Commanders open 2026 season with major NFC East test against Eagles
Commanders open 2026 season with major NFC East test against Eagles
The Washington Commanders will begin the 2026 regular season with about as difficult a test as the NFL schedule could provide.
Washington travels to Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday afternoon to face the defending NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles in a divisional matchup that should immediately reveal plenty about both teams. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX, with Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady on the call. Both teams enter the season 0-0.
For Washington, this season represents an opportunity to recover from a disappointing 5-12 campaign in 2025. One year after reaching the NFC Championship Game during Jayden Daniels’ spectacular rookie season, injuries, inconsistency and defensive problems sent the Commanders backward. Philadelphia finished 11-6, won the NFC East and reached the playoffs before being eliminated by San Francisco in the Wild Card round.
The Commanders responded to last season by making significant changes on both sides of the football. David Blough takes over as offensive coordinator, while Daronte Jones will direct a rebuilt defense that could feature as many as eight new starters. Washington also added several veterans and reshaped a roster that desperately needed more depth after injuries exposed major weaknesses in 2025.
Philadelphia enters the season with changes of its own. Sean Mannion takes over the offense, and the Eagles will continue to rely heavily on quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Saquon Barkley and one of the NFL’s most powerful offensive lines. Vic Fangio remains in charge of a defense built around a talented front featuring Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis.
Washington and Philadelphia know each other extremely well, but both clubs will look different enough that Sunday’s opener carries an unusual level of uncertainty.
Daniels begins critical third season
Everything Washington hopes to accomplish starts with Jayden Daniels.
Daniels was one of the NFL’s biggest stars as a rookie in 2024, leading the Commanders on a memorable postseason run that ended against Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game. His second season never developed the same momentum, as injuries contributed to Washington’s dramatic fall in the standings. The Commanders are now counting on a healthy Daniels to again look like one of the league’s most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks.
Washington’s new offensive structure could help.
Blough spent the previous two seasons working closely with Daniels as Washington’s assistant quarterbacks coach. His offense is expected to retain some of the concepts Daniels already knows while incorporating more under-center formations, play-action and pre-snap motion. The Commanders still have the ability to operate from the shotgun, use RPOs and allow Daniels to attack space with his legs, but the goal appears to be creating a more balanced offense that does not require the quarterback to carry everything himself.
That balance will be important against Philadelphia.
Fangio’s defense excels at changing the picture quarterbacks see before and after the snap. Philadelphia can show single-high coverage before rotating into two-high looks or disguise pressure without actually blitzing. Daniels will need to process those changes quickly, particularly when Washington uses play-action and forces him to turn his back to the defense.
Washington’s coaches have emphasized that this cannot become a one-man offense. Daniels’ mobility remains a major weapon, but the Commanders would rather see him defeat Philadelphia by distributing the ball efficiently than repeatedly exposing himself to unnecessary hits.
McLaurin remains Washington’s top weapon
Terry McLaurin once again enters the season as Washington’s premier receiving threat.
McLaurin and Daniels have spent the offseason working to strengthen their chemistry, and Washington will need the veteran receiver involved early. Philadelphia cornerback Quinyon Mitchell has already shown the ability to make McLaurin’s life difficult, including a previous matchup in which Mitchell held him to one reception for seven yards on four targets while covering him for most of his routes.
That matchup could become one of Sunday’s most important individual battles.
If Philadelphia successfully removes McLaurin without constantly requiring safety help, Washington must find production elsewhere. Chig Okonkwo gives the Commanders another athletic option at tight end, while Ben Sinnott could become more involved in multiple-tight-end packages. The offense also has enough running back depth to create mismatches through motion and play-action.
Washington cannot allow Daniels to spend four quarters waiting for McLaurin to get open against elite coverage.
The passing game needs layers.
Quick throws, screens, tight end routes over the middle, running back receptions and occasional deep shots can force Philadelphia to defend the entire field.
Offensive line faces enormous challenge
Perhaps no matchup should concern Washington more than its offensive line against Philadelphia’s defensive front.
The Commanders entered the offseason expecting Laremy Tunsil to protect Daniels’ blind side, but Tunsil is unavailable, forcing another reshuffling of the offensive line. Brandon Coleman is expected to handle left tackle duties, with Chris Paul at left guard, Nick Allegretti at center, Sam Cosmi at right guard and Josh Conerly Jr. at right tackle.
There is talent within that group.
Cosmi remains one of Washington’s best offensive linemen, while Conerly has the athletic ability to develop into a high-quality tackle. However, Philadelphia presents a brutal opening assignment.
Jalen Carter can destroy plays from the interior before they develop. Jordan Davis brings massive size against the run. Fangio can also create pressure through stunts and simulated looks designed to confuse protection schemes.
