The Daily Slop – 15 September 2026
Editor’s note: Each day, Hogs Haven compiles a collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, with a sprinkling of other stuff. Enjoy!
Commanders links
Articles
Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)
Commanders Film Review: Jayden Daniels vs Eagles
Yes, Daniels had some struggles and looked off at times, but when the game came down to the wire, the 2024 Jayden Daniels kicked in and showed he’s still there, which is promising for the season ahead.
Evaluating the performance is
tricky because there were some bad plays, some unfortunate plays and a fair few really nice throws mixed in there as well. So let’s dive into it and see what we can take away.
The first thing that stood out with Daniels, especially early on in the game, was that he just seemed a little off. Given that he’s not played a competitive game since late last season, that’s somewhat understandable, but he was slightly off with some throws which caused some incomplete passes.
That isn’t the only reason the Commanders offense struggled though. While Daniels was a little off, he was also a little unlucky at times.
It’s also fair to say that the Eagles defense is one of the best in the NFL, especially in coverage. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has been one of the best defensive minds in football for over 20 years and his defensive structures have spread around the NFL for their ability to limit explosive plays and force opposing offenses to put together long and tough to sustain drives. The Commanders did dial up a few shots to try and attack down the field, but the Eagles had them covered pretty well.
[H]e also mixed in some really nice throws, especially over the middle of the field. This turned into a bit of a trend for Daniels in this game. Much of his success came from him throwing over the middle on these types of concepts.
Commanders Roundtable
Commanders uncertain about the status of at least 4 players ahead of Dallas game
Head coach Dan Quinn noted that he will get a better picture on the game status on all the four injured players — linebackers Frankie Luvu and Jordan Magee, tight end Chig Okonkwo and safety Tyler Owens — on Wednesday as the team prepares for week two in the meantime.
Linebacker Frankie Luvu was the first player to go down after he suffered a groin injury and was ruled questionable at halftime. In his first game as a Commander, tight end Chig Okonkwo was ruled as questionable in the final minute of the third quarter due to a hamstring injury. Linebacker Jordan Magee, who battled a chest injury during training camp, suffered a hamstring injury and was ruled questionable to return prior to the game’s final two warning. Safety Tyler Owens was ruled questionable to return due to an ankle injury that suffered in punt return coverage in the second-to-last play of the third quarter.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders Roundtable
Commanders vs Eagles: 4 stats that tell the tale of the loss
26.8: the Eagles converted six of their 14 third down attempts, which may not be entirely concerning at face value, but how some of the conversions materialized is what hurts most. 26.8 represents the average yards gained across the Eagles’ six conversions, which hurts after the Commanders’ defense largely lived up to expectations in the first game under coordinator Daronte Jones. The first back breaker came in the opening seconds of the second quarter after QB Jalen Hurts connected with TE Dallas Goedert for a 17-yard touchdown on 3rd-and-goal. Facing a 3rd-and-2 near midfield, RB Saquon Barkley picked up 42 yards before WR Dontayvion Wicks proved no match for CB Mike Sainristil on a nine yard touchdown that put Philadelphia ahead, 14-3, midway through the second quarter. In the closing minutes of the third quarter, Hurts found DeVonta Smith for a 31 yard gain that eventually set up Jake Elliott with a 35 yard field goal that kept it a one possession game. Yet the last two were maybe the biggest blows for Washington’s defense in the final defensive series, first a 22-yard rush by Hurts on 3rd-and-18 before connecting with Goedert three players later for a 43-yard touchdown when the Eagles only needed six yards. There was a lot to like from game one, yet the secondary left a lot to be desired in week one with Mike Sainristil opening year three with an, at best, shaky performance.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Last Man Standig
Dan Quinn rarely calls out players; Mike Sainristil’s mistakes crossed the line
The Commanders had plenty to like in their opener, but missed opportunities — including an “unacceptable” lapse from the third-year corner — helped turn a winnable game into a division loss
The public callout isn’t part of the Dan Quinn coaching playbook. At least not normally.
Tonally, you would have been hard-pressed to sense Quinn’s frustration with cornerback Mike Sainristil based on his Monday media availability. The moments when this coach sounds like the angry version of himself from some movie or television universe typically surface publicly only in celebratory or motivational settings.
Quinn saying the third-year cornerback’s focus on a second-quarter nine-yard touchdown pass during Sunday’s 24-22 road loss to the Philadelphia Eagles was “not acceptable” therefore spoke loudly on its own.
The red-zone challenge came immediately after running back Saquon Barkley broke free for a 42-yard run over right guard to Washington’s 12. Two plays later, despite the urgent setting, Sainristil’s casualness felt more like a Sunday stroll. That’s certainly how Quinn interpreted his movements.
