Divisional games are always going to have an extra layer of intensity, but the Washington Commanders (7-3) have more motivation than usual heading into this week’s NFC East matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles (7-2).

“This was a hard loss, no doubt about it,” Dan Quinn told reporters Monday. “And the response is what was so important. So, what I saw on the field last night, towards the end, in the locker room, of guys talking to one another – they were mad. That’s what I honestly wanted to see [regarding] these missed opportunities to say, ‘How do we make sure that doesn’t happen again?’ “… I thought that was a good sign to know that, yeah, they’re mad and like this game, getting here this week can’t get here quick enough. So every once in a while, that short week’s not such a bad thing. We’ll be on a plane by Wednesday and get to go battle again in a really tough, good environment, against an excellent team…

“… This team is itching to play. I can promise you that. You have that taste where you’re just mad.”

Obviously, the reason why the Commanders are so mad is because of all the missed opportunities they experienced during Week 10’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Commanders lost by a single point and there were plenty of instances where the end result could’ve been much different if they simply executed in those moments. And of course, there’s the infamously controversial 4th and 9 catch by Zach Ertz that was called short of the sticks. Washington is still awaiting word from the NFL on whether or not it was the right call, per Quinn.

“For sure, yeah. I mean, anybody will say when we watch the film [that] we missed some opportunities,” Commanders star quarterback Jayden Daniels told reporters after the Steelers loss. “So, it was, for sure, something that we left out on the field, but there’s nothing we can do about it now. We’ll just move onto the next [game] and get better…

“… The little things always add up. Everybody sees just the one big thing and [the] one big play, but it’s the little things that add up. How we could’ve executed the drive before maybe, you know, we didn’t kick a field goal, and in that second half we go down and score [it’d] be a different game. So there’s always little things that always add up to the game.”

The Commanders are certainly planning on redeeming themselves when Thursday Night Football kicks off and it’s easy to see why. Not only do they want to get back into the win column, it’s just who they are as a team.”That identity is coming through,” said Quinn. “I thought they played with a lot of toughness, that brotherhood was on display in the way they supported one another. Literally, as we’ve talked about: this team is tough and I’d take them against anybody, anywhere, anytime.”That’s the mindset we have as a group. And I know they’ll be ready to fight. It’s kind of who we are and how we get down. So that part, I know we’ll be ready.”

Playoff implications are on the line, as well

Getting back on track is a big part of why the Commanders are amped up for this game, but there are big playoff implications involved, as well.

If the Commanders win, they’ll retake first place in the NFC East and the NFC’s No. 2 seed based off of winning percentage, alone. There’s a whirlwind of circumstances heading into Thursday, which should make for a great game.