I see your point but don’t agree that it makes sense to read “eat the Passover” as anything other than the special meal of Lamb eaten in a special way.
John 18:28
Jesus before Pilate
Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate’s headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover.