The Washington Commanders have fired offensive coordinator Scott Turner.

Turner had been in the role since 2020, when Ron Rivera, whom he had worked under during two spells with the Carolina Panthers, was named head coach.

They helped Washington reach the playoffs in 2020, but did so with a losing record. The subsequent two seasons have also failed to produced winning records.

Washington went 8-8-1 in 2022, a season that could prove to be controversial owner Dan Snyder's last with the franchise. The Commanders announced in November that Dan and Tanya Snyder were exploring a sale of the team.

A potential change in ownership may buy Rivera more time for the sake of stability, but Turner has paid the price for a season in which Washington's offense struggled for efficiency.

The Commanders averaged 4.93 yards per play in 2022, putting them 28th in the NFL, as they were again hamstrung by a lack of a definitive answer at the quarterback position. Carson Wentz, Taylor Heinicke and Sam Howell all started at least one game under center for Washington.

"I met with Coach Turner today and informed him that we will be moving in another direction going forward with the offensive coordinator position," Rivera said in a statement.

"Unfortunately, we did not live up to the expectations and standard that I expected to see from our offensive unit.

"I felt it was best for a fresh start at the coordinator position heading into next year.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Scott and thanked him for his three years of service to our organisation. I wish Scott and his family all the best in the future."

The Washington Commanders will start rookie Sam Howell for their regular-season finale against the Dallas Cowboys having been eliminated from postseason contention.

Commanders head coach Ron Rivera confirmed the decision on Wednesday as they re-shuffle the QB deck for one final time.

Rivera swapped Taylor Heinicke for Carson Wentz at QB for last week's 24-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns, which ended the Commanders' playoffs hopes.

Wentz, in his first start after almost two months out with a fractured finger, completed 16 of 28 passes for 143 yards with three interceptions.

"I think first, initially, is obviously, it would be his first start, and it would become a little bit of a circus, having to deal with all of the things that come with being a starter, but also, you look at the opponent, and who you're playing and what they're playing for," Rivera told reporters.

"Going with Taylor would have given us an opportunity to see what they're doing, how they're doing it and would have given Sam a chance to look at it if we had gone with Taylor.

"At the end of the day, at some point, if Sam ever gets an opportunity to be a starter, this would be the chance. Why not get it over with now and go from there?

"The most important thing is that we're really intrigued in terms of watching and seeing what Sam can do as a quarterback in this league."

Wentz, 30, has two years remaining on his Washington contract, having joined via trade last offseason from the Indianapolis Colts.

For most fantasy leagues, Week 17 brings the end of the campaign.

The number of players traditionally held out of action to protect against injury in the raft of games with no playoff implications in Week 18 means it is too risky to hold fantasy championships on the final week of the regular season.

Hence, most fantasy title games will take place this week, and those involved may spend the days prior to the upcoming kick-offs agonising over which players to put in their line-up.

Often players who appeared unlikely fantasy stars at the start of the year emerge as league winners, and here Stats Perform picks out four such players and a defense whose contributions could decide the destination of fantasy titles. 

Quarterback: Justin Fields, Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions

The dynamism Fields brings as a runner always gave him potential fantasy upside and he has harnessed that spectacularly in 2022. Fields had been a top-10 fantasy quarterback every week since Week 6 before he was held in check by the Buffalo Bills last Saturday.

While the Lions are in the mix for a playoff spot, their defense, which gave up an astonishing 320 rushing yards to the Carolina Panthers last week, is not well-equipped to slow down Fields, who should be expected to bounce back and deliver a championship-game tilting display.

Running Back: Brian Robinson Jr, Washington Commanders vs. Cleveland Browns

Robinson was frustrated by the San Francisco 49ers' outstanding defense last time out, but he is unlikely to meet much resistance from a Cleveland defense that is allowing the seventh-most yards per rush (4.87) in the NFL.

Between Weeks 12 and 15, only Miles Sanders (5.98) averaged more yards per carry than Robinson (5.69) among running backs. He hit a large speed bump in the Bay Area but, back in the friendly confines of FedEx Field against an opponent already eliminated from playoff contention, Robinson is in a good position to get back on track in a must-win game for the Commanders.

Wide Receiver: Garrett Wilson, New York Jets @ Seattle Seahawks

Wilson's production was submarined by the struggles of namesake Zach Wilson against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week.

In a game the Jets cannot afford to lose, they will have Mike White back at quarterback in Seattle, setting Wilson up for a bounce-back game against an opposing defense that is very amenable to passing attacks.

Since Week 12, Wilson has racked up 24 receptions for a first down, tied for the third-most in the NFL. The Seahawks have allowed the seventh-most passing plays of at least 20 yards (49) and, despite possessing some talented rookie cornerbacks, do not have the means to stop White and Wilson rekindling their rapport.

Tight End: Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans

Engram received one of the more modest deals during the Jaguars' free agency splurge, but his signing has paid dividends over the last three games, in which only two players – Justin Jefferson and A.J. Brown – can claim to have tallied more receiving yards than his 337.

The Texans are playing hard down the stretch and claimed only their second win of the season in Tennessee last weekend, but their defense is still the 10th-worst by yards per pass play allowed. Look for Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence to take advantage with an aerial attack that will heavily involve Engram.

Defense/Special Teams: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos

Despite being very inexperienced in the secondary, the Chiefs' defense sits an impressive 11th in the NFL by yards per play and, as Kansas City look to keep pace with the Buffalo Bills in the race for the one seed in the AFC, gets a favourable matchup with Denver's dismal offense.

The Broncos' 33.9 per cent Success Rate on offensive plays is the worst in the NFL and a Chiefs defense that has forced the third-most negative plays (103) in the league should relish going against Denver's beleaguered attack.

The Washington Commanders are benching Taylor Heinicke and returning to Carson Wentz as their starting quarterback for the Week 17 game with the Cleveland Browns.

At 7-7-1, the Commanders still occupy the final Wild Card place in the NFC playoff race, with other results going in their favour in Week 16, which saw Washington brushed aside 37-20 by the San Francisco 49ers.

That was only Heinicke's third defeat in nine starts this season after a finger injury to Wentz saw him take the helm of the offense in Week 7. However, it followed disappointing outcomes in back-to-back games with the New York Giants in which they played to a tie on the road before losing in contentious fashion at home.

Heinicke lost a fumble and was intercepted as he was limited to 166 yards passing on 13 completions by San Francisco, though he did throw two touchdowns, before being replaced by Wentz in the fourth quarter.

Wentz went 12 of 16 for 123 yards and a touchdown after coming into the game and, according to multiple reports, will reassume the position of starter for a potentially decisive clash at FedEx Field.

Wentz, whom the Commanders acquired in an offseason trade with the Indianapolis Colts, is 2-4 as a starter this season.

The Commanders will clinch a playoff berth for the second time in three seasons if they beat the Browns and the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers all suffer defeats in Week 17.

Wentz has delivered an accurate, well-thrown ball on 75.6 per cent of his pass attempts this season, below the NFL average of 81.1 per cent. However, Heinicke's pickable pass rate of 7.82 per cent is the worst among quarterbacks with at least 100 passes in 2022.

The Commanders will hope Wentz can take better care of the football than his team-mate and put a Commanders team with plenty of talent on both sides of the ball in position to reach the postseason.

The New York Giants have taken the advantage in the NFC Wild Card race with a stubborn 20-12 victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

The Commanders pushed hard in the final quarter, getting inside the Giants' 10 with their last two drives but failed to score on either, with the visitors' defense repelling quarterback Taylor Heinicke's best efforts at FedExField.

The Giants scored both of their touchdowns in the second quarter, with Kayvon Thibodeaux stripping Heinicke and scoring on a fumble recovery, before Daniel Jones linked up with Richie James on a drive, setting up Saquon Barkley's rushing TD.

Washington rallied from the 14-3 half-time deficit, with Heinicke lifting his output, finding rookie Jahan Dotson for his sixth touchdown of the season. Dotson had four receptions for 105 yards, including a brilliant fourth-quarter 61-yard catch.

Brian Robinson, who gained 89 yards from 12 carries, ran Washington into the redzone on the next play, but Heinicke turned the ball over when sacked by Dexter Lawrence, with Leonard Williams making the recovery.

Graham Gano extended the Giants' lead to eight points with a 50-yard field goal, before Heinicke drove Washington forward again, coming closest when Robinson's touchdown was erased due to a penalty for an illegal formation. Heinicke followed that up with two incomplete passes.

