Jake Elliott had the worst game of his career on Thursday Night Football against the Washington Commanders. The Philadelphia Eagles kicker missed two field goals and a point after touchdown, which could have cost his team the game.
Ultimately, the Eagles won 26-18 thanks to two touchdowns from Saquon Barkley. The running back’s performance saved Elliott, as fans would have gone wild if Philadelphia had lost a pivotal NFC East matchup because of their kicker. Instead, they got the W and have now taken over the driver’s seat in the NFC East playoff picture.
Even after the win, some fans on social media made sure that the Eagles kicker knew how badly he played against the Commanders.
Eagles Fans Criticized Jake Elliott for Almost Losing the Game
Yes, the score ultimately ended up being a bit closer than it was in the reality thanks to a garbage-time touchdown from Jayden Daniels. However, the Eagles dominated the fourth quarter and it wasn’t even that close. Regardless, Eagles fans decided to take to social media to let Elliott know just how stressful he made their nights.
Jake Elliott you disgust me … game should be 33-10
— ً (@eagiesbetter) November 15, 2024
“Saquon Barkley just single-handedly saved his job,” said one fan.
“[General manager Howie Roseman] really chose to make Jake Elliott the highest-paid kicker under contract until 2028. Probably worst signing ever.” wrote another fan.
I think Jake Elliott might be looking for a new career come tomorrow
— Sam (@sammmidd) November 15, 2024
“Congratulations, Jake Elliott, on surpassing Nick Sirianni as the most hated Eagle this week,” added an Eagles fan.
Two missed FGs, and now an extra point — WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH JAKE ELLIOTT?? https://t.co/YaW9LpgmlA
— Dave Hamill (@cortisolic) November 15, 2024
Elliott signed a four-year, $24 million contract extension with the Eagles this past offseason. He is under contract until 2028, and even if the team had lost the game, the 29-year-old kicker would not have lost his job.
The Memphis product is usually a reliable player, but he just had one of those off nights in what is a down year for him. After his two misses against the Commanders, Elliott now has converted only 73.7% of his field goal attempts this year, which is much lower than his conversation rate of 93.8% from last year.
It was good to see Sirianni cheering up Elliott on the sidelines. Hopefully, he’ll get things right in the coming weeks, as the Eagles might have to rely on him to win some big games further into the season.
Eagles Have Won 6 Straight Games
With the comeback win over the Commanders, the Eagles have improved to 8-2 and have a two-game lead at the top of the NFC East. Pro Football Network’s Playoff Predictor gives the Eagles a whopping 96.6% chance of making the playoffs, and with this win, they now have a nearly 75% to win their division.
The Eagles have now won six straight games since their bye week and have brushed aside all the criticism that they received earlier in the season. With a 5.6% chance, there are only five teams in PFN’s metrics that currently have a better chance of winning the Super Bowl.
One thing that is clear, this Eagles team will go as far as potential Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley takes them. Tonight, he rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries and also had two receptions for 52 yards. He has now rushed for 1,137 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games this season, averaging 5.8 yards per carry.
The Eagles’ defense is getting better every week, and they limited Washington’s star receiver, Terry McLaurin, to just one reception for 10 yards.
Philadelphia now has a mini bye, and they’ll have enough time to prepare for their Week 12 matchup, where they will travel to the West Coast to play against the Los Angeles Rams. Elliott will have enough time to get in the right mindset and rectify the errors that he committed against the Commanders.
A win against the Rams will further solidify their status as arguably the biggest threat to the Detroit Lions in the NFC and move Hurts further up in the MVP conversations.