The Philadelphia Eagles just scraped by with a 24-22 Week 1 win against the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field, and honestly, they had to stop a two-point conversion late in the game to even seal it. Talk about a heart-stopper right out of the gate! Vic Fangio’s defense, even if it wasn’t perfect all day, absolutely came through when it mattered most, preventing what could have been a trip to overtime or even a devastating loss.
Hurts on His Shoulders: Offense Needs to Catch Up
Let’s be real, it felt like Jalen Hurts carried this offense more than the unit functioned smoothly. His numbers were straight fire, no doubt: 14/25 completions for 203 passing yards, a slick 8.1 average per throw, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions. That’s a 122.2 passer rating for Week 1, which is elite stuff. There were explosive plays, and a lot of that was Hurts just doing Jalen Hurts things. But the offense wasn’t exactly even, you know? Sean Mannion’s debut was, shall we say, “interesting,” and the offensive line was just not great. Concerns around Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens are definitely lingering after this one. You want your QB to be a playmaker, but you don’t want him to be a one-man show every single snap.
Early Game Jitters and Defensive Stands
The game started with the Eagles winning the coin toss and electing to defer, putting the Commanders on offense first. Washington capitalized early, driving down the field. They picked up a quick first down on the ground from their own 36-yard line. Later, facing a 3rd-and-10, Jayden Daniels managed to hit Stefon Diggs in a soft spot, with Cooper DeJean getting beat. The Commanders even tried a flea flicker, which Moro Ojomo quickly shut down with pressure, forcing Daniels to throw it away. Then, facing another 3rd-and-10, they pulled a “coward’s draw” and settled for a 55-yard field goal. Eagles down 0-3 just like that.
Philadelphia’s first drive wasn’t much better. Starting at their own 35, a play-action look went incomplete to Saquon Barkley. A Barkley run brought up third down, but Hurts stepped up against a blitz and ran for a first down. Makai Lemon snagged his first career reception, which was cool, but they faced 3rd-and-8 again. Hurts hit Dontayvion Wicks short of the sticks, and old friend Rasul Douglas instantly knocked the ball out. Six plays, 13 yards, and a punt. Braden Mann dropped a nice coffin corner punt, pinning Washington deep at their 6-yard line. Marcus Epps then flew into the backfield for a TFL on a Commanders run, a real defensive highlight.
Up next, the Eagles hit the road for a game against the 0-1 Tennessee Titans, who are coming off a loss to the New York Jets. This narrow Week 1 win means they’ve got some serious work to do, especially with that offensive line, to build momentum moving forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
Leave a Reply