Heinicke completed 17 of 29 passes for 249 yards with one touchdown with 33 rushing yards, while Giants counterpart Jones threw 21 of 32 passes for 160 yards and 35 rushing yards. Barkley gained 87 yards on 18 carries.

The win means the Giants improve their record to 8-5-1 ahead of the Commanders (7-6-1) in the NFC East, with a tiebreak victory too. The result means the Dallas Cowboys have qualified for the playoffs.

Some leagues may have started playoffs last week, but with the arrival of Week 15 in the NFL, the fantasy postseason is now firmly in full swing.

The playoffs are a time when you need your star players to deliver, but that is not always possible.

Injuries or bad matchups can put stars in disadvantageous situations, and often fantasy managers are left needing to rely on lesser lights to help them secure glory.

Ahead of the start of a week in which several NFL teams will look to punch their postseason ticket, Stats Perform has picked out four somewhat under-the-radar players, and a defense, who are in a position to help fantasy managers enjoy playoff success.

Quarterback: Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings vs. Indianapolis Colts

The Vikings aren't exactly a sleeper team at 10-3, but as they lost to the Detroit Lions last week, you may have missed that their quarterback had an exceptional statistical game.

Cousins completed 75.6 per cent of his passes (31 of 41) for 425 yards and two touchdowns.

Indianapolis possess a stout defense, but the Colts will provide opposing offenses with opportunities. The Colts' opponents have had 148 drives, tied for the fifth-most in the league. Cousins might have to work harder this week, but the chances for him to have a decisive impact in the fantasy playoffs will certainly come. 

Running Back: Jordan Mason, San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks

Yes, it's very much Christian McCaffrey's backfield in San Francisco, but on a short week having already lost Deebo Samuel for much of the stretch run due to a high-ankle sprain and an MCL sprain, the 49ers are likely to share the load a little more as they seek to clinch the NFC West title.

Mason will be the man to get the lion's share of carries that are not given to McCaffrey. He had 56 yards on 11 carries in San Francisco's dominant win over Tampa Bay in Week 14 and is averaging 5.5 yards per carry over the last three games, including five rushes of at least 10 yards.

If you are in the playoffs but in a bind at running back, Mason is an intriguing option against a Seahawks defense that has allowed 677 rushing yards over its last three games.

Wide Receiver: Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Dallas Cowboys

The Jaguars remain in with a shot, albeit a small one, of reaching the postseason, with quarterback Trevor Lawrence showing continued signs of developing into the quarterback many have believed he could become since high school.

Eyebrows were raised in the offseason when the Jaguars handed a lucrative contract to Jones, but he has become a favourite target of Lawrence in recent weeks.

Over his last four games, Jones has 43 targets, tied for the sixth-most in the NFL since Week 10. In that span, he has two eight-catch games and an 11-reception performance. He went for 77 yards and a touchdown in last week's win over the Tennessee Titans, two weeks on from a 145-yard effort against the Baltimore Ravens. Against a Dallas defense that struggled to contain the Houston Texans last week, Jones is an extremely strong points per reception play.

Tight End: Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans @ Los Angeles Chargers

Finding a reliable fantasy tight end can be difficult at any point of the year, but it is key for fantasy managers hoping to prevail in the playoffs.

Okonkwo is enjoying an increasingly prominent role in the Titans' passing attack and has 10 receptions on 11 targets for 113 yards and a touchdown over his last two games.

The Chargers kept the Miami Dolphins in check last week, but they are still very susceptible to the pass, and Okonkwo is likely to be a weapon the Titans look to as they aim to exploit that vulnerability.

Defense/Special Teams: Washington Commanders vs. New York Giants

The Commanders have flown under most people's radars this season but are in position to sneak into the playoffs in part thanks to an impressive defense.

Washington's defense ranks tied third in the NFL by success rate allowed and, in a critical matchup with their NFC East rivals in primetime, faces a New York offense that over the last three weeks has averaged just 5.6 yards per pass play (sixth-worst) and 3.8 yards per rush (ninth-worst). If you have the Commanders' defense or are in a position to acquire it, do so.

The Minnesota Vikings took another big stride towards the playoffs with a 27-22 victory over the New York Jets, courtesy of fine showing in the second quarter.

All square with a field goal each in the first quarter, the Vikings hit boiling point to score 17 points without return to enter the half with a commanding lead.

A rushing touchdown each from Dalvin Cook, his eighth of the year, and Alexander Mattison left the Jets needing a response from the third quarter in order to maintain hope for their own postseason push.

The Jets did exactly that, scoring 12 unanswered points, all from the boot of Greg Zuerlein, to claw their way back into the game – Mike White then scoring a touchdown in the fourth on the Jets' immediate possession after Justin Jefferson added further gloss to the Vikings advantage.

It was not to be though, as Braxton Barrios dropped a pass in the endzone for the Jets, before White's last-ditch throw on the final possession was picked off at the goal line by Camryn Bynum to clinch a tenth win of the season for Minnesota.

However, with the Detroit Lions 40-14 victors against the Jaguars, the Vikings did not get the favour they needed from Jacksonville and will have to wait to cement their postseason spot.

Packers lead the way

The Green Bay Packers scored 17 straight fourth-quarter points, as well as a blocked field goal and two interceptions, on their way to a comeback victory against the Chicago Bears – which created NFL history.

Trailing 10-0 and 16-3 in the first half, Aaron Rodgers' side fought back to seal a 28-19 win and became the NFL's all-time winningest franchise, taking their franchise total to 787.

Honours even between Commanders and Giants

The divisional rivalry between the Washington Commanders and New York Giants went all the way into overtime, after Taylor Heinicke's 28-yard touchdown pass to Jahan Dotson levelled the score at 20-20 to end the fourth quarter.

Neither side managed to get the score they needed to secure what would have been a valuable win for the playoff charge, resulting in the first tie between the two franchises since 1997 and only the fifth all-time.

With just six weeks left of the regular season schedule, the drama in the NFL continues to ramp up.

The playoff picture is wide open and Week 13 action presents clashes between a number of sides who each boast a winning record this season.

Victories this week would provide a considerable boost for those teams' hopes of continuing beyond the regular campaign.

A huge divisional rivalry between the Washington Commanders and New York Giants is the pick of the action, while there is also a rematch from last season's AFC Championship game with the Kansas City Chiefs seeking redemption against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Stats Perform has delved into the numbers for those matchups along with some of Sunday's other big games.

New York Jets (7-4) @ Minnesota Vikings (9-2)

The Jets head to Minnesota with an 8-3 record against the Vikings, though have lost the last two meetings – including a 37-17 loss in the last meeting in 2018, which marked the most ever points scored by the Vikings in this series.

Defensive strength has been key for the Jets this season, with last week's 31-10 victory over the Chicago Bears being the fourth time this year where they have held their opponents to 10 or fewer points – the last time they had such a sequence was five games in 2010, which was also their last season with a trip to the playoffs.

The Jets defense will be tested against the Vikings' aerial threat, however, with Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen each catching touchdown passes in the Thanksgiving win over the New England Patriots – the ninth time each player has had a receiving TD in the same game, which marks the most of any NFL teammates since Jefferson's 2020 debut.

A win against the Jets would see head coach Kevin O'Connell join Jim Caldwell and Jim Harbaugh as the only men this century to earn 10 wins in 12 or fewer games to start their career as an NFL head coach.

Washington Commanders (7-5) @ New York Giants (7-4)

A series sweep for Washington last season was the franchise's first against the Giants since 2011, leaving the Commanders looking for their first win streak of at least three games against New York since a four-game streak that ended in 2000.

Four consecutive wins on the road have seen Washington hold their opponents to 54 points total in those contests, marking the first time they have won four straight road games while allowing fewer than 60 points since 2001.

The Giants head into the contest having lost their last five against divisional opponents, standing just 1-7 in that regard over the past two seasons. That makes them just one of two teams without multiple wins in divisional games over that span (also Denver Broncos, 1-8).

Saquon Barkley remains the biggest threat for the Giants and sits just eight rushing yards short of his third 1000-yard season, where he would join Tiki Barber (6), Rodney Hampton (5) and Joe Morris (3) as the only Giants with at least three such seasons for the team.

Tennessee Titans (7-4) @ Philadelphia Eagles (10-1)

Philadelphia host the Titans on the back of a six-game winning run against AFC opponents dating back to last season, matching the Eagles' longest such streak in franchise history.

