Commanders' loss to Eagles hurts a little more after latest playoff update

The Washington Commanders (7-4) came into Thursday night's game with a chance to retake the NFC East, but they just couldn't get the job done against the Philadelphia Eagles (8-2). 

The Eagles defense held Jayden Daniels and co. in check and while the Commanders defense held its own for the most game, the levees broke in the fourth quarter as Saquon Barkley ran for two touchdowns of 23+ yards.

It wasn't just Barkley who pulled away from the Commanders on Thursday night, the Eagles did, as a whole, via the NFC playoff picture. Coming into the night, a win would've put Washington back on top of the division, but Philadelphia now has a 1.5-game lead in the grand scheme of things.

Per ESPN's metrics, the Commanders had a 90% chance of making the playoffs, along with a 36% chance of winning the NFC East and a 7% chance of claiming the NFC's No. 1 seed before kickoff. The Eagles' respective chances were 95%, 64%, and 14%. Washington had a 9% chance of making the Super Bowl, whereas the Eagles were at 16%.

Per NFL.com, the Commanders' chance of making the playoffs was at 85% before the game. It's still at 81% even with a loss, but the chances of making the playoffs would've jumped to 95% with a win.

The team is still in great shape to make the dance, but winning the division obviously just got a lot harder, which is not what you want to see or hear after playing a rival on national television.

But with a mini-bye coming up and then a full bye week in-between games against the Cowboys, Titans, and Saints, it helps the disappointing loss and the sting that comes from the Eagles knocking the Commanders down a peg.