The Washington Commanders wrapped up their 2026 season with a 24-17 road victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Here are five takeaways from the finale.
1. Another solid game from Josh Johnson.
Johnson didn’t set any records in his second start of the season, but he did enough to keep the Commanders’ offense moving and win the game. It marks the second time that Johnson played well in place of primary backup Marcus Mariota, completing 14 of his 22 pass attempts for 131 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also added nine carries for 45 yards, including what ended up being the game-winning score in the fourth quarter.
It was Johnson’s first win as a starter since the 2018 season.
“It’s unexplainable, man,” Johnson said after the game. “I know to the rest of the world, this might not mean nothing, but just the journey I’ve been on, the last time I was in this building, I thought my career was over and to just go out here and win today, not just win, but…for us to come together in [unison], get this win, I think it was a great one. I think that’s the best thing I can say.”
Similar to his performance against the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Day, Johnson looked comfortable leading the offense. With the Commanders down 7-0, Johnson hit Terry McLaurin for a 25-yard gain on third-and-7. He later drew pass interference calls that helped move the offense to the Eagles’ 1-yard line and set up the eventual touchdown from Chris Rodriguez Jr. In the second half, he scrambled to convert a third-and-7 and later decided to keep the ball himself and run in the game-winning score.
Johnson has had one of the most interesting NFL careers because of all the teams he’s played for. Sunday’s game was an example of why he can still find a job at 39 years old.