# Eagles survive Washington 24-22, and Zack Baun is why > A Week 1 report card where the defense's best player outplayed an offense that looked stuck in last season. - Title: Eagles survive Washington 24-22, and Zack Baun is why - Summary: A Week 1 report card where the defense's best player outplayed an offense that looked stuck in last season. The Eagles won on special teams, a game-sealing… - Keywords: eagles, nfl, week 1, zack baun, commanders, news, local, survive, Washington, 24-22, Zack, Baun - Source: PhillyVoice — https://phillyvoice.com/eagles-commanders-week-1-report-card-recap-jalen-hurts-jayden-daniels-zack-baun-news-analysis - Published: 2026-09-13T23:44:49.423+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: eagles, nfl, week 1, zack baun, commanders, news, local ## They passed, barely Philadelphia opened 2026 against Washington at the Linc and won 24-22. It was ugly for stretches, but a win is a win. > And, well, they won 24-22, so they passed. ## Hurts to Goedert, twice The new offense sputtered, but Hurts and Dallas Goedert picked up right where they left off with two touchdown connections, including a 43-yard game-sealer in the fourth. ## The defense got leaky late Jayden Daniels was hard to corral and the coverage sprung holes in the fourth quarter. Then the Eagles stuffed a two-point try that would have tied it. ## Offense: B Different formations, same results as 2025. Barkley ran into brick walls, Hurts hit a few big shots, and an undermanned opponent hung around way too long. > The year 2025 called. It wants the Eagles offense back. ## Dickerson got pushed around Landon Dickerson was beaten frequently, a worrying sign after last season. The interior line set the tone for everything that went wrong on the ground. ## One run, half the yards Barkley broke a 42-yarder on nice inside cuts and two Commanders colliding. That single carry was about 50 percent of his rushing total. ## Hurts ran for his life His scrambles moved the offense, but they came from blocking breakdowns rather than design. Escaping pressure is not the same as a working run game. ## Tay Wicks arrives Hurts found his new weapon for 64 yards after Commanders corner Mike Sanristil got lost, then hit Wicks again in the left side of the end zone under pressure. > Sanrisitil once again struggled with the concept of space and positioning ## A beautiful seam splitter Goedert bent between the corner and the safety and Hurts dropped it in for a touchdown. Hurts also popped a signature sideline strike to DeVonta Smith. ## The 2025 moments returned Barkley whiffed on a Sonny Styles blitz and Hurts went down. On another snap Hurts bailed a clean pocket against four rushers and threw it away. > It's a work in progress. ## Smith targeted six times The timed middle-of-the-field passing that was supposed to define this offense barely showed up, and DeVonta Smith saw just six looks all game. ## Defense: C+ Baun aside, the unit was a mixed bag. Against a Washington offense short on firepower, an elite defense should have been far more disruptive. > It's a fair debate if the Eagles win the game without him. ## Rush defense left yards With Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis up front, Washington's modest backs still cleared 100 yards behind a line missing Laremy Tunsil. Good, not tight. ## One sack, and a scramble Marcