NFL Week 16 picks include Chargers, Eagles, Panthers
Lorenzo Reyes explained why he chose the two underdogs from Sunday’s match.
Three players were ejected after a skirmish broke out late in the fourth quarter of the Philadelphia Eagles’ Week 16 game against the Washington Commanders.
The scuffle occurred after Saquon Barkley converted a two-point conversion to give the Eagles a 29-10 lead. Several players from both teams began a scrap after the play, and Commanders defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw attacked an Eagles player.
Moments later, Eagles right guard Tyler Steen took a few swings at command safety Quan Martin as a cascade of flags rained down on the field.
Below is the full story of the skirmish.
The game resulted in Kinlaw, Martin, and Steen having their personal foul penalties offset. All three players were also ejected with 4 minutes and 26 seconds left in regulation.
It was not immediately clear what sparked the scuffle. But what’s notable is that after Tank Bigsby scored a touchdown to give his team a 27-10 lead, the Eagles still decided to try a two-point conversion even though they led by three points.
Nick Sirianni explained his decision to go for two in his postgame press conference.
“We were up by 17 points,” Sirianni said, according to a reporter for The Athletic. “To get up to 18 points, we did the math and wanted to make sure we got up to 19 points. We thought it was a little better. Then they could only tie it with a field goal…two touchdowns and two two-point conversions.”
“We were already three scores ahead,” he added. “We wanted to make sure we were going in that direction just in case. In that particular case, that’s what our calculations told us and that’s what we did and we went ahead with it.”
Commanders coach Dan Quinn was also asked about Sirianni’s decision. He didn’t seem to care much about it.
“That’s the guy they picked,” Quinn said. “I want to watch the tape and see what happened before the ejections and lulls and things like that. Our guys are definitely going to hang in there for themselves and their teammates, so we’ll get a better feel as we get through it.”
“If they want to do that, that’s fine,” Quinn later added. “We’ll play again in two weeks.”
Veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner echoed similar sentiments when asked about his play after the game.
“That’s what it is, brother. I don’t care,” Wagner told reporters in the locker room. “Is that rude? Maybe so. But we still have to stop them. That’s the way I see it. We have to stop them. And we’ll see them in a few weeks.”
