A special edition of Saturday football hits the NFL in Week 16 with a NFC doubleheader featuring plenty of playoff implications.
In the first game, the Eagles will look to become the first team to clinch back-to-back NFC East titles in 21 years with a win over the Commanders.
In the nightcap, the Packers and Bears square off with first place in the NFC North -- and potential playoff berths -- at stake.
Two must-know storylines
1) Eagles offense looks to build off Week 15
The state of the Eagles offense has been a weekly focus throughout Philly's bid for a repeat. The unit's struggles hit a nadir during a horrendous Week 14 loss to the Chargers in prime time in which Jalen Hurts had five turnovers -- including two on the same play -- prompting debate on if Nick Sirianni should consider a QB change. That obviously did not happen, and the Eagles responded last week with one of their best offensive performances to date in a 31-0 win over the Raiders. Performances against Las Vegas this season should be taken with a grain of salt, but the 31 points are the most that the Eagles have scored since Week 8. Hurts wasn't asked to do too much (15 pass attempts), but he finished 12 of 15 with three TDs for a 154.9 passer rating (second career game with a 150-plus rating). His 80% completion percentage was more than 20 points higher than what Hurts posted during the Eagles' previous three-game losing streak, and he'll face another struggling defense on Saturday in the Commanders. Washington enters Week 16 with the NFL's 31st-ranked defense (382.6 yards allowed per game), 26th-ranked scoring unit (26.8 PPG) and 31st-ranked opposing passer rating (107.3). With Saquon Barkley battling a stinger during the week, Hurts could be asked to lead the offense in the potential playoff-clincher. If that is the case, expect to see a bigger role for wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, who combined for just four targets in Week 15 as Philly cruised to a blowout win.
2) Mariota to close out lost season in D.C.
A season that began with so much promise in Washington will end with Marcus Mariota under center as the Commanders play out the string already eliminated from playoff contention. Washington announced this week that second-year QB Jayden Daniels would sit out the final three games of the year after he aggravated an elbow injury two weeks ago. When it's over, Daniels will have missed 10 games after he led the Commanders to a stunning trip to the NFC Championship Game in his rookie season. Figuring out the best ways to keep Daniels healthy will be the the top priority this offseason. Before that, ending this season on a positive note will be atop the agenda. Washington's win last week over the New York Giants snapped an eight-game losing skid, and keeping the Eagles from clinching the division on their home turf would be a nice Christmas gift for Commanders fans. Doing so will be a tall task against an Eagles defense ranked sixth in the league in points allowed (19.4) and first in opposing completion percentage (56.0). Mariota has performed admirably in his seven starts this year with an 11:5 TD-INT ratio and a 92.7 passer rating. Veteran wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who has battled his own share of injuries this season, has two touchdowns since returning to action at the end of November. If the Commanders want to pull off the upset, a big day for No. 17 could go a long way.
Eagles' Week 16 injury report
| Player | Game status | Tues. practice | Wed. practice | Thurs. practice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saquon Barkley, RB (stinger) | --- | DNP | FP | FP |
| Zack Baun, LB (hand) | --- | FP | FP | FP |
| Tank Bigsby, RB (illness) | --- | LP | FP | FP |
| Jalen Carter, DT (shoulders) | OUT | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Landon Dickerson, G (calf) | --- | DNP | DNP | FP |
| Fred Johnson, OT (ankle) | --- | DNP | DNP | FP |
| Lane Johnson, OT (foot) | OUT | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Cameron Latu, TE (stinger) | QUESTIONABLE | DNP | LP | FP |
| Jaelan Phillips, LB (knee) | --- | FP | FP | FP |
| Cameron Williams, OT (shoulder) | QUESTIONABLE | FP | FP | FP |
Commanders' Week 16 injury report
| Player | Game status | Tues. practice | Wed. practice | Thurs. practice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jayden Daniels, QB (left elbow) | OUT | LP | LP | LP |
| George Fant, TE (knee) | --- | FP | FP | FP |
| Eddie Goldman, DT (concussion) | OUT | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Drake Jackson, DE (groin/knee) | --- | FP | FP | FP |
| Jonathan Jones, CB (rib) | QUESTIONABLE | FP | FP | DNP |
| Chris Rodriguez Jr., RB (groin) | --- | FP | FP | FP |
| Laremy Tunsil, OT (oblique) | OUT | DNP | LP | DNP |
| Bobby Wagner, LB (knee/NIR-rest) | --- | DNP | DNP | FP |
| Colson Yankoff, TE (ankle) | OUT | DNP | DNP | DNP |