Last time out against the Green Bay Packers, the Eagles scored a touchdown in four of their five trips to the red zone – with Philadelphia leading the NFL in touchdown efficiency in the red zone this season, scoring in 29 of 40 trips (72.5 per cent).

Tennessee, meanwhile, have rushed for fewer than 100 yards in each of their last three games, matching their longest streak since Mike Vrabel became head coach in 2018.

In the 20-16 loss to the Bengals last time out, Derrick Henry fumbled but was it was recovered. Of the 39 players with at least 200 offensive touches since the beginning of last season, Henry, Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey are the only three to have not lost a fumble.

Kansas City Chiefs (9-2) @ Cincinnati Bengals (7-4)

Two meetings last season saw the Bengals win by three points in both contests, including in the AFC Championship game in Kansas City, with the Chiefs' last road win against the Bengals coming in 1984 – losing six straight since.

A 26-10 home victory against the Los Angeles Rams last week saw Travis Kelce catch his 12th touchdown pass of the season, with no other tight end having more than five this term. The largest all-time gap between a league leader and second place stands at six (Rob Gronkowski in 2011 and Antonio Gates in 2004).

The Bengals overcame the Titans 20-16 on the road last week, giving Cincinnati their first three-game winning streak of the season. Since 2018, they stand 3-34 when scoring 20 or fewer points in a game, but two of those wins have come against Tennessee.

Cincinnati have converted 78.1 per cent (25-for-32) of their third downs this season when needing fewer than four yards, the best mark in the league. However, they've also allowed opponents to convert such third downs at a 76.5 per cent rate (26-for-34), the worst record in the league.

Elsewhere…

The Miami Dolphins head to San Francisco with a 4-3 record on the road against the 49ers, the second-best such record by any team behind the Carolina Panthers (7-4).

The Los Angeles Rams host the Seattle Seahawks having won eight of the last 10 clashes between the two divisional rivals, with Seattle's last victory on the road in this matchup coming in Week 5, 2017.

An overtime victory over the Seahawks last week was the second in a row for the Las Vegas Raiders, having beaten the Denver Broncos in OT in Week 11. No NFL team has ever won three consecutive games in overtime going into the Raiders' latest battle with the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Dallas Cowboys host the Indianapolis Colts on the back of a four-game spell with at least 400 net yards, with only one longer streak in team history – running eight games in that regard in 2016.

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll wants his team to relish the opportunity to end their playoff drought ahead of a crucial December, despite back-to-back losses.

The rookie boss has taken his unfancied side to a 7-4 record this term, winning six of his first seven matches in charge after arriving from the Buffalo Bills backroom to succeed Joe Judge.

However, consecutive defeats to the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys have checked momentum to stall hopes of both a first regular-season winning record and a playoff spot since 2016.

But Daboll believes his side can turn things around ahead of a vital four-game run that will see them pitted against key rivals the Washington Commanders twice over the next month.

"When you play meaningful games in December, I think that's why we all do this," he said. 

"I've been on teams that have played meaningful games in December, and I've been part of teams that haven't.

"It's not a lot of fun when you're not playing meaningful games. So, let's come to work with a great attitude, a positive mindset [and] keep getting better."

The Giants' sterling start to the campaign has been slowed in recent weeks, with Daboll's side off the pace of their earlier exploits, while a torn ACL looks to have ended wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson's season.

But their coach feels they are showing a steady approach, win or lose, adding: "I think the way they're handling winning [is how they handle losing]. They're consistent.

"We've all been in this league a long time. The last time that you haven't faced adversity will be the first time. You're going to face it. Week 1, Week 5, Week 10. The approach is to be consistent."

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera made it clear he will not be moving away from Taylor Heinicke as starting quarterback, ending a potential debate before it even began.

A 23-10 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday moved the Commanders to 6-5 for the season, though they remain bottom of the NFC East behind the Philadelphia Eagles (9-1), Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants (both 7-3).

After beginning the season 3-4, a significant improvement in the past five games (4-1) has seen Rivera's side claw their way back into playoff contention following the switch to Heinicke as a starter.

Carson Wentz continues to be a topic of conversation, though Rivera sees no need for another switch.

"We're going to go with Taylor," he said, then merely replying "winning" when quizzed as to why.

