The Philadelphia Eagles really needed to battle to take down the Washington Commanders 24-22in Week 1 of the 2026 regular season.
Philly had some explosive plays that really helped the offense avoid looking too much like the 2025 unit. The Eagles' defense was the star of the game, having to need to make some plays at the end to hold on to the win.
There are nine reactions to the Eagles' win over the Commanders. Nine will have fans talking for a while. Here's a look at some quick reactions from the game.
Instant reactions to Eagles-Commanders Week 1 showdown
Eagles' secondary is every bit as good as fans thought they would be
Everyone knew that Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and Riq Woolen were early candidates to be the best secondary trio in the NFL, and they did just that. DeJean had some moments of struggling in coverage, but overall, all three played really good games. Jayden Daniels only had 65 passing yards through three quarters. Could all three make the Pro Bowl this season? It might be a possibility.
Eagles' new-look looks....slightly better?
The running game was very affective with a mix of Barkley getting his touches and more Hurts designed runs. Philly's passing game, though, was more of the same from 2025 with too many inconsistencies with it. At least Hurts' deep ball looked really good with nice big plays to Dontayvion Wicks and DeVonta Smith.
Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens need a reality check ASAP
Dickerson and Jurgens had three penalties between them in the contest. They weren't 100% great in pass protection, but they also weren't mentally sharp. The Eagles can't have another performance like that, as they are too good to let small things like that become bad habits.
Jonathan Greenard's presence was deeply missed in the game
The one bad thing about the Eagles' defense was their struggle to get Daniels down. They sacked him just once, and it came from the linebackers, which put more pressure on the secondary to make plays and made the edge rushers look bad. Greenard was ruled out of the game with a pectoral injury, and the hope is that he can get back quickly.
Philly needs to figure out another plan for Makai Lemon
A second straight game for Lemon where he is about as underwhelming as anyone can be. He had three receptions for -5 yards, but the problem was that the Eagles keep calling wide receiver screen passes for him that aren't working. In the future, it would be nice for Sean Mannion to call some plays where Lemon goes, I don't know, vertical downfield.
Dontayvion Wicks looked like a steal of an investment for the Eagles
Wicks lived up to the hype he created during Eagles training camp. He was second on the team in receiving with two receptions for 73 yards. He had a great 64-yard completion in the first half to set up a touchdown. He's going to be a problem for NFL defenses this season, and the Eagles can't be happier about their offseason trade for him, which only cost two Day 3 draft picks.
Zack Baun is a special player
From the critical tip pass on the final Commanders drive to flying all over the field, Baun played like one of the best defenders on the team. He finished the game with 12 tackles, two pass deflections, and one tackle for loss. That's a guy who looks like another Pro Bowl selection is coming for him in 2026.
Saquon Barkley looked like the 2024 running back
The old Barkley is back, and Eagles fans are so happy to have him back. He had a 43-yard run in the game, but he consistently picked up four or five yards per carry. Barkley finished the game with 15 carries for 83 yards. Overall, it was exactly what the Eagles needed from their running back, and it shows what is about to come for the rest of the season.
Forget Eli Stowers...let's give Dallas Goedert a new contract
How massive was Goedert in the fourth quarter with his second touchdown of the game and the spin move he made to create that score? He finished as the leading receiver with four catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns. He was very good in this game.
Read more: Eagles confirmed their feelings on Tanner McKee after Andy Dalton was named QB2
Eagles' offense is clearly better when Jalen Hurts runs the football
One great change to the offense is Hurts having more designed runs and using his legs to escape pressure. He looked more athletic than he has in a long time. 46 yards on the ground on seven carries is the kind of stat line the Eagles need from him weekly.
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