The Commanders promised a dynamic offense in 2026. Its opening act left Washington waiting.

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PHILADELPHIA — Dan Quinn believed he could pull off a heist on the potential game-tying play.

With a 2-point conversion upcoming, and Eagles All-Pro defensive lineman Jalen Carter staring Washington down, Quinn got on the headset to approve his offensive coordinator’s trickery.

The play called for a delayed shuffle pass, designed to draw Carter and his cavalry toward the edge, only to leave the middle of the field wide open.

As it was designed, quarterback Jayden Daniels would scamper to his left. As he was hit by Carter, he’d flip the ball inside just as the Eagles realized nobody was there to stop it. If all went according to plan, tight end John Bates would walk right into the end zone.

That was the masterminded plan, anyway.

“From a play call, it is an effective one,” Quinn, the Washington head coach, said.

The reality, though, was far from a jailbreak.

Carter blew up his blocks as soon as the ball was snapped. Instead of being fooled by Daniels, he and Philadelphia’s front were waiting to upend Bates. Quinn’s deceit led his tight end right into the heart of Philadelphia’s defense.

“I did everything in my power to try to get there but didn’t get it done,” Bates said.

There was nothing he could do.

And that is how Washington’s season-opening loss, a 24-22 defeat, ended at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. It was indicative of a day full of missteps for an offense that looked unexpectedly shaky. All for a unit that was supposed to carry the Commanders in 2026.

“There were other miscues in this game,” Quinn said. “It just so happens [the 2-point conversion] is the one we see. That’s the stuff I need to get cleaned up.”

Those miscues permeated Washington’s operation.

After an offseason of Quinn lauding his quarterback’s accuracy, calling it his superpower, Daniels struggled to complete even 50% of his throws. On the opening snap, he missed a wide-open Terry McLaurin in the middle of the field. The throw was so low McLaurin barely could get a hand on it.

Whether it was McLaurin or Stefon Diggs, Daniels couldn’t find either top target. It wasn’t for a lack of trying. He threw to Diggs nine times and McLaurin four. But it amounted to only six total receptions.

“Him and I could have connected a little better,” McLaurin said. “I got to be better. I expect better from myself.”

As the trio limped along, the offense kept stalling. Daniels didn’t surpass 100 yards until early in the fourth quarter. McLaurin didn’t even register a reception until the second-to-last drive.

Daniels finished 18-of-34 passing for 164 yards and two touchdowns.

On its face, it wasn’t the worst stat line. But it was the defense that kept Washington afloat.

It held All-Pro running back Saquon Barkely under 100 yards and stumped quarterback Jalen Hurts. It remained a one-score game, with Quinn begging his offense to show something.

But, even when it finally sputtered to life, Washington couldn’t get out of its own way.

Daniels hit Diggs on a 10-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. Diggs was so frustrated from a long day that he ran right into the goal post for a celebration. Officials promptly hit him with an unsportsmanlike penalty that kept Washington from going for two. Yet another opportunity wiped away.

“We were going to go for two. He knows better in that space,” Quinn said.

All Diggs could do was apologize.

“We finally hit one, and I got a little excited. Of course, I’ll take full accountability,” he said. “I want to win badly, every little rep. So when we clicked, after not clicking for a little while, it got to me a little bit. So just be smart.”

As Quinn walked out of the locker room, he pumped the brakes on any long-term concern. It is a debut in a new scheme. It will take time, he said.

And Daniels showed signs of growth. He nearly tied the game on a touchdown drive with a minute to play. He connected with rookie Antonio Williams to set up the failed 2-point conversion.

He also matured from an injury-riddled 2025, throwing the ball away early and often instead of taking hits.

“There are things as a coach I don’t really know until we get into the games. Throwing the ball away, getting it out,” Quinn said. “It was good to have him back. There is going to be a lot of what we can teach off of.”

But offensive lineman Brandon Coleman might have put it best as to what the opening week was for the Commanders.

“A lot of s–t that we left on the table. Just little stuff that adds up,” he said.

It cost the Commanders a critical divisional win.

And the main culprit, unexpectedly, was the offense. Two-point conversions and all.