For more from Ben Standig, click here
Commanders.com
5 takeaways from Washington’s Week 1 loss to Philadelphia
The rookies made plays
If you were looking for positive signs from the Commanders’ rookie class, there were plenty of them against the Eagles.
We’ll start with No. 7 overall pick Sonny Styles, who got more snaps than most of the Commanders’ impact players in the preseason but was still relatively limited. Head coach Dan Quinn said the Commanders were excited to “unleash” him, and the rookie’s athletic skill set shone through on several occasions. He bowled over Barkley on his way to the first sack of his career, showcasing his physicality and prowess as a blitzer. He also recorded two tackles for a loss on Barkley, one of which led to an Eagles punt three plays later.
On offense, Antonio Williams was the Commanders’ top receiving threat. He caught all four of his targets for 64 yards, and each of them came at critical moments. His first catch set the Commanders up at the Eagles’ 1-yard line, and his second resulted in a 33-yard gain on third-and-14. His final catch of the night was a one-yard touchdown that gave Washington the chance to tie the score.
The Commanders chose quality over quantity with this year’s draft class, and so far, it looks like that philosophy was the right one.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
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The Athletic (paywall)
NFL Week 2 power rankings
20. Dallas Cowboys (0-1)
Last week: 15
Sunday: Lost to Giants 28-20
What we learned: The running game has to be better
The Cowboys had the ball for just 23:20 of game time. The Giants totally dominated the game flow, keeping the ball out of the hands of Dak Prescott and what’s supposed to be a powerful offense, and running 16 more plays than Dallas. Unless the Cowboys can run it better (Javonte Williams finished with 41 rushing yards on 12 carries), they’re going to be susceptible to nights like Sunday.
Up next: vs. Commanders, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
25. Washington Commanders (0-1)
Last week: 23
Sunday: Lost to Eagles 24-22
What we learned: Offensive issues raise questions
Touchdowns on Washington’s final two drives offered some hope, but the Commanders still managed just 4.4 yards per play in the debut of new offensive coordinator David Blough. Stefon Diggs drew a penalty that wiped away their hope of a game-tying 2-point conversion attempt, but at least Jayden Daniels stayed healthy. [From Bill-in-Bangkok: Sure, but did you see the defensive front-7??]
Up next: at Cowboys, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Sports Illustrated
Grading Every Commanders Position Group After Week 1 Loss to Eagles
The Washington Commanders got uneven performances across the roster in a narrow Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles
Defensive Front Seven Grade: A-
The 2025 Commanders weren’t known for their defense- at least, in a positive light. They were regarded as an old folks’ home, the kind of scheme that regularly tasked less-than-mobile, past-their-prime names like Bobby Wagner and Von Miller with making key tackles and reacting to assignments over a decade their junior.
The franchise made sure to get younger in the offseason, and they seem to have found the right defensive coordinator to harness the deceptive, blitz-heavy attack. Daronte Jones, combined with newcomers like Odafe Oweh, Leo Chenal, and star rookie Sonny Styles, made their presence known by disrupting the Eagles’ own streaky offense. They have the fresh legs to meld disguised coverages with wide-spanning versatility, having done more heavy lifting than anyone in their relatively clean joint debut.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Sports Illustrated
5 Winners and 6 Losers From Commanders’ Narrow Week 1 Loss to Eagles
The Washington Commanders came within one two-point conversion of forcing overtime in Philadelphia, leaving plenty to like — and plenty to blame — after a 24-22 Week 1 loss
Winner: Nick Cross
While the Commanders’ front seven headlined the inspired defensive effort, no one on Washington’s side came close to matching Cross’ tackle total of eight. That included two takedowns for losses, with the safety repeatedly reading Philadelphia’s concepts mid-assembly and blowing up would-be playmakers shortly after handoffs.
He’s already backing up his reputation as one of the squad’s most notable offseason additions, a local product who promises to spice up the lacking secondary with the versatility to translate his impact into the trenches.
