Commanders Come Up a Few Yards Short in Week 1 Loss to Eagles

PHILADELPHIA — The Commanders defense held down the fort in Philadelphia — for the most part.

They limited running back Saquon Barkley on the ground for the most part. They got in the face of quarterback Jalen Hurts for the most part. Everyone from the defensive line to the defensive backs played with physicality for the most part.

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.

Behind those big plays, the Eagles took the season opener, 24-22, after the Commanders failed on a two-point conversion with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter.

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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 Washington offense was mostly anemic early, failing to reach 40 yards of total offense in the first quarter. But the unit came alive when it mattered most. In the fourth quarter, Stefon Diggs scored on a 10-yard touchdown pass and rookie Antonio Williams made a fingertip grab in the end zone to bring the Commanders within two in the game’s final moments. But a failed shovel pass to tight end Jon Bates on the two-point conversion sealed the Commanders fate.

“I would say we stopped shooting ourselves in the foot,” Daniels said of the offense’s turnaround. “Especially against a really good defense like that … you don’t want to play at third-and-longs and let that crowd and that defense feast and rally to the ball. We shot ourselves in the foot too many times and came back to haunt us at the end of the game.”

Game MVP: Antonio Williams

Not bad, rook. The first-year receiver from Clemson led Washington’s pass-catchers with 64 yards and tied for the lead in receptions (four). His touchdown with 1:05 left in the fourth quarter gave the Commanders a chance to tie the game.

Earlier in the afternoon, he caught a slant route for 16 yards, putting Washington on the 1-yard line just before halftime. Bill Croskey-Merritt punched it in on the next play for the Commanders’ first touchdown of the season.

In the fourth quarter, he caught a 33-yard pass on 3rd and 14, keeping a drive alive and leading to Diggs’ touchdown three plays later.

“I just want to build that confidence,” Williams said. “And when it comes to me I’m going to make the most of it.”

Moment that mattered

The moment that seemed to start the snowball effect of mental mistakes was the 64-yarder to Wicks. Mike Sainristil was in coverage on the deep throw, and it appeared he lost track of the ball as it soared over his head. Not only did the play lead to Philadelphia’s first touchdown, it seemed to throw Sainristil off for the rest of the half. Two possessions later, he lost track of Wicks again — this time in the end zone.

After the game, Sainristil said he let up on the deep pass because he incorrectly thought the ball had already been thrown in front of him. He turned to find the pass-catcher, not realizing it was Wicks.

Postgame scene

Even though it was a frustrating loss for Washington, the away locker room didn’t have the despondent vibe close losses tend to create. Sainristil talked shop with cornerbacks Rasul Douglas and Amik Robertson, discussing how to improve. Few, if any players, denied requests for interviews. Everyone on defense seemed to understand that, outside of a few isolated mistakes, they played a solid game. But, of course, there are no moral victories in football.

“We lost, so we’re all losers right now,” Douglas said. “We just gotta work, practice and put on tape next week.”