"He doesn't need to play well. He just needs to play. We just need to continue to do the things we're doing.

"I'm not looking to pull anybody. This is not a competition as far as a controversy. That's the last thing on my mind. That's why we talked about doing it one game at a time."

On his side of things, Heinicke is keen to take things on a game by game basis and enjoy the role as a starter for as long as it may last.

"I take every opportunity I can get and have fun with it. Something may change in two weeks and [Wentz is] back in there. Who knows?" He said post game.

"But this week I'll have fun with it, go out there and hopefully get a win. I feel I play my best doing that."

The Commanders have another winnable game against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 12, then face division rivals the Giants before a bye in Week 14.

The Washington Commanders are placing running back JD McKissic on injured reserve due to a neck injury that rules him out for the remainder of the season.

In his third year in Washington, McKissic has seen his season draw to a premature close due to a neck problem for the second campaign in a row, NFL Network reported.

While not starting a match this season, McKissic has appeared eight times and secured 268 scrimmage yards – 95 on the ground and 173 from receiving.

The former Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions man has missed the last three weeks due to the injury, including the surprise win against the previously unbeaten Philadelphia Eagles in Week 10.

Another win is expected for the currently 5-5 Commanders this week against the 1-7-1 Houston Texans.

The Commanders currently sit outside of the playoff places but remain in the hunt as they look to feature in the postseason for only the second time since 2016.

Fresh off one of their biggest wins in recent memory, the Washington Commanders are expected to activate star defensive end Chase Young from the physically unable to perform list before Sunday’s matchup against the Houston Texans. 

Young tore his ACL and MCL in Week 14 of last season and returned to practice on November 2, giving the Commanders 21 days to activate him. He was not brought onto the active roster for either of the team’s previous two games, but he is likely to make his season debut in some capacity Sunday. 

"We won’t play him unless we feel he’s ready to roll," Washington coach Ron Rivera said Saturday. "There are some things he’s not comfortable doing… you can see his frustration because he wants it to happen now."

There was hope that Young would be ready to play Monday at Philadelphia, but he still wasn’t doing everything at full speed. The Commanders ended the Eagles' unbeaten season with a surprising 32-21 victory even without him.  

That gave Washington four wins in five games and left them at 5-5, squarely in the wild card race in the NFC.  

Young was the second overall pick in the 2020 draft and was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year after he had 7.5 sacks, 44 tackles, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown.  

He wasn’t nearly as effective last season, with 1.5 sacks and 26 tackles in nine games before the season-ending injury. 

Ron Rivera hailed the unity of his Washington Commanders players after they handed the Philadelphia Eagles their first loss of the season following a turbulent week.

The Commanders stunned the NFL's only remaining unbeaten team, claiming a 32-21 win at Lincoln Financial Field.

Washington dominated the game on the ground, finishing with 157 rushing yards as they controlled the clock, holding the ball for more than 40 minutes and limiting the Eagles to under 20 minutes of possession.

"We found that one of the best ways to slow [Eagles quarterback] Jalen Hurts down is to keep him off the field," Rivera said.

Rivera was emotional after the win, which came just weeks after the death of his mother.

It also came amid more controversy surrounding the team's ownership.

Last week, the attorney general for Washington, D.C. announced he had filed a civil lawsuit against the Commanders, owner Daniel Snyder, the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell for allegedly colluding to deceive fans and district residents over the NFL's investigation into the franchise's toxic workplace culture and allegations of sexual assault.

The Commanders then received widespread criticism for responding to the attorney general with a statement referencing the shooting of running back Brian Robinson Jr. in an attempted robbery in August.

Robinson has since returned to the field after recovering from his injuries, and it was he who played a leading role in the win over the Eagles.

The rookie rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown as the Commanders made it four wins in their last five.

"In a situation like this, I've always thought that we've got the kind of guys in that locker room that can do things, and we're starting to see it come together," added Rivera.

"It meant a lot because the guys were able to stay focused. It resonates with these guys, the hard work is beginning to pay off.

"Coming into this game we felt we had an opportunity. We told the guys don't worry what's going on out there, just stay focused on what's important; I'll handle all the interesting stuff. They did that. We went into it with the attitude, 'Don't be surprised.'"

