Eagles Edge Commanders 24-22 as Hurts Wins Sixth Opener

Jalen Hurts became the third QB in NFL history to win his first six opening-day starts as Philadelphia hung on to beat Washington 24-22.

The Eagles opened the 2026 season with a 24-22 win over the NFC East rival Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field, a game that stayed in doubt until the final minute. With roughly a minute to play, Washington scored and needed a two-point conversion to tie, but Moro Ojomo stuffed tight end John Bates short of the end zone to clinch it. Earlier, Jalen Carter's second-quarter blocked PAT proved decisive, leaving Washington needing two instead of one at the end.

According to NBC Sports Philadelphia, Hurts joined Hall of Famers Johnny Unitas and Roger Staubach as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to win their first six opening-day starts, and Nick Sirianni improved to 6-0 in season openers. The feat came under difficult circumstances: Hurts was working with new play caller Sean Mannion for the first time, operating behind an offensive line that struggled for much of the afternoon, and getting little help from an inconsistent running game. He still finished without a turnover.

NBC Sports Philadelphia reports Hurts went 14-for-25 for 203 yards with three touchdowns, no interceptions and a 122.2 passer rating, adding 48 rushing yards under duress. Dallas Goedert caught two touchdowns, including a 43-yarder that NBC Sports Philadelphia notes was the longest scoring catch of his nine-year career, and Dontayvion Wicks made an immediate impact in his Eagles debut with a 64-yard catch and a touchdown. PhillyVoice graded the offense a B, the defense a C-plus, and special teams an A, praising punter Braden Mann for pinning Washington inside its own 10 three times.

Both outlets flag the offensive line as the biggest concern. PhillyVoice reports Landon Dickerson was frequently beaten and pushed around, while NBC Sports Philadelphia reports Dickerson and Cam Jurgens in particular were manhandled by Washington's defensive linemen despite being fully healthy through training camp. Saquon Barkley managed just 83 rushing yards per NBC Sports Philadelphia, with a 42-yard run accounting for roughly half of it. Both outlets agree the Eagles won Sunday despite the line, which puts championship expectations at risk if it does not improve quickly.

PhillyVoice reports the Eagles face Tennessee next, and both outlets expect improvement as Mannion's offense gets more reps, with veterans like Elijah Moore potentially pushing rookie Makai Lemon, who was held to minus-five receiving yards per NBC Sports Philadelphia. Around the league, the opener had its share of drama too: according to packers.com, Green Bay lost 39-22 at Minnesota after leading 22-17 in the fourth quarter, with three third-down penalties extending a Vikings touchdown drive that flipped the game.