The Commanders cannot allow Philadelphia to consistently generate pressure with four rushers.
If the Eagles dominate the line without blitzing, they can drop seven defenders into coverage and make every passing window smaller for Daniels. Washington would then become dependent on scrambling and broken plays.
That is not a sustainable offensive plan.
Running game could be Washington’s answer
Expect Washington to make a serious effort to establish the run.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt was limited during the week with a groin issue but has been cleared to play. Washington can also rotate its backs and use heavier formations with multiple tight ends to create more favorable blocking angles.
Running effectively would solve several problems at once.
It would reduce Philadelphia’s pass-rush opportunities, create manageable third downs and open play-action opportunities for Daniels. It would also keep Hurts and Barkley standing on the Philadelphia sideline.
Washington does not need to rush for 200 yards.
The Commanders simply need enough success to prevent Fangio from treating every down as an obvious passing situation.
Stopping Barkley could determine everything
Washington’s defense may face an even bigger challenge than its offense.
Saquon Barkley remains one of Philadelphia’s most dangerous weapons, and Washington’s 2025 run defense gives the Eagles every reason to test the Commanders immediately.
Washington allowed 2,411 rushing yards last season on 504 carries, an average of 4.8 yards per attempt. Only a handful of teams surrendered more rushing yards.
That cannot continue.
Daron Payne remains the most established player on Washington’s defensive front, with Javon Kinlaw, Tim Settle and Charles Omenihu providing size and versatility around him. Jones’ defensive scheme is expected to use multiple fronts, disguise alignments and move linebackers toward the line of scrimmage to create uncertainty.
The scheme only works if Washington can tackle.
Philadelphia’s offensive line is too talented for the Commanders to repeatedly lose individual gaps. Barkley can turn a small mistake into a 40-yard gain.
Washington’s edge defenders must also stay disciplined. Overpursuing Hurts or Barkley can open massive lanes on zone-read concepts.
The Commanders need 11 defenders playing assignment football.
Oweh and Chaisson return at the right time
Washington received excellent news late in the week when Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson were both cleared to play.
Oweh had been dealing with a calf injury since mid-August, while Chaisson had been working through a knee injury. Both were limited during practice, but neither received an injury designation for Sunday.
Their availability significantly improves Washington’s chances of pressuring Hurts.
Oweh finished the second half of the 2025 season with 7.5 sacks and added three more during the Chargers’ playoff game against New England before joining Washington. The Commanders need that type of explosiveness off the edge, particularly against an Eagles offensive line that rarely allows quarterbacks to become uncomfortable.
Chaisson gives Washington another athletic pass rusher who can move around the formation.
The goal cannot simply be sacks.
Washington needs to compress the pocket, force Hurts to reset his feet and prevent Philadelphia’s passing concepts from developing on schedule.
Secondary will be tested
Washington’s secondary enters the season as one of the roster’s biggest unknowns.
Mike Sainristil remains an important young piece, while Rasul Douglas provides size and experience outside. Amik Robertson gives Washington another veteran option, but the loss of Trey Amos to injured reserve hurts the unit’s depth.
Philadelphia will test communication immediately.
DeVonta Smith remains a polished route runner capable of winning at every level of the field. Dallas Goedert can attack linebackers and safeties through the middle. Hurts is experienced enough to recognize coverage busts and punish them.
Jones’ defense may feature late safety rotations, three-safety packages and pattern-matching concepts.
Those schemes can confuse quarterbacks.
They can also confuse defenders if communication breaks down.
That makes Week 1 particularly dangerous. A defense introducing major schematic changes does not get the luxury of opening against an inexperienced offense. Philadelphia knows how to punish one missed assignment.
Eagles have injury concerns of their own
Philadelphia will not enter completely healthy.
Outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard has officially been ruled out with a pectoral injury after missing training camp and participating only on a limited basis this week. Rookie tight end Eli Stowers is questionable with a hamstring injury.
Greenard’s absence matters because Washington already faces difficult protection questions.
Philadelphia still has enough defensive-line depth to create problems, but removing an experienced pass rusher gives the Commanders one less threat to account for.
Washington’s active roster, meanwhile, carries no game-status designations entering Sunday. Oweh, Chaisson, Croskey-Merritt, Payne and several others who appeared on the injury report are expected to be available.
Health is especially important after injuries devastated Washington last season.
Rivalry needs little introduction
Washington and Philadelphia have played some memorable games over the last several seasons.
Philadelphia defeated Washington 29-18 on Dec. 20 last season before the Commanders responded with a 24-17 victory at Lincoln Financial Field in the regular-season finale. Washington scored 14 fourth-quarter points in that Week 18 victory and ended the year 5-12, while Philadelphia finished 11-6.
That win gave Washington its first victory at Lincoln Financial Field since 2022 and marked the second consecutive season in which the Commanders defeated Philadelphia at least once.