Loser: Washington’s Usually-Frustrating Kicking Situation
As unhelpful as the woulda-coulda-shoulda game is following a loss, the Commanders would have really benefited from a few more kicking situations going their way. Rookie pickup Drew Stevens shot 1/2 on both field goal and extra point attempts, falling victim to a blocked PAT before a 54-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right. Jake Moody clearly wasn’t the answer as a journeyman reclamation project, yet this team can’t feel good about their options just yet.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders.com
Final thoughts | Sonny Styles showed signs of maturity
Sonny Styles was one of the clear standouts from the afternoon, recording two tackles for loss and a sack on Jalen Hurts. It was the first time the Commanders have been able to unleash Styles’ full skill set, but Quinn said there were signs about their plans for using him. He mentioned multiple times in camp that they wanted to use him as a blitzer, which is how he made most of his plays against the Eagles. But Styles had other roles beyond that. They used him to cover kicks and call plays on defense when Luvu left the field. Styles took every responsibility given to him in stride, and Quinn thought that was the “sign of a mature young player who impacted the game in some different ways.”
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Washington Sun
Commanders Come Up a Few Yards Short in Week 1 Loss to the Eagles
Washington’s defense looked far better than it did for most of 2025. But four big plays undid all of that progress.
The unit allowed a 64-yard bomb to Dontayvion Wicks in the first quarter, leading to the game’s first touchdown. It gave up a 42-yard run by Barkley, setting up Philadelphia’s second score. Then there was the 22-yard scramble by Hurts on a key 3rd and 18 late, leading to the biggest dagger of them all: a 43-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Goedert that proved to be the difference.
Aside from the 42-yarder, Barkley averaged just 2.6 yards per carry. Hurts was sacked three times and faced near constant pressure as the Commanders forced five three-and-outs on the day. But each of his three touchdown passes came from breakdowns on the defense. While Washington put the hurt (no pun intended) on the Eagles Sunday, including 10 tackles for loss, it was missed tackles that often did them in.
“It’s always a couple plays that deter the game from what it really looks like to how it ended,” defensive tackle Tim Settle said. “[The mistakes] were self-inflicted. The more we can work on beating the team instead of beating ourselves, we’ll be completely pumped.”
The Athletic (paywall)
Can the Commanders regain their mastery of ‘winning-time moments’?
“I think there’s definitely an element of, like, clutch performers, right?” Quinn said by video call Monday afternoon. “Like, who wants the ball in that space? Who wants to be the pass rusher to go finish the game?
“So there’s definitely that trade that you were looking for from those guys. For me, from the coach, what I try to do is create as many of those as I can to put them into those spots, so when they feel like it would be a big moment, know: This is when we elevate. This is what we were practicing for. This is what we’ve been hitting on.”
If this is in fact a learned behavior, the Commanders need to learn it immediately. Next up is a trip to Dallas, where the Cowboys are 0-1 and, in an equally desperate way, need to figure out any sort of path to victory.
What we absolutely know — from week to week and city to city — is that the margins in the NFL are thinner than deli meat. The Lions, for instance, are supposed to make the playoffs. The Saints are supposed to be rebuilding. What separated them Sunday: a back-foot heave from New Orleans quarterback Tyler Shough on an overtime, potential game-winning 2-point conversion attempt. It fell incomplete. Detroit 31, New Orleans 30. Flip a coin. Draw straws. Play rock, paper, scissors.
Back to Washington. Remember the salad days of 2024? Back then, Daniels could do no wrong and Quinn convinced everyone from Ashburn to Anne Arundel County that he was building a new culture in Washington, one in which players were ingrained with an ability to come through at the most important times.
Put differently: Was the 2024 team a 12-5 team with a 12-5 foundation? Or did it just have a 12-5 record built at least partly on good fortune?
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Photos
Podcasts & videos
Commanders lose opener | John Keim Report
Commanders Postgame: Defense impresses, 2nd-half comeback falls short in Week 1 loss to Eagles
NFC East links
Big Blue View
Tackling the ball security issue
Harbaugh was not happy about the Giants fumbling the ball four times against the Cowboys, though they were fortunate enough to get three of those fumbles back.
“One of the things that is one of those non-negotiables is ball security,” Harbaugh said. “We’re putting the ball on the ground entirely too much. It’s got to change. We’ve got to make the change on that. Every single ball carrier has got to make sure that it gets better.
“And it’s up to us as coaches. We’ve got to drill it. We’ve got to teach it. We’ve got to make sure that we do it better because the ball’s on the ground four times and that’s just not even close to being acceptable.”
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Bleeding Green Nation
Where’s the Killer Instinct, and What’s Wrong with the Left Side?
In my opinion recent performances reveals a glaring, persistent issue: we still completely lack the killer instinct to command games. Whether it’s letting teams hang around after building a lead, this team struggles to put opponents away.
The offense continues to stall out with too many quick three-and-outs. This leaves our defense—which plays brilliantly for three quarters—completely gassed by the fourth quarter.
Part of this is early-season conditioning, but mostly it’s on the offense’s inability to sustain drives, eat up the clock, and let the defense breathe.
Taking Risks: When you have elite cornerbacks who can hold up in one-on-one coverage, the pass rush needs to take calculated risks to slam the door shut instead of waiting for exhaustion to level the playing field. Shoutout to Jalen Carter, whose extra-point block essentially saved the day, but we shouldn’t rely on miracles to close out games.
In this game The O-Line and Saquon were ones to really check out.
The Left Side is Struggling: It breaks my heart to say it, but Landon Dickerson’s mobility looks severely limited by the accumulation of injuries over his career. He’s a warrior with the right mentality, but he’s struggling to hold his ground. For now i’ll give both Cam and Jordan their due credit.
Barkley’s Footing: Saquon is slipping way too much, especially on initial acceleration out of the backfield. Between O-line breakdowns failing to provide that first clean surge and whatever is going on with his footing/cleats, he’s getting bottled up in the backfield far too often.
The scheme still feels overly dependent on uninspired concepts (reminiscent of the Packers’ crappy playbook with minor tweaks).In my opinion is due to Mannion previous experience and in a agame without video to check was the safer pick. From now on i’d like too see smarter calling for an OC able to adapt the game.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Upcoming opponent
Blogging the Boys
Cowboys at Giants Stock Report: Christian Parker, Javonte Williams lead disappointments
The wounds had just healed. We all had moved on from the 2025 Dallas Cowboys and their historically bad defense. The team seemed to do this as well, especially with regards to action. The Cowboys front office operated this entire offseason, as it seemed, with a pledge for things to never be as bad as they just were.
Mission failed. At least so far.
Sunday night was a total and complete disaster did not go well for the Cowboys. In their first opportunity to prove that things were different, they gave life to the notion that maybe the present is simply more of the past.
To make matters worse, unlike last season the offense is now under a bit of fire. They were not as bad as their defensive counterparts at MetLife Stadium (hardly saying anything), but ultimately the collective team has apparently taken an entire step back.
Stock Down: Christian Parker
You would have a very difficult time finding someone who had a longer honeymoon after initially joining the Cowboys.
From January to Sunday afternoon, Christian Parker was heralded. He came from a strong lineage, said all of the right things, and he was given plenty of new tools to reconstruct the defense that was so bad last season. Sunday night was just one game and he could still wind up fulfilling the proverbial prophecy, but wow his group was overwhelmed.
Grading the game in a vacuum it was about as big of a failure as it possibly could have been. Time to move on.
Stock Down: Division dominance
Objectively speaking, the Cowboys have beaten up on the NFC East for much of the Dak Prescott era. Specifically, they have pushed around the Giants whenever they wanted.
This was just one game to be clear, but it was not the meaningless contest that Dallas lost to New York in Week 18 last year. The Cowboys gave this game all of their might and the new-look Giants humbled them mightily.
Next week will bring another test of this variety. The Washington Commanders took the Philadelphia Eagles the distance a few hours before the Cowboys failed against the Giants, and one of Washington and Dallas will fall to 0-2 by this time next week.
Who will it be?
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Blogging the Boys
Cowboys injury news: Malik Hooker, DeMarvion Overshown updates
Malik Hooker and DeMarvion Overshown both left the game as a result of different injuries, and on Monday head coach Brian Schottenheimer provided some clarity around them.
According to Schotty, Malik Hooker is set to undergo surgery on Tuesday and is set to miss 1-2 weeks. Schotty also noted that DeMarvion Overshown is a candidate to miss 1-2 weeks with a hamstring injury.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
A to Z Sports
The Dallas Cowboys’ defense showed way too many flaws in Week 1, but there’s a worrisome one that’s close to unfixable
In 20 plays rushing the passer with four players only, the Cowboys recorded two QB pressures, according to NextGen Stats.
It was their lowest pressure rate since 2021. When the Cowboys did blitz, the Giants usually had the right answer. Whether it was Dart taking off himself or him finding an open target down the field.
The Cowboys may be able, with time, to mask their deficiencies in coverage through Parker’s split-field scheme derivative of Vic Fangio’s. But they don’t have the horsepower at cornerback to overcome the lack of consistent pressure on four-man rushes. And based on what we saw on Sunday night, if they don’t blitz, they’re allergic to getting close to the QB.
The biggest concern is that this is a problem that is talent-based. And when you consider in back-to-back offseasons, the Cowboys dealt away Parsons (whoops, I failed) and pass rushing DT Osa Odighizuwa, it’s not great. It’s very tough to hide the fact that you don’t have the players upfront to generate pressure without needing to blitz.
They paid the price for it in Week 1. Unless this year’s players improve quickly or the Cowboys make an unexpected addition soon, I’m not sure that gets any better.
And that’s something I’m not sure Parker will be able to fix regardless of how much he spends in the film room or how hard he coaches the young players on the team.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL league links
Articles
ESPN
Seahawks say Sam Darnold has ‘unique soft-tissue’ injury
With reports circulating over the weekend about Darnold’s prognosis after he was injured early in Wednesday’s season-opening win over the visiting New England Patriots, the Seahawks released a statement to local reporters Monday also explaining that the quarterback’s hip joint is unaffected. The team called it a “short-term injury” but said there is no firm timeline for Darnold’s return.
Sources previously told ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that Darnold is expected to at least miss the Seahawks’ Week 2 game at the Arizona Cardinals. Drew Lock, who stepped in for Darnold and quarterbacked the Seahawks to a 13-10 win over the Patriots, is in line to make his first start since 2024.
Following the Arizona game, the reigning Super Bowl champions will visit the Washington Commanders in Week 3.
Garafolo here says “about 4 weeks” for Darnold’s return to play:
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
ESPN
Bo Nix, Broncos drop opener after ‘pretty pitiful’ effort
The Broncos started the evening riding an offseason full of optimism and high hopes, but ended it with one of the worst all-around performances since a 41-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in 2024 — Nix’s rookie year.
In their first three plays from scrimmage, Nix was sacked to open the drive and threw his first interception of the season on the third play.
The Chiefs turned that into their first touchdown, and though the Broncos answered with their only touchdown drive of the night on their next possession to tie the score at 7-7, the die of frustration had already been cast. The Broncos’ offense gained just 176 net yards and didn’t have a play longer than 20 yards.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL.com
NFL ties Week 1 scoring record for Super Bowl era
A 14-year Week 1 record has been matched.
Thanks to the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos combining for 41 points on Monday night, the opening slate of games for the 2026 season has officially tied the 2012 season’s record for the most Week 1 points scored (791) during the Super Bowl era.
Entering Monday’s AFC West showdown, teams had averaged 50.0 combined points per game, per NFL Research, with the Week 1 finale bringing the average down to 49.4.
Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears dropped 59 points on the Carolina Panthers, the franchise’s most since the 1980 season, and it’s not as if Carolina’s offense was hapless attempting to keep up. The Panthers put 37 on the board, contributing to the highest-scoring Week 1 game (96 combined points) in league history.
Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens scored 41 against the Indianapolis Colts, while Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills required a similar output to defeat the Houston Texans, 36-31, a somewhat shocking result, considering DeMeco Ryans’ club hasn’t allowed that many points since his first year leading Houston in 2023.
The Jacksonville Jaguars opened a large enough lead that Trevor Lawrence sat out the fourth quarter of a 34-10 win over the Cleveland Browns, and the Minnesota Vikings, who defeated the Green Bay Packers, 39-22, at one point scored 22 points in 2:46 of game time during the fourth quarter.
The NFL’s scoring frenzy stands in stark contrast to the commonly held belief that defenses typically begin the season ahead of offenses.
It was not so this week
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL.com
2026 NFL Melbourne Game scores with average of 18.5 million U.S. viewers on Netflix
The 2026 NFL Melbourne Game on Netflix averaged 18.5 million viewers in the U.S. for the San Francisco 49ers versus Los Angeles Rams game in Australia according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel. Viewership peaked at 21.3 million viewers in the U.S. between 9:30-9:45 p.m. ET.
The game ranks among the top three most-streamed Thursday prime-time NFL games.
49ers-Rams averaged 4.0 million viewers among P18-34, the highest non-Christmas streaming delivery for an NFL regular-season game. Netflix now holds the top four highest-rated regular-season NFL games among A18-34, including Christmas.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Front Office Sports
NFL Kickoff Ratings Dip on Wednesday
The NFL and NBC Sports began the 2026 regular season in surprisingly downbeat fashion.
The network said last Wednesday’s kickoff game between the Patriots and Seahawks, won by Seattle 13–10, averaged 25.1 million viewers. That figure was down 11% from last year’s season opener, which aired on a Thursday, and was the least-watched start to an NFL season since 2022.
The Patriots-Seahawks game, meanwhile, was a rare Wednesday matchup for the NFL. But midweek games could become more commonplace as the league’s international interests grow and standalone broadcast slots rise in importance. The league will have another such game in November on Netflix with its first Thanksgiving Eve game, which will involve the Rams and Packers.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL Week 1 Rookie of the Week
An opportunity to vote for Commanders rookie WR Antonio Williams
