The Commanders vs Eagles Week 1 tilt delivered a hard-fought battle in Philadelphia. Washington fell 24-22 but left Lincoln Financial Field with reasons for optimism.
Many starters saw their first live action of the season. They competed hard against a strong Eagles squad. The defense generated pressure and forced multiple three-and-outs.
Offense
The offense started slowly but found rhythm in the fourth quarter. It was pretty predictable given their preseason.
Jayden Daniels finished 18-of-34 for 164 yards and two touchdowns. The going was tough for JD5 early on, but he leaned into the game. He zeroed in during the final period and led two scoring drives.
Williams
Rookie wide receiver Antonio Williams hauled in the late touchdown that made it a two-point game. The rookie had a great debut. He led all Commanders receivers with 4 catches for 64 yards.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt led the Commanders in rushing with 16 carries for 63 yards. He also punched in a 1-yard touchdown for an earlier score. Rookie kicker Drew Steven’s point after attempt was blocked by the Eagles. An event that would ultimately have a huge effect on the game.
Stefon Diggs provided one of the day’s highlights and one of its lowlights on the same play. He caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Daniels with under 10 minutes left. The score cut the deficit to 17-15. Diggs then celebrated by jumping and hugging the goalpost. Officials flagged him for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Coach Dan Quinn said the team planned to go for two and tie the game. Instead, they had to settle for a long extra point that made the score 17-16. Diggs took full accountability afterward. He admitted the excitement of his first touchdown with his new team got the better of him.
The Eagles then answered with a big touchdown of their own. The Commanders defense inexplicably allowed Dallas Goedert to go 43-yards and jump out to a 26-16 lead with six minutes to go.
Daniels and Washington buckled down though. The Commanders drove again. They put together 12 plays and capped it off with the Williams grab with a minute to go.
Unfortunately, the two-point try failed when a shovel pass to John Bates was stuffed near the goal line. The play call was questionable. Or rather, the personnel choice was. Put the ball in the hands of your most skilled players in the most important times.
Philadelphia recovered the ensuing onside kick and sealed the win.
Defense
The Commanders defense delivered a strong overall performance in the loss. They limited Philadelphia to just 10 first downs and recorded 10 tackles for loss. The unit forced multiple three-and-outs and kept the Eagles offense off balance for long stretches.
The front seven stood out. It disrupted the Eagles offensive line throughout the afternoon. No matter who rotated in on the defensive line, Washington created problems in the backfield. Javon Kinlaw was especially disruptive early and helped set a physical tone in the first half. The group sacked Jalen Hurts three times and made life difficult for Saquon Barkley outside of one long gain.
Sonny Baby
Rookie linebacker Sonny Styles made an impressive debut. He delivered a big hit that trucked Barkley on the way to his first career sack of Hurts. Styles also stuffed Barkley for a loss later and looked more comfortable as the game progressed. His physical presence and ability to find the ball stood out. He finished with four tackles – two of them for losses.
Odafe Oweh also had a sack in his debut, along with three tackles. Frankie Luvu had the other sack. Luvu looked refreshed in this new Commanders defense.
The secondary had some glaring errors. A few big plays – a 64-yard reception by Dontayvion Wicks, the 42-yard run by Barkley, Goedert’s long touchdown catch – hurt the unit significantly. Mike Sainristil struggled early on. Still, the defense as a whole competed hard and gave the offense chances.
The front seven’s consistent pressure and Styles’ impactful debut provided real bright spots for the defense to build on.
Final Thoughts
The Commanders offense took a while to click against Philadelphia’s talented defense.
Still, the late surge showed fight and resilience. For a group with several players in their first real action of 2026, the performance carried encouraging signs.
Washington sits at 0-1 after a narrow divisional defeat. The margin was thin – they covered the 5.5 point spread. The effort was strong. The foundation looks solid enough to build on in the weeks ahead.