Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen certainly are going to do their part. And Saquon Barkley might have his own chapter in the Commanders’ defensive game plan. Nobody doubts the significance of Jayden Daniels’ role for Washington.
But the matchups within the matchups are set to determine which teams advance on Championship Sunday to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Feb. 9.
We reviewed the critical concerns in each game to determine five under-the-radar players who will determine the outcome this weekend. The first in the series moving Thursday-Saturday: Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz.
Under-the-radar might be a stretch considering Ertz has some kind of history in Commanders-Eagles lore. On Sunday, he’ll be locked in as a key security option near the line of scrimmage for quarterback Jayden Daniels as Washington tries to dent the NFL’s top-ranked defense.
He’ll be performing on a stage and in a stadium that might feel like home.
Ertz was one of the best tight ends in Eagles’ history. Only Hall of Famer Harold Carmichael has more receptions in Philadelphia history with 589.
Ertz caught 579 receptions and 38 touchdowns with more than 6,000 receiving yards in eight-plus seasons in Philadelphia before being traded to the Arizona Cardinals.
But after two-plus injury-ravaged seasons and at age 33, Ertz found a new home with the Commanders in free agency.
“When that whistle blows, it’s not going to be about the previous nine years that I had there,” Ertz said this week.
Ertz signed with the Commanders in a reunion with former Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury. It wasn’t a challenge to get on the same page or tout his ability in the red zone. He leads the Commanders with 25 targets and 16 catches in the red zone, including the playoffs.
Already over the emotional curtain of returning to his old home stadium — Washington visited Philadelphia in November — Ertz said he’ll be too focused on a game plan and making his presence felt than anything in his past.
“I’m not going out there with a chip on my shoulder or trying to prove to people X, Y or Z. I’m just trying to go out there and be the best version of myself,” Ertz said.
Part of his responsibility is keeping Daniels upright. The Eagles intercepted Daniels three times in two regular-season matchups, but blitzing didn’t work. Daniels leads the NFL in completions and touchdowns against the blitz and threw five TD passes the last time he saw Philadelphia, a 36-33 win Dec. 22 at Washington.
Daniels was sacked just once in that game, but the Commanders are shuffling their line with right guard Sam Cosmi (torn ACL) unlikely to play. We say unlikely because the Commanders haven’t placed him on IR and list him as DNP on their practice reports.
Daniels has targeted Ertz 100 times this season — nine in the playoffs — with a finishing kick. He caught a touchdown last week at Detroit and has seven total TD receptions since the first visit to Philadelphia two months ago.
“I just wanted the opportunity to come out here and prove that I am still the same guy,” Ertz said.