Plenty may be surprised to see the Commanders firmly in the playoff mix at 5-5, but Rivera is keen for his team not to get ahead of themselves.

He explained: "We can't just sit back and say we've arrived, because we have not arrived."

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni stressed that Monday's 32-21 loss to the Washington Commanders will only turn them into a better football team, despite having their run defense exploited in an eye-opening first loss of the season.

The Commanders came in with a clear game plan to limit the undefeated Eagles' time of possession, favouring long, grinding drives leaning heavily on their running game.

It led to Washington carrying the ball 49 times – one carry away from the season-high of 50 set by the Eagles in their Week 4 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

That in turn gave the Commanders over 40 minutes of possession, while the Eagles had less than 20 minutes.

Despite their lack of possession, the Eagles pulled the margin back to 23-21 in the fourth quarter, but gave up three fumbles down the stretch to torpedo their own chances of a comeback.

The cracks shown in the Eagles' run defense come at a bad time, with upcoming fixtures against elite running backs Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts, Aaron Jones of the Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans superstar Derrick Henry.

Sirianni said right now all of his focus is on Taylor with the Colts coming up in Week 11, and that he knows his team will have to show they can stop the run to avoid being attacked in that fashion.

"I'm only worried about Jonathan Taylor at this point," he said. 

"Obviously we'll have to go look at this tape and see what went down in this game, knowing that when you show you can be attacked in a certain place, we're going to see it again.

"We'll work like crazy to get it fixed, and we understand that will be the narrative of how to beat us. We've got to own that, we've got to fix it, and we will." 

Sirianni refused to blame a crucial missed penalty by the referees in the fourth quarter, resulting in a fumble, saying his team needs to accept responsibility for their first loss.

"[The refereeing] is not at all what lost us the game," he said. "That's pretty simple, the three turnovers lost us the game, the time of possession loses you the game, we lost it together. 

"Offense, defense, special teams, coaching – we lost it together. We've got to protect the ball better. We didn't do a good job of that all game, we were loose with that football, it came out, and they got it.

"I give them a lot of credit, I think that's a good football team and I have a lot of respect for coach [Ron] Rivera. So I don't like to ever say we lost it, they played and they played well.

"But we know that we made mistakes, we made uncharacteristic mistakes, so it's both. We give them all the credit, but we did not play our type of game, we made mistakes, we had penalties, we had uncharacteristic fumbles, we threw an interception.

"We [as coaches] didn't do a good enough job, there's some things we want back as calls, I didn't do a good enough job coaching this week… that loses you football games in this league."

Sirianni finished by adding: "We started 8-0 together, we lost this game together, we're going to move on together. We'll get better from this."

The Washington Commanders were unstoppable on the ground all game to inflict the first loss of the Philadelphia Eagles' season, leaving Lincoln Financial Field with a 32-21 victory.

Knowing they were likely outmatched in a shootout, the Commanders came in with the strategy to keep possession for as long as possible, limiting the Eagles' chances to score.

Things looked headed for the Eagles' ninth consecutive win to start the season after Commanders quarterback Taylor Heinicke lost a fumble on the first drive due to Josh Sweat's strip-sack, leading to a quick Jalen Hurts rushing touchdown to put the hosts up 7-0.

Washington's ensuing drives would span 13 plays and over seven minutes, 12 plays and over six minutes, before scoring their second touchdown of the first half to cap a 16-play, seven-minute march downfield to lead 20-14 at halftime.

Commanders running backs Brian Robinson Jr and Antonio Gibson scored the first-half touchdowns, and they were key on another 14-play, eight-minute drive to open the third quarter, resulting in a field goal.

A Devonta Smith touchdown early in the fourth quarter cut the lead to 23-21, and a late Heinicke interception gave the Eagles a chance to mount a late comeback, but they would lose two fumbles down the stretch before their Hail Mary attempt with five seconds left resulted in a third fumble and a defensive touchdown.

The Commanders ran the ball 49 times for 152 yards – the second most rushing attempts in a single game this season, trailing only the Eagles in their Week 4 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It resulted in Washington having 40 minutes and 24 seconds of ball control time, while the Eagles possessed it for just 19 minutes and 36 seconds.

The win pulls the Commanders to an even 5-5 record, while the Eagles have their first blemish, now 8-1.