LANDOVER, Md. – The Washington Commanders had just under two weeks to reflect on their disappointing start to the NFL season before facing the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. Coming off a bye week, the team needed some time to regain their momentum.
After a shaky first quarter filled with penalties that saw them fall behind 10-0, Washington rallied impressively to score 27 unanswered points, ultimately winning 27-10. This victory marked Washington’s first win in over a month, while the Eagles faced their sixth consecutive defeat.
“When you come off of a bye, you either rev right up or you need a minute to warm up — and we took a minute,” said Washington coach Dan Quinn, reflecting on the team’s slow start.
The Commanders (2-4-1) faced early struggles, committing multiple first-quarter penalties that put them at a disadvantage. However, quarterback Jayden Daniels managed to throw for 217 yards and a touchdown, gaining confidence as the game progressed. The defense played a crucial role by shutting out the Eagles for over three quarters, allowing Daniels to connect with his receivers despite the absence of star wide receiver Terry McLaurin. This victory marked Daniels’ first win as a starter since defeating the Los Angeles Chargers on October 5, 2025.
“It’s a blessing from God just to go out there, and everything I’ve been through in my career so far,” Daniels expressed. “From different injuries and a lot of different setbacks.”
Washington’s defense was relentless, sacking Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee five times and intercepting one of his passes, limiting Philadelphia to just 268 yards of offense—only 199 of which came before their final, meaningless drive.
In his third start of the season, McKee threw for 212 yards but failed to find the end zone. Before the Eagles’ final drive, their longest offensive possession was only 52 yards.
“We just made adjustments,” cornerback Trey Amos noted. “We started a little bit slow, those things will happen sometimes, but after those adjustments, everybody came together to try and figure out a plan. It worked out, later down the line, series, quarters.”
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley managed to score a touchdown but was held to a mere 30 yards on 13 carries, contributing to Philadelphia’s disappointing 91 yards rushing overall.
“I know nobody feels sorry for us, that’s for damn sure,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni remarked. “Everyone is going to give us their best shot. I know nobody feels sorry for us and we have to do everything we can do to fix it so we don’t have this feeling for the last six games. Obviously, it sucks.”
Both teams struggled with penalties throughout the game. Eagles kicker Jake Elliott successfully made a field goal to bring Philadelphia within three points in the fourth quarter, but a subsequent illegal formation penalty forced him to retry, resulting in a miss from 41 yards.
On the other hand, Washington’s Drew Stevens kicked four field goals, including a 56-yarder late in the first quarter. Daniels found Stefon Diggs for an 8-yard touchdown in the second quarter, tying the game at 10-10, and Washington led 13-10 at halftime.
Despite a rocky start that included a missed 55-yard field goal attempt by Stevens and a fumble by tight end Chig Okonkwo, the Commanders managed to regain composure. Barkley’s 3-yard touchdown run initially put the Eagles ahead 10-0.
Daniels took a hard hit towards the end of the first half but remained in the game as Washington went on to score 27 unanswered points.
With this victory, the Commanders remain in contention within a weak NFC East, sitting two games behind the first-place New York Giants, despite their challenging start to the season. Conversely, the Eagles now find themselves at the bottom of the division.
“Are teams taking shots at us? Yeah,” Barkley acknowledged. “We’re not the big bad Eagles anymore.”
Injury Updates:
- Eagles: Safety Michael Carter suffered an abdominal injury during the game.
- Commanders: Running back Jeremy McNichols limped to the locker room with a left foot injury in the second half.
Upcoming Matches:
- Eagles: Will host the New York Giants next Sunday.
- Commanders: Scheduled to face the Los Angeles Rams at home next Sunday.
___
See AP’s full NFL coverage here.
