For a while on Thursday, the Washington Commanders It looked like they were headed to a decisive victory against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. However, a struggling offense was unable to take advantage of Philly’s multiple errors, and the Eagles came roaring back in the fourth quarter for a relatively comfortable 26-18 victory.

Washington’s defense ran out of gas in the second half. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley had 56 rushing yards in the first half, but that was on 15 carries. He gained every meter. Things were much different in the second half, as Barkley had no difficulty breaking through the Commanders defense.

After leading the NFC East for most of the season, Washington is now a game and a half behind the Eagles, who appear poised to win the division. The Commanders now get a few extra days of much-needed rest before heading home to host the Dallas Cowboys in Week 12.

Here are five takeaways from Washington’s loss to Philadelphia.

Dan Quinn’s decision for 4th down

I have never criticized a coach for being aggressive. Washington head coach Dan Quinn got aggressive midway through the fourth quarter, trailing 12-10, when he opted to go for it on fourth-and-2 from the 26-yard line. The commanders failed to convert, and it seemed like a bad decision because it was a bad decision. Quinn hasn’t done much this season, but there comes a point when you consider the circumstances of the game. Washington was struggling but ultimately had to build some solid momentum. Take the points. This would have given the commanders the advantage. Yes, kicker Zane Gonzalez had to succeed, but you take points, especially in this situation. That’s where the game ended.

If Washington had taken the lead, a Philadelphia touchdown wouldn’t have put the game out of reach. Even if the offense had struggled, they would have had a chance to win. That touchdown made it a two-score game. The Eagles quickly scored again after a Jayden Daniels interception, but the entire game changed on that call. Would Washington have won? Probably not, but you had a much better chance.

The last offensive

What the hell were the commanders doing on this last trip? They ran 15 plays for 70 yards to score a touchdown and a two-point conversion to make it a one-score game. The problem was that there were only 28 seconds left. The commanders looked like they were the team in front, trying to buy time. All season, Washington has played with pace, using the no-huddle to confuse defenses. What if the Commanders had scored two minutes from time? This would have given them a chance, with timeouts, to get the ball back to the offense with a chance. It was a really strange sequence and it made no sense from the coach’s point of view.

Jayden Daniels didn’t give them a chance

Jayden Daniels didn’t play well. It’s very good. He’s a rookie and there will be difficulties. Washington fans should rejoice that Daniels has already raised expectations just 11 weeks into his rookie season. He’s phenomenal. He has struggled in the last two games. He hasn’t been able to get going in the running game and his accuracy is poor. Through the first 10 weeks, Daniels’ accuracy was elite, but he struggled throughout the game against the Eagles. Yes, he was under great strain at times, but Daniels missed his shot even when he had time. In every game this season, you felt like the Commanders had a chance to win late thanks to Daniels. It was clear in the third quarter that Daniels was not on the field against Philadelphia. It seems the rib injury, or maybe something else, is bothering him more than he would admit.

Mike Sainristil is clearly Washington’s No. 1 cornerback

The Commanders had to play Mike Sainristil more at outside cornerback than they would have liked. It’s because of Emmanuel Forbes’ lack of progress. Sainristil delivers and played his best game against the Eagles. There were several times where Sainristil locked up AJ Brown. Yes, Brown caught five passes, but it wasn’t always Sainristil defending him. The Commanders are clearly happy with the former Michigan Wolverine, and he gives them options once Marshon Lattimore makes his debut. Heading into Thursday, most Washington fans feared what Brown and DeVonta Smith would do. Philadelphia’s wide receiver duo combined for 94 yards.

The talent disparity on full display

The Commanders played hard in the loss to the Eagles. Thursday’s loss wasn’t about effort, it was about talent. The Eagles have a talented roster, much more talented than Washington. It’s OK. Adam Peters is in the first year of a “recalibration,” while the Eagles have been good for years. It is remarkable that the commanders are so quickly where they are. Washington held its own against a healthy Eagles team in prime time and led much of the way. This upcoming offseason will allow Peters to continue to close that talent gap.

This article was originally published on Commanders Wire: 5 takeaways from the Commanders’ Week 11 loss to the Eagles