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Commander Country

5 Winners and 6 Losers From Commanders' Narrow Week 1 Loss to Eagles

The Washington Commanders came within one two-point conversion of forcing overtime in Philadelphia, leaving plenty to like — and plenty to blame — after a 24-22 Week 1 loss.
Henry Brown|
Sep 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Antonio Williams (14) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Sep 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Antonio Williams (14) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders were just a few short feet away from tying their Week 1 kickoff against the Philadelphia Eagles entering the game's final 60 seconds. Had the season opener taken place in any colder weather, the players' breath from the line of scrimmage, two yards out from the end zone, may have found the painted turf on TV.

Unfortunately, that's as close as the visitors got to tying their hosts at 24 points. What was generally a defensive standoff between Philadelphia's relentless pass rush and Washington's surprisingly stingy run defense will be remembered for the Commanders' ill-fated decision to turn to tight end John Bates with the potential game-tying conversion hanging in the balance. He failed to match the team's original position from scrimmage, let alone a successful two-point conversion, knocking the squad down to an early 0-1 record.

Even if that fateful read would end up dooming Washington's chances of tying the game, the Commanders still produced a series of inspiring performances to overshadow some of the lowlights.

Winners: Players Who Came Out Strong to Start Season

Jacory "Bill" Croskey-Merritt

After notching eight rushing touchdowns over a near-instantly productive rookie season, Croskey-Merritt continued looking closer to a convincing scoring option following his latest bid as Washington's primary power back. He broke off for a few big bursts en route to 63 yards on 16 carries, including a punctuating touchdown he converted by rolling over the body of his final Eagles defender.

It wasn't the kind of performance that would single-handedly win anyone their weekly fantasy football matchup, but Commanders fans had to be relieved seeing him rise to the challenge in fending off Rachaad White as Washington's lead back.

Nick Cross

While the Commanders' front seven headlined the inspired defensive effort, no one on Washington's side came close to matching Cross' tackle total of eight. That included two takedowns for losses, with the safety repeatedly reading Philadelphia's concepts mid-assembly and blowing up would-be playmakers shortly after handoffs.

He's already backing up his reputation as one of the squad's most notable offseason additions, a local product who promises to spice up the lacking secondary with the versatility to translate his impact into the trenches.

Washington Commanders Safety Nick Cross
Aug 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Washington Commanders safety Nick Cross (25) on the sidelines during their game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sonny Styles

Washington's exciting first-round inside linebacker had to withstand a few weeks of boring offseason fear-mongering. But while his offseason clips depicted a player who fell short of solving every problem- even those that fell outside of his positional duties- he was everywhere in Philadelphia.

Styles was among the three Commanders to sack Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts on the afternoon, imprinting himself upon the outing's highlight reel when he pancaked Saquon Barkley's valiant block attempt. If he's not already helping to headline Washington's defensive corps, he certainly seems headed there.

Antonio Williams

While fellow scoring weapon Croskey-Merritt had to consistently chug for his own numbers, Williams tasted the life of the big-play receiver with 64 yards on four catches. He was a pivotal target to monitor on Jayden Daniels' downfield looks, including one low-hanging snag for his first touchdown as a pro. While his star-caliber position-mates produced sparingly in the debut, the rookie already appears ready to save the occasionally stalling series with clutch strikes.

Laremy Tunsil

The 5x Pro Bowler seems like an ineligible addition to such a list considering his continued absence with a torn triceps, but I promise this isn't cheating.

Daniels' protectors, including Tunsil replacement Brandon Coleman, struggled mightily to keep the quarterback's pocket clean, with each televised cut to the sideline-dwelling left tackle reminding Washington fans of the man with the best chance at resuscitating the squad's oft-stagnant offense. As if it wasn't already clear, the Commanders need their $60 million force to look like its best version of itself.

