Preview: Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles
Lincoln Financial Field | Week 1 | Sunday, September 13, 2026 | 4:25 p.m. ET | FOX
The last time Jayden Daniels walked into Lincoln Financial Field for a game that mattered, the Eagles put 55 on Washington in the NFC Championship. Philadelphia was a 6-point favorite and blew the Commanders out 55-23. That's the scoreboard sitting in the back of every Washington player's head today.
This will be the first regular-season game for Daniels since he was shut down after suffering a severe elbow dislocation. He played just three snaps during the preseason but logged heavy reps in training camp and joint practices. Three preseason snaps and a full offseason of rehab. Now he's walking into one of the loudest buildings in the NFC. The biggest question in this matchup starts with whether Daniels can command the game against one of the league's more stable rosters. He's the quarterback who sets the tone for everything the Commanders want to do, and this opener carries extra weight after a second season that drew real scrutiny. Watch how he handles pressure on third down early. If the Eagles pin their ears back and Daniels gets happy feet, this could turn ugly fast.
Both teams are working with new offensive coordinators: David Blough takes over for Kliff Kingsbury in Washington, and Sean Mannion replaces Kevin Patullo in Philadelphia. Both first-time play-callers are tasked with installing new, under-center offenses, and there will be an adjustment period for both Daniels and Jalen Hurts. That's a genuine wildcard. A week-one game between two quarterbacks relearning their systems inside a division that decides playoff seeding. Something's going to break down.
On the Philadelphia side, watch Jalen Carter. He's ranked 29th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026 and he's the best interior pass rusher in the NFC East. If Washington's rebuilt offensive line can't neutralize him up the middle, Daniels won't have time to go through reads on a new offense. Laremy Tunsil is on injured reserve, which moved Brandon Coleman to left tackle, and Nick Allegretti is set to start at center.
For Washington's defense, the Commanders are rolling with a new defensive scheme under Daronte Jones, a first-time NFL play-caller who brings extensive experience from both the college and professional levels. Washington went big in free agency on that side of the ball and used the No. 7 overall pick on Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. Styles and Daron Payne are the two players Philly's offensive staff will be scheming around.
Coming off a 5-12 season, the Commanders face a schedule that demands a strong early record if a playoff return is going to be realistic, and opening on the road against Philadelphia is about as difficult a starting point as the NFL can offer. Washington is looking to win back-to-back games against the Eagles in Philadelphia for the first time since the 2015-16 seasons. They did beat Philly on the road in January to close out 2025. Dan Quinn knows his team can do it. The question is whether a quarterback coming off an elbow injury, running a brand-new offense, can execute it on the first Sunday of the year.
With the line sitting at Philadelphia -5.5, the market expects a competitive but Eagles-favored afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field. Five and a half points is plenty of room for Washington to cover and still lose. But covering doesn't change a record.