Eagles start season with win over Washington

Jalen Hurts threw for 203 yards and three touchdowns, and the Eagles’ Moro Ojomo stuffed the Commanders’ attempt at a tying 2-point conversion with 1:01 remaining as Philadelphia squeaked past Washington 24-22 on Sunday.

Jayden Daniels threw a 1-yard TD pass on third-and-goal to Antonio Williams with 1:01 left for the Commanders’ second touchdown of the fourth quarter. On the 2-point try, Washington called a shovel pass to tight end John Bates, who was wrapped up instantly by Ojomo.

The Eagles improved to 6-0 in season openers under coach Nick Sirianni since 2021.

Philadelphia Eagles player Dallas Goedert scores a fourth-quarter touchdown against the Washington Commanders in Philadelphia on Sunday.

Photo: AFP

Hurts had his moments for the two-time reigning NFC East champions in Sean Mannion’s debut as offensive coordinator. Mannion is Hurts’ fifth coordinator in the last five seasons and their partnership showed early promise for the former Super Bowl MVP.

Mannion’s system worked out well for tight end Dallas Goedert, who had four catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns.

The early big play came late in the first quarter when Hurts had multiple targets open on a play-action and connected with Dontayvion Wicks for a 64-yard reception. Wicks, acquired in an April trade from Green Bay, had the longest reception of his career and gave the first signal that perhaps the Eagles would be just fine at wideout after trading disgruntled star AJ Brown to New England.

Hurts finished the drive with a dart down the middle to Goedert for a 17-yard score and a 7-3 lead. If the Eagles had questions at wide receiver — and new No. 1 receiver DeVonta Smith had only two targets in the first half, and just three catches overall — they are fine at tight end. Goedert, who had a career-high 11 TD catches last season, again proved himself a trusted target.

Hurts added a 9-yard TD pass to Wicks in the second quarter for a 14-3 lead as the Eagles ran a clean, crisp offense under Mannion. Saquon Barkley, who tailed off last season after rushing for more than 2,000 yards in 2024 when the Eagles won the Super Bowl, ripped off a 42-yard run to set up Wicks’ TD.

Yet the offense largely cooled off behind a shaky line that gave Hurts little time to throw. Meanwhile, the defense — anchored by all-everywhere linebacker Zack Baun — rarely let Daniels break free long enough to sting the Eagles until the fourth.

Daniels — who went 18 of 34 for 164 yards — avoided a sack, spun and scrambled for a 13-yard gain on the final play of the third quarter. He had time in the pocket to hit a wide-open Williams for a 33-yard gain and then hit Stefon Diggs after the veteran receiver beat Cooper DeJean in the slot for a 10-yard touchdown.

Diggs, whose string of personal issues made him available even after he had 99 catches for 1,123 yards for the AFC champion New England Patriots, was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct when he jumped and bear-hugged the goal post before he landed on his back.

The Commanders might have gone for 2, but the 15-yard penalty forced them to settle for the extra point that made it 17-16.