Thursday, October 1, 2026
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The Eagles came out victorious against the Commanders in a game that had it all: the good, the bad, and the ugly. So here's a closer look at what worked and what didn't in what was a trial by fire for a new offensive scheme.
New Philadelphia offensive coordinator Sean Mannion had trouble getting the offense into a rhythm and a leaky OL hindered that effort. He did dial up some explosive plays that proved to be the difference-maker. The Eagles had 4, including Saquon’s big-time run, and that will be something they need to key in on moving forward.
Anyone who says Jalen Hurts is carried by his playmakers is just wild. For everyone who watches, he is the engine; he is what makes the offense work. When they need a big play, it is him, via arm or legs.
Jalen had a 22-yard scramble on a 3rd-down-and-18 that led to a TD a few plays later. Jalen Hurts’ game speed was noticeably faster.
He passed for three explosive plays: a 64-yarder to Tay, a 31-yarder to Smitty, and a 43-yard TD to Goedert.
Per Next Gen Stats, Jalen Hurts completed 6 of 9 downfield passes (which are categorized as 10+ air yards) for 176 yards and three touchdowns against the Commanders.
Saquon had 83 yards on 15 carries, 42 on 1 carry, and 41 total yards on the other 14. He added to the explosive play chart with his 42-yarder.
Per Next Gen Stats, 78 of Saquon Barkley’s 83 yards came after contact, which is very reminiscent of the hardships he faced last season. He was hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on 7 of 15 carries. Barkley is still elite and needs some daylight to show what he can do. 2KSA forced five missed tackles, but if he had a few more creases and space, he easily woudl have topped 100 rushing yards.
DeVonta Smith said the Commanders used cloud coverage against him. Many teams have used this look against the Eagles in the past, but it usually rolled over to AJ Brown; Smitty has to beat it, and the Eagles’ offensive minds need to scheme him open. DeVonta finished the game with 3 receptions for 53 yards.
“It was a lot of cloud out there today. Like I told Tay (Dontayvion Wicks), ‘If people want to sit there and cloud me all game, you got to take over.’ He made some big plays. Look forward to more of that. But the coaches, I feel they’ll draw up something real good to help me out a little bit.”
Makai Lemon had an odd stat line of 3 receptions for negative five yards; I dont know if anyone has ever had that type of debut.
The good news is that Lemon was a beast in blocking down the field and got his man to the ground on occasion. He did not take any plays off. He has a bright future.
Tay Wicks ended the game with 2 receptions for 73 yards. Both of his catches were game-changing: the 64-yarder and a 9-yard TD grab.
Darius Cooper was a standout on special teams.
Dallas Goedert hauled in four passes for 77 yards and 2 touchdowns, which marks the fifth time he has accomplished that in his career. If he stays healthy, he is going to have another huge season, and possibly challenge his own team record of 11 touchdown receptions in a season.
Johnny Mundt will not get the stats, but he was sealing the edge effectively. He will make a difference as the season progresses.
The entire offensive line had a rough game, and on Monday Landon Dickerson revealed he was injured this preseason and was trying to play through it. He was placed on IR and will miss atleast four games. This will give Drew Kendall an opportunity to prove his worth, but one does have to wonder whether or not Landon Dickerson has lost a step following some difficult injuries. The hope is that he hasn't, but it's important that the Eagles have a contingency plan in place.
Jalen Carter blocked a Commanders PAT and changed the game. No unit in the league diagnoses tells from opposing special teams better than the Eagles. If the Commanders don’t miss a FG, or have the blocked extra point, this game would have likely ended with a loss for the Birds.
Moro Ojomo's 2-point conversion stop was reactionary and great film study. He said he saw Commander OL Sam Cosmi pull and knew where the play was heading. He made an athletic spin move and ended the game.
Jalyx Hunt’s pass rush win rate was 29.6, which was first in the NFL through Sunday. He continues to wreak havoc and is proving himself to be one of the best disruptors in the game. A large payday is looming.
Zack Baun was the player of the game. He led the team with 12 tackles, including a TFL, had 2 pass deflections, stopped ball carriers in their tracks, read the field, and executed the defensive game plan perfectly. He was a game-wrecker the whole night.
Cooper DeJean struggled more in this game than any other in recent memory. He allowed 7 catches for 83 yards and surrendered a TD. Better days ahead for Coop.
The Eagles' defense allowed 5 of 15 third-down conversions.
MORE: Eagles place Landon Dickerson on IR