Losers: Those Who Shouldn't Search Their Names Online for a Few Days

Mike Sainristil

Everyone knew that if there was anywhere to hit the Commanders where it hurt, it would be by targeting their deep secondary. Their assortment of cornerbacks looks even weaker than ever, with rising sophomore Trey Amos out with extended injury rehabilitation, leaving a slew of veterans and disappointing former prospects to handle top receiving assignments.

Sainristil falls closer to that latter categorization, having repeatedly lost track of his men over a less-than-fruitful 2025 campaign. And the Eagles spared him no mercy; two of their biggest receptions heading into the fourth quarter went to Dontayvion Wicks on Sainristil's head, further proof that he's incapable of holding his own on an island.

The Commanders' Tunsil-Less Offensive Line

Some of the Commanders' more paranoid fans have already kept Washington's post-Philadelphia matchups on their minds, and anyone worrying about Daniels' odds of surviving a complete season can't have exited Week 1 feeling any better than they were when the star tackle first went down. Everyone, from the young tackles trying to recreate Tunsil's impact to Nick Allegretti, the center who missed a key block on that failed 2-point attempt, will have to raise their level of play in attempting to keep the scoring scheme afloat.

Terry McLaurin

Stefon Diggs, Daniels' newest WR2, drew more eyes than just about any Commander amidst a quiet debut with his newest franchise, but he traded whispers of an ineffective start for a different kind of controversy. He eventually scored before deciding on a costly celebration, jumping up and hugging the goalpost- a move that cost 15 yards and, crucially, a shot at tying the game from two-point range right then and there.

Washington Commanders Wide Receiver Stefon Diggs
Sep 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Stefon Diggs (3) celebrates after a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

At the very least, he still scored. McLaurin couldn't even come close to Diggs' 55-yard finish, concluding the afternoon showing with two late-game catches for 14 yards. Should the re-tooled offense actually threaten anyone, he'll have to do better than he did against the Eagles' defensive backs.

Washington's Usually-Frustrating Kicking Situation

As unhelpful as the woulda-coulda-shoulda game is following a loss, the Commanders would have really benefited from a few more kicking situations going their way. Rookie pickup Drew Stevens shot 1/2 on both field goal and extra point attempts, falling victim to a blocked PAT before a 54-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right. Jake Moody clearly wasn't the answer as a journeyman reclamation project, yet this team can't feel good about their options just yet.

Jayden Daniels

The Commanders' star quarterback is less to blame for the defeat than some of his aforementioned teammates, but he'd still be better off keeping his eyes on next week's attempt at redemption.

Save for a few late-game tosses and one spin move-fueled dash, he looked rusty in his attempts to execute in the face of the nonstop pressure he faced. Again, he can only do so much in having to throw away so many broken plays, but he'll be the one who'll fall on the sword of Washington's results should his team limp out to start the fall. He did finish strong, going 9-11 on Washington's final two drives.

David Blough

Finally, we arrive at the Commanders' wunderkind offensive coordinator, a recent backup quarterback who seemed just as creative at utilizing Washington's pieces as he looked new to the play-calling experience.

He initially earned praise for experimenting with Daniels under center while throwing in the occasional flea-flicker attempt, but may have bitten off more than he could chew in his over-prioritization of Bates. As fun as it is whenever the tight end can mix up his blocking repertoire with the occasional reception, there were better options to turn to on that fateful game-deciding call.

That wasn't the offense's only gaffe en route to their defensively tilted 2026 unveiling, a necessary reminder that not every coordinator is a finished product right out of the gate. He'll get the time he needs to grow, though the Commanders may not be able to afford quite so many head-scratching decisions in escaping the early losing record.

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Henry Brown
HENRY BROWN

Henry covers the Washington Wizards with prior experience as a sports reporter with The Baltimore Sun, The Capital Gazette, and The Lead. A Bowie, MD, native, he also handles On SI’s Wizards beat, extending his DMV coverage, and has earned his journalism degree from the University of Maryland.

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