The Philadelphia Eagles bided their time, watching Jayden Daniels and Washington Commanders convert over and over on third and fourth downs. The 18-play, 7-minute opening drive culminated in a field goal — a positive start for a rookie quarterback in a rowdy road playoff environment.

Then, the retort: a one-play, 18-second drive to take the lead.

Saquon Barkley caught a pitch deep in the backfield and hit a wide-open hole before slipping through two tacklers and racing to the goal line. The Commanders’ early calm was no match for the Eagles’ bully ball, and although Washington punched back in spurts, a 55-23 result clinched Philadelphia’s spot in Super Bowl 59.

Daniels’ sensational rookie campaign comes to an end. The No. 2 overall pick guided Washington to its first playoff win in 20 years and its best regular-season record and deepest playoff run since the 1991 campaign, instilling hope in a franchise that needed it as badly as any.

Barkley’s sensational first year with the Eagles continues. The star running back has brought new life to Philadelphia’s offense this season, finding the end zone three times in this game. Now, a Super Bowl battle with the Buffalo Bills or Kansas City Chiefs is on the docket.

PFF’s dedicated team of graders was hard at work, analyzing every player on every play in real time. The grades and data will be available after a thorough review tomorrow at noon ET.

In the meantime, we’ve gathered some high-level data and snap counts from the game to give you an early look. Our expert graders have also nominated the standout player of the game, highlighting exceptional performance on the field.

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HIGHEST-GRADED PLAYERS

• CB Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia Eagles (88.4)
• QB Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (85.3)
• CB Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia Eagles (84.3)

Note: Follow along with PFF’s in-game grading as our analysts evaluate every player on every play in real time! Grades will then be relocked 90 minutes after the final whistle as our first-run analysis is reviewed.

Click here to see PFF’s initial grades from this game!

PLAYER OF THE GAME

“Coop” chants rang out often at Lincoln Financial Field, prompted by rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean. He finished the game with two forced incompletions and just 9 yards allowed on four targets into his coverage.

He also contributed an assisted tackle in run defense and earned a career-high 88.7 PFF overall grade, pending final reviews.

ADVANCED BOX SCORE