-yard run with 7:58 remaining for a Super Bowl invitation … 

Rookie Will Shipley even got in on the act. The Eagles tied most all-time in playoff history, matching the 1940 Chicago Bears in the NFL championship game versus the Washington Redskins …  

Final score: Eagles 55, Commanders 23 …

So, how did the Giants’ fans think about watching Barkley evolve into one of the best free-agent signings ever? Dez Bryant had an idea …

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Jeff Hawkins
Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He joined the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on NASCAR's increasing corporate influences, particularly in northern racetracks — commentary which you might find Jeff building on as part of the Motorsports writing team at Sportscasting now.  

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Jeff Hawkins Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He joined the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on NASCAR's increasing corporate influences, particularly in northern racetracks — commentary which you might find Jeff building on as part of the Motorsports writing team at Sportscasting now.  

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