The Washington Commanders came up just short in the 2026 season opener on Sunday, falling 24-22 to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Commanders scored on their first possession of the game when rookie kicker Drew Stevens drilled a 55-yard field goal to give Washington an early 3-0 lead. Thanks to a strong early defensive effort, the Commanders held 3-0 into the second quarter.
Unfortunately, some old habits came back to haunt Washington as it allowed a pair of touchdown passes set up by big plays the secondary allowed. Quarterback Jayden Daniels struggled to get going early, but running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt kept the Commanders in the game, rushing for 45 yards and a touchdown in the first half.
The third quarter was
a defensive battle, with the Eagles scoring the only three points to extend their lead to 17-9.
The fireworks finally began in the fourth quarter. Daniels got going, completing 9 of 11 attempts for 100 yards and two touchdowns, but with one minute remaining, the Commanders’ two-point conversion failed, allowing the Eagles to secure the win.
Here are six takeaways from Washington’s heartbreaking loss.
Jayden Daniels started slow but improved
At halftime, Daniels completed 6 of his 16 attempts for 43 yards. This is why you need context when discussing numbers. Most of Daniels’ incompletions were throwaways, and he had two drops in the first half. So, don’t let the latest “Twitter analyst” tell you Daniels was awful. Part of the problem was that Daniels was continuously forced off his spot. When he moved off his spot, he kept his eyes downfield, but there were no open receivers. Instead of just taking off and getting a few yards, Daniels wisely threw it away. This is the correct long-term play. You’ll take those throwaways, as they show growth.
In the fourth quarter, Daniels finally began looking like himself. It all began on Washington’s first touchdown drive in the final quarter. Daniels avoided the pressure and scrambled 14 yards, spinning, dodging and weaving defenders to get the Commanders near midfield. Daniels also looked much more comfortable throwing the football in the final quarter, as his passes were on target, including a 33-yard completion to rookie Antonio Williams. It wasn’t enough in the end, but Washington’s other mistakes (more on those later) ultimately cost them a chance at a win. The Commanders, specifically Daniels, need to avoid these slow starts. But he needs help, too.
Commanders can’t completely make Daniels stop running
Daniels is a special talent. He’s not a run-first quarterback. He’s a pocket passer who can run. He’s proven in college and early in his NFL career that he can win from the pocket. But to best take advantage of Daniels’ immense talent, the Commanders can’t completely make him stop scrambling. It’s one of many things that makes him special. It was clear early in the game that offensive coordinator David Blough has worked with Daniels to cut down on scrambling and take fewer hits. It’s a smart strategy. However, there were some plays in the first half where Daniels would have previously run. When defenses play Daniels only to throw and don’t respect his running ability, you take away a special part of his game.
One thing Washington wanted to see more from Daniels was scrambling to throw. They want him to use his legs to escape the pocket and keep his eyes downfield. He did that several times, and, for the most part, his receivers weren’t open. There was one play in particular where Daniels broke free and scrambled to his right. He saw Stefon Diggs behind the defender, but Daniels barely missed him. Those are exactly the plays that can take Daniels into an elite category. In the future, he needs to connect on those plays. These plays frustrate defensive coordinators most because they have no answer.
Regardless of the outcome, Daniels showed some key growth in Week 1.
David Blough’s debut
I bet if you ask new offensive coordinator David Blough how he thought he did, he would be hard on himself. He didn’t have the best day. It began early: on a third-and-10, Blough called a simple running play instead of trying to get the first down. Washington fans were frustrated. Far too often, it felt like Blough tried to establish the run just by handing off on every first down. That often made life difficult for Daniels, as he was far too often essentially beginning the drive on second down.
In the second half, it finally felt like Blough and Daniels were settling into a rhythm. They even had a chance to tie the game late, which brings us to our next point. Why did Blough call a shovel pass to tight end John Bates on the two-point play? Look, had it worked, Blough would be celebrated. It didn’t, so he gets criticized. If you watch the play, it never had a chance. And Bates, while a very good blocker, isn’t known for being slippery inside. Daniels and the offense had some momentum here, and Blough should have just trusted Daniels to either make a play with his arm or his legs. He’s done it many times.
Because Blough had a shaky debut, it doesn’t mean he was a bad hire. The Commanders knew he’d be learning on the job. That’s tough against Vic Fangio. Sunday’s game will probably be good for Blough moving forward once he self-evaluates.
Bill is the clear top back, but......
If you watched the first half, running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt was Washington’s best offensive player. It wasn’t close. Bill had a few impressive runs, while the Commanders otherwise struggled to run the ball. He’s quick, but he is also much stronger than given credit for. His touchdown run proved that, as Daniels’ legs never stopped moving. However, in the fourth quarter, with the Commanders driving to tie the game, Croskey-Merritt fumbled. Fortunately, right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. fought and recovered the ball. Blough turned to rookie Kaytron Allen afterward. Bill had some fumbling issues as a rookie, too. Despite him being the team’s best back, which he clearly is, his carries could be limited if Washington can’t trust him to hold onto the football.
Defensive issues
Let’s first give some credit to new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones. He called a good game. Unfortunately, the execution lacked at times. Big plays again hurt the Commanders, and cornerback Mike Sainristil was the victim on a couple of those big plays. Then, in the fourth quarter, after the offense cut the lead to 17-16, Washington faced the Eagles on third-and-18. All the momentum was on the Commanders’ side. How’d they respond? By allowing Jalen Hurts to run for 22 yards. A few plays later, Hurts hit tight end Dallas Goedert for a 43-yard touchdown, as he somehow got behind the entire defense.
There were plenty of bright spots, too. Saquon Barkley has killed Washington in previous years. Outside of one 42-yard run, which came as a result of a missed tackle, the Commanders held Barkley to 41 yards on 14 carries. But again, they failed to limit the big plays. Regardless of who is on the sideline, Washington can’t seem to stop opposing tight ends.
Still, we saw the Commanders hitting hard, getting pressure and running to the ball. There were many positives from a defensive perspective. But Jones will need to clean some things up with Dak Prescott and the Cowboys up next.
Rookies impressed
Did you happen to see rookie linebacker Sonny Styles’ first career sack? Styles ran over Barkley en route to Hurts and then sacked him. He had another tackle for loss. He appeared more comfortable as the game wore on. A positive start to his career.
Who was the Commanders’ best receiver? That would be third-round rookie Antonio Williams. He led Washington with four receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown catch saved a low throw from Daniels, as Williams showed strong hands. Did you notice who Williams beat at times on Sunday? Pro Bowl cornerback Cooper DeJean. Moving forward, the Commanders know their No. 3 receiver. Who knows, he could be even higher at some point this season.
A good start for Washington's most prominent rookies.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 6 takeaways from Commanders' Week 1 loss to Eagles
