The Philadelphia Eagles snagged their sixth straight opening game win under Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts, pushing past the Washington Commanders 24-22. It’s the longest active streak in the NFL, which is cool, but man, watching that game, it felt like déjà vu from last season, and not in a good way for the offense. A palpable sense of relief swept Lincoln Financial Field when that clock hit 0:00, and honestly, you could feel it through the screen.
Defense Carries the Load Again, While Offense Stumbles
Look, the Birds’ defense bent but didn’t break. They looked absolutely gassed by the final whistle, no doubt, but that goal-line, two-point conversion stand to ice the game? Pure grit. For the better part of three quarters, they were locking down Jayden Daniels and that Commanders offense. It was totally reminiscent of last season, where the defense had to pick up the slack for an offense that just couldn’t find its rhythm. We were all hyped to see Sean Mannion’s new scheme, especially with A.J. Brown gone, and how that passing game would roll. And what about the offensive line, with Cam Jurgens already injured and struggling, alongside Landon Dickerson? Big questions were swirling heading into Week 1, and the answers weren’t exactly comforting.
Hurts’ Vintage Plays Mask Offensive Woes
So, how did Mannion’s offense look? Honestly? A whole lot like last year’s. There were entire quarters where these guys just went 3-and-out, not getting anything going. The short intermediate passing game over the middle? Practically invisible. Saquon Barkley, who everyone was buzzing about, largely struggled again, stuck behind an offensive line that’s nowhere near the beast it was in 2024, with Jurgens and Dickerson clearly having issues. But hey, no turnovers, and you gotta take that. And when things got dire, who else but Jalen Hurts saved the day? He dished out some explosive plays, including two TDs to Dallas Goedert up the seam. Then, in the fourth quarter, with the team absolutely stuck, he pulled off the play of the game: a ridiculous 22-yard gain on 3rd-and-18, just weaving through the defense when nothing was schemed open and the O-line was “leaking oil.” That’s classic Hurts, playing out of structure, throwing those deep balls that generate most of the offense. It’s awesome to watch, but it also screams “uh oh” for Mannion’s new scheme, which was supposed to be setting up other players with opportunities.
It’s only Week 1, for sure, and getting that W, even ugly, is always better than an L. But the big question for this Eagles squad is whether that new scheme under Mannion can actually start creating opportunities for everyone, or if it’s gonna be the “Jalen Hurts show” all season long, like years past. You gotta hope those “baby steps” turn into giant leaps, because relying solely on Hurts’ out-of-structure magic against every team isn’t a long-term plan, no matter how good he is. Let’s see if they can smooth out those rough edges next time out.
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.
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