Commanders vs. Eagles preview Week 1
Here's everything you need to know when the Washington Commanders play the Philadelphia Eagles Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.
Video Transcript
Old school beef squatch.
Washington makes the short trip to the land of the cheese steaks to start the season.
JD five back in the saddle, looking to restore order and take command of the NFC East.
Ah!
Philadelphia hosting the Eagles.
Reigning division champs hoping to make an early statement that they are still the Hank Hills of the neighborhood.
The whole world knows what we're fucking doing.
It doesn't matter.
You know, Kings of the Hill.
See, that's not the kind of line AI would come up with.
It's how you can know game preview guy is behind it.
Maybe I'm not intelligent, but I'm definitely not artificial, should that be your concern.
Oh, yeah.
Oh my gosh, yes.
Okay, 2026 regular season is knocking, and everybody is eager to let it in.
It's a clean slate for everybody.
What might be some of the key storylines to watch for in this game?
We have 10 of them, starting with Jayden Daniels, who will be behind center again.
Perfect throw from Daniels to McLaurin.
This guy's got ice in the veins.
Had that great rookie year, then suffered through an injury-plagued 2025.
Will he just fire it back up, or might there be some rust to his game?
Throws over to Luke McCaffrey.
He walks into the end zone.
What should we expect from Philadelphia's AJ Less offense?
Eagles no longer having to worry about what Brown is reading on the sideline.
First-round pick Mekhi Lemon makes his debut in his place.
I'm super excited to, you know, showcase what I can bring to the offense.
Former Packer Dontayvion Wicks puts on the winged helmet for the first time.
Hollywood Brown also debuts after spending last year with Kansas City.
It's a new look group, despite DeVonta Smith returning.
Will be interesting to see how Jalen Hurts passes are divvied up.
It is for DeVonta Smith.
Touchdown!
Sticking with Hurts, what's his game look like with all those new faces?
He didn't have a bad 2025.
Fires.
Complete.
Touchdown!
But there was a clunkiness to it at times.
Let's see if he's back to top-shelf form without having to worry about whether AJ was getting enough action.
Some Eagles fans have said it's an addition by subtraction kind of thing.
Time to see if that's true as it pertains to Hurts.
Hey, man, all for one and one for all.
He will be trying to dodge what is a new look Washington front seven.
They have all sorts of dudes making their Washington debuts.
Sonny Stiles at linebacker, their first rounder, supposed to be a generational talent.
He's got a physical presence.
He's a former safety that dropped down to linebacker.
Leo Chenal, former Chief, will be next to him, along with returnee Frankie Luvu.
He is hit from behind, and Luvu's got him for a sack.
Hopefully, former Charger/Raven Odafe Oweh and former Pack Caleb Van Schaun from the edges, each guy with seven-plus sacks last year, each guy dealing with an injury that left their week one a little uncertain at the time of this publishing.
And then he goes down.
Washington's secondary also has plenty of new guys, three new corners.
Amique Robertson puts on the W for the first time, trying to rebound from a tough year in Detroit in 2025.
Rasul Douglas played the pass well in Miami.
Safety Nick Cross debuts after spending last year with Indianapolis, 100-plus tackle dude.
The hope is they will be a tougher team to pass on compared to last year.
Intercepted.
Herbert is picked by Cross.
Every one of those guys will have to help with Saquon, of course.
Barkley looking to show he's still capable of looking like he did in 2024 when he cracked 2K.
He still cracked 1K last year, still plenty capable of jaw-dropping runs.
And it goes to Barkley.
Across the 10, five, touchdown.
Will Washington be able to run the ball effectively?
They brought in Rashaad White from Tampa Bay.
So long as his hamstring is healed up, he'll debut.
Another dude on the injury watch list, though.
Rashaad White gets it.
Rashaad White.
Joins Jacory Crosskey-Merritt, who also was dealing with a lower body injury late in preseason.
Bill popped for 4.6 a run as a rookie with eight scores.
Along with Daniel's ability to run, they could give Philadelphia trouble along the ground.
Into the end zone.
Touchdown!
Bill Crosskey-Merritt.
Number of times Daniel's bolts will depend on how often Philadelphia's pass rush breaks through.
Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter make up a crazy good DT duo.
Moro Ojomo is nothing to sneeze at either.
Taken down again.
Fourth sack of the day for the Eagles.
It's Moro Ojomo who delivers.
They have Jonathan Greenard, former Viking, but he was on the PUP list late due to a pec injury, so track his status, and Jaleux Hunt, who Philadelphia expects to really break out this year.
He's sacked all the way back.
Superman.
He's sacked by Jaleux Hunt.
When Daniels lets her rip, it's third-round pick Antonio Williams' first regular season NFL game, tight end Chig Okonkwo's first game as a Commander, plus Stefon Diggs, who put down 1,000-plus yards for New England last year.
Play with confidence, and let's feed off each other.
Gang on three.
One, two, three.
Gang.
Scary Terry still the go-to, of course.
McLaurin a toe-tapping highlight machine wizard.
Trick or treat.
Scary Terry arrives.
And those cats will battle Philadelphia's retooled secondary.
No more Reed Blankenship at safety.
Returnee Andrew McCubba taking his spot.
There's the turnover.
Intercepted by McCubba.
Reek Woolen takes over Adoree Jackson's role at cornerback, and he gets to see what it's gonna be like to play alongside Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell.
Either guy versus McLaurin is worth getting the popcorn out for.
And it's intercepted, Quinyon Mitchell.
Left some items for you guys to cover in the comment section.
Take it over and break down what you're interested in.
Add a score prediction, too, while you're at it.
Washington up four over Philly overall, 91 to 87, five ties along the way.
Before we check out the remodeled picks panel we have, let's get our history books out and thumb back to 1982 for an underrated classic OT thriller between these two rivals, which took place on opening day.
Against the Eagles, Washington started fast on Joe Theismann's rifle right arm and the flying feet of Charlie Brown.
But it was all-pro kicker Mark Moseley who tied the game at 34, then won it in overtime.
Hold is good.
Kick is up, long enough.
It's good.
Mark Moseley's toe has sent it to overtime, and Mark Moseley's toe has won it in overtime.
The Redskins are 1-0.
The Eagles are 0-1.
