Wide receiver Terry McLaurin is going into his ninth season in the NFL. He has spent his entire NFL career with the Washington Commanders and is used to facing their division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles have proved divisive in Washington’s seasons over the past few years. In 2024, quarterback Jayden Daniels led the Commanders to the NFC Championship as a rookie, only to lose to Philadelphia. In 2025, Washington ended their season with a win against the Eagles. However, in 2026, they just started their season with a loss to Philadelphia.
When asked about the loss after the game, McLaurin was frustrated with the loss, but also pointed to what the Commanders were capable of offensively when they were able to sustain drives such as their
12-play, 67-yard drive shortly before halftime.
“You see how we have success when we sustain drives,” McLaurin said. “Before the half, we got into a little tempo, able to move the chains, sustain a second-and-long, third-and-long and converting in situations where we have to. Staying on the field. I think that’s going to be one of our key points for the next week.”
One thing teams always want to avoid is the easy mistakes. Penalties are drive-killers and, in the case of the Commanders, they are also game-killers. When wide receiver Stefon Diggs jumped on the goalpost and got a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty, it may have cost Washington the game.
“It happened. He scored. He was excited. We had a flag,” McLaurin said about the penalty. “So, at the end of the day, it’s a tough break.”
With the Eagles and the New York Giants winning their season openers, Washington finds itself tied with the Dallas Cowboys at the bottom of the division heading into their Week 2 matchup against Dallas. The loser will be in a difficult position to win the division with a 0-2 record, making it a crucial game for Washington.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Terry McLaurin reacts to Diggs penalty, Commanders' offensive inconsistency