Philadelphia still owns the most painful recent victory in the rivalry.
The Eagles crushed Washington 55-23 in the 2024 NFC Championship Game, ending what had been a remarkable rookie season for Daniels.
Sunday will not erase that result.
It does, however, provide Washington another opportunity to prove it can compete with the team that has set the standard in the division.
New coordinators add uncertainty
One of the most fascinating elements of Sunday’s game is how little film exists on either team’s new system.
Blough has never called an NFL offense.
Mannion is also installing new concepts in Philadelphia.
Jones brings a different defensive philosophy to Washington than the one the Commanders used last season.
That makes preparation difficult.
Teams can study preseason snaps, coaching backgrounds and previous systems, but neither staff truly knows exactly what the opponent will unveil once the regular season begins.
The first quarter could become a feeling-out period.
Whichever coaching staff adjusts faster may gain a significant advantage.
Turnovers will be critical
Divisional games often come down to possessions.
Washington cannot give Philadelphia short fields.
Daniels must protect the football when Fangio disguises coverage, and the Commanders’ skill players cannot allow Philadelphia defenders to punch the ball loose after catches.
Conversely, Washington’s rebuilt defense needs to create opportunities.
One interception or strip-sack could completely change the complexion of the game.
The Commanders finished last season with too many stretches where the offense and defense failed simultaneously.
Sunday requires complementary football.
Special teams could matter
A game expected to remain relatively close could easily be determined by field position.
Veteran punter Tress Way remains one of Washington’s most dependable players and enters what is expected to be his final NFL season.
Washington cannot afford coverage breakdowns or missed opportunities in the kicking game.
Lincoln Financial Field becomes significantly more difficult when Philadelphia gains momentum. A long return, blocked kick or short field can change the atmosphere instantly.
The Commanders must make the Eagles earn their points.
Three keys for Washington
First, Washington must survive the line of scrimmage.
Philadelphia wants to control games physically. If the Eagles dominate Washington’s offensive line while Barkley consistently reaches the second level, the Commanders will have almost no path to victory.
Second, Daniels must play efficiently.
Washington does not need superhero football. The Commanders need Daniels to distribute the ball, avoid turnovers and use his legs selectively rather than becoming their entire rushing attack.
Third, Washington must limit explosive plays.
Philadelphia will eventually create successful runs and completions. The Commanders cannot turn ordinary plays into 50-yard gains through missed tackles or blown assignments.
Make Philadelphia drive the field.
Prediction
This matchup is difficult to predict because both teams are installing significant schematic changes.
Philadelphia deserves to be favored because of its roster continuity, offensive line, home-field advantage and recent success. Washington, however, has enough talent to make the Eagles uncomfortable if Daniels plays well and the rebuilt defense holds up against Barkley.
Expect the Commanders to stay competitive.
Washington should have opportunities to move the ball, particularly if its running game keeps Philadelphia’s pass rush honest. The bigger question is whether the Commanders can consistently stop the Eagles on the ground.
If Washington limits Barkley and forces Hurts into obvious passing situations, an upset becomes realistic.
If Philadelphia rushes for five or six yards per carry throughout the afternoon, the Eagles will control the clock and eventually wear Washington down.
Prediction: Eagles 27, Commanders 24.
Washington falls just short, but a competitive performance against the defending NFC East champions would still provide evidence that the Commanders are capable of rebounding from last year’s disappointing season.
MSB Take
This is exactly the game Washington should want to open the season.
There will be no easing into the schedule. No warmup game. No opportunity to hide weaknesses against an inferior opponent.
The Commanders immediately find out where they stand.
Daniels gets one of the NFL’s smartest defensive coordinators and a talented Philadelphia front. Washington’s rebuilt defense gets Barkley, Hurts and one of football’s best offensive lines. Blough and Jones must introduce their new systems inside one of the league’s loudest stadiums against the defending NFC East champions.
That is a serious test.
It is also an opportunity.
Washington’s 5-12 record last season cannot simply be dismissed because of injuries. The Commanders were not good enough defensively, struggled to protect Daniels consistently and became far too dependent on their quarterback creating something special.
The offseason was supposed to address those problems.
Sunday provides the first real evidence of whether it worked.
The biggest thing I want to see is a Washington team capable of playing physical football for four quarters. The Commanders cannot allow Philadelphia to bully them along the line of scrimmage. They need to tackle Barkley, protect Daniels and show that the roster around their quarterback has improved.
Daniels does not need to carry Washington.
In fact, if the Commanders are going to become a serious contender again, he should not have to.
That may be the biggest storyline of Washington’s entire 2026 season.
The Commanders know Daniels can be special.
Now they need to prove they have built a team capable of winning around him.
