Eagles cling on to defeat division rival Commanders

There’s nothing better than a divisional matchup to open the season and we were treated to one in Philadelphia with the Eagles kicking off their season against the Commanders. Though the Eagles are in pursuit of a 3^rd straight NFC east title, their wildcard loss to San Francisco as well as the departure of AJ Brown left a sour taste in fans’ mouths.

After a brilliant 2024 season on the back of Jayden Daniels’ rookie season, last year was nothing short of a disaster for Washington. With Daniels back to full health and equipped with strong weapons in the passing game, they went into Philadelphia with rightful confidence in their chances of stealing an upset.

Washington’s rookie kicker Drew Stevens introduced himself to the league by nailing a 55-yard field goal on the opening drive to give his team an early lead.

Philadelphia’s early offensive production, or lack thereof, looked eerily similar to that of last season, generating some boos from the restless home fans as their first 2 possessions ended in punts. But they found the end zone first through Dallas Goedert, who entered off a career-high 11 touchdowns in 2025.

Soon after, Dontayvion Wicks, who announced himself to the Philly faithful with a deep-ball catch in the first term, scored the Eagles’ second touchdown of the evening on a nicely thrown ball from Jalen Hurts.

In need of some momentum before halftime, Daniels and the Commanders worked a 70-yard drive on 13 plays, which was finished off by Jacory Croskey-Merritt on the goal line, though the ensuing extra point was blocked by Jalen Carter, who has made a name for himself with similar plays.

The Eagles offense were unable to extend the lead early in the 3^rd quarter, once again looking stagnant and predictable, creating audible restlessness throughout the crowd, though they did register the half’s first points, as Jake Elliott’s field goal put them in front 17-9.

Washington hit back with an immediate response in the form of Stefon Diggs’ first touchdown for the team, making it a 1-point ball game as tensions continued to rise among Eagles fans, who had seen similar movies unfold a few too many times over recent years.

Apparently a few jeers and a close scoreboard was all Hurts and the Eagles needed, as he converted a 3^rd and 18 with his legs and then threaded the needle to Goedert for a 43-yard catch-and-run touchdown, briefly alleviating the pressure with 6 minutes to play.

But with their backs against the wall, Washington wouldn’t fold, piecing together a drive that ended in rookie Antonio Williams’ first touchdown, leaving Dan Quinn with no choice but to go for 2 to try and tie the scores. A questionable play call combined with a fierce tackle from Moro Ojomo stopped the Commanders in their tracks and effectively ended the game, as a failed onside kick confirmed the result thereafter.

There’s serious scope for improvement for the Eagles. Whilst results are paramount at this time of the season, they can’t, and won’t, be content with scraping over the line each week, given what happened when they ran into proper competition in last season’s playoffs.

Despite the loss, it’s a step forward for Quinn’s side. Daniels certainly wasn’t perfect, but he showed glimpses of his best self to remind everyone just what he could be capable of if given a clean run of health. Going toe-to-toe with the reigning division champions should give them the belief that their absolute best is good enough to take over.

Touchdowns
Washington: Croskey-Merritt, Diggs, Williams
Philadelphia: Goedert 2, Wicks

Top Performers
Washington: Daniels, Styles, Williams, Oweh
Philadelphia: Hurts, Goedert, Baun, Carter

Injuries
Washington: Luvu (groin), Magee (hamstring)
Philadelphia: N/A

Crowd: 69,879 at Lincoln Financial Field