The 2026 NFL season is finally upon us, and the Washington Commanders open the season on the road when they face the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at 4:25 p.m. EDT this Sunday.
The Commanders have fielded questions all offseason about almost everything they’ve done and every change they’ve made. Adam Peters set out to make the defense younger and faster, and while the team is still one of the older teams in the league, it’s younger than it was last season. The offense saw fewer changes, but enough of them to make an impact on the field, especially signing Stefon Diggs during training camp.
Still, opening the season on the road against a division rival is tough. They have a lot to prove this season,
and the Eagles are no small obstacle to overcome. Playing in a hostile environment makes things harder, but the Commanders are ready to prove the league wrong. They have a chip on their shoulder, and they’re using every disrespectful ranking and comment as fuel to win. That said, let’s take a look at three reasons for optimism for the Commanders in Week 1.
Jayden Daniels is healthy
It’s no secret this team plays better when Daniels is healthy, and when they faced the Eagles in 2025, Daniels didn’t play in either game. This year, Daniels has a new offensive coordinator in David Blough and has reportedly looked comfortable operating the new under-center, motion-heavy offense.
On top of that, Daniels has new weapons in Stefon Diggs, Chig Okonkwo, rookie wide receiver Antonio Willilams, and veteran running back Rachaad White, who offers a legitimate option out of the backfield. Jacory Croskey-Merritt is first on the depth chart at running back, but they each play a different role when on the field. Let’s not forget Daniels’ ability to use his own legs, too. Even though the goal is to keep him in the pocket, the Eagles have to consider that he might take off with the ball at any moment.
If Blough uses motion, play action, moves players around, and uses his tight ends, the Commanders can stress out the Eagles’ defense horizontally. Forcing Philly to defend the entire field instead of letting Jalen Carter and the defensive line dictate the game will be key.
Eagles offense has legitimate questions
This is something no one is really talking about. The Eagles are on their fifth offensive coordinator in Nick Sirianni’s sixth season as head coach, and they traded A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots during the offseason. That makes DeVonta Smith the No. 1 wide receiver, with Dontayvion Wicks (first year with Philly) and rookie Makai Lemon as additional starting receivers. The offense has a different dynamic without Brown.
Saquon Barkley will be a problem for opposing defenses for as long as he’s in the NFL; that goes without saying. But Daronte Jones is expected to bring a more aggressive, pressure-oriented approach that will impact how the Eagles call the game. This will be the new Eagles offense versus the new Commanders defense.
If Washington can force Philadelphia into obvious passing situations, it can unleash its pass rush and make life uncomfortable for Jalen Hurts.
New-look Commanders defense
As mentioned above, Adam Peters revamped the Commanders’ defense during the offseason. There are eight new potential starters, including Nick Cross, Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, Leo Chenal, and, possibly, Sonny Styles. Jones’ defensive scheme will not only be focused on creating pressure, but Jones is also expected to use more creative coverage and pressure packages, making it difficult to discern what the defense is going to do.
The Commanders don’t necessarily need to shut down the Eagles’ offense, although that is the goal, but they need to create uncertainty. Force Philadelphia to question what they are doing, to wonder where the pressure is coming from, who is blitzing, who’s dropping, and whether it’s man or zone coverage. With the Eagles installing a new system, confusion can be enough to throw them off.
If Jones can make Hurts process rather than react, Washington has a chance to keep this game tight.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders vs. Eagles: 3 reasons for optimism in Week 1
