Instant analysis: Commanders miss late conversion, fall to Eagles

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PHILADELPHIA — Washington held in as long as it could in the season opener.

But, eventually, its offensive issues were too much to overcome in a 24-22 loss to the Eagles on Sunday.

The Commanders didn’t cross the 100-yard passing threshold until early in the fourth quarter. Their top receiver, Terry McLaurin, recorded two catches.

That said, the Commanders nearly pulled out a late win. Jayden Daniels hit rookie Antonio Willaims for a 1-yard touchdown with a minute left. On the 2-point conversion to tie the game, the Eagles shut down a shuffle pass to tight end John Bates, ending the upset bid.

Here are three takeaways from Washington’s opening loss.

Jayden Daniels looks uneasy, then settles in.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn talked all offseason about Daniels’ accuracy: the layered throws, the ability to put the ball on the correct shoulder, the scrambling darts. Quinn called it Daniels’ superpower.

In the season opener, it didn’t fully translate. From the first play, Daniels looked rushed. He had McLaurin wide open for a short gain on the opening snap, but the ball was low and away, resulting in an incompletion. A little later, on a third down, Stefon Diggs had a step on his defender. Daniels just had to pop the ball over the defense for a big play but underthrew it.

Daniels started 3-of-9 for 19 yards. Compared to his counterpart, Jalen Hurts — who started 5-of-9 for 91 yards and a touchdown — it put Washington in an early deficit. The Commanders were already at a talent disadvantage compared to one of the NFC’s most complete rosters. They needed an edge at quarterback.

Daniels settled in during the fourth quarter. He hit Diggs over the middle for a 10-yard touchdown, capping a nine-play, 67-yard drive.

After an Eagles answer, Daniels led a 12-play touchdown drive that ended in the Williams score.

But Daniels finished 18-of-34 passing for 164 yards. McLaurin was supposed to be Daniels’ security blanket. That instead looked like Diggs, who had four receptions for 55 yards.

Jones’ defense is as expected, but Mike Sainristil looks lost.

New defensive coordinator Daronte Jones delivered plenty of what he promised in Week 1. Washington played a heavy dose of zone (over 80% of the time) and brought its share of blitzes (over 35% of the time). That’s above league average, which is what you’d expect from the Brian Flores-style defense Jones installed.

But the scheme could not make up for critical errors in the secondary.

Hurts picked on corner Mike Sainristil on two of the most impactful plays of the game. Both were similar mistakes from the veteran defender.

The first came when Washington was in deep zone coverage down the field. Dontayvion Wicks, a little-used receiver in 2025, ran a simple corner route. In theory it should have been well covered, with several Commanders in the area. But, as Sainristil dropped back into coverage, he abruptly stopped and let Wicks slither free for a 64-yard completion. It set up the Eagles’ first touchdown.

A little later, Sainristil was in man coverage against Wicks. Hurts recognized it, motioning Wicks across the line of scrimmage to isolate him on the outside. When Wicks broke to the corner of the end zone, Sainristil again hesitated and let him get past. It was an easy 9-yard touchdown.

Sonny Styles dazzles in debut.

Nobody had a more draining preseason than Washington’s first-round pick. He played only 31 snaps, but each one was hyperanalyzed. His own fanbase seemingly turned on him as he grew into the position.

But, in the first game that mattered, Styles may have been the Commanders’ best defensive player. His first NFL sack came by blowing up Saquon Barkley and getting to Hurts. He dropped Barkley for a loss later in the quarter.

Styles finished with two tackles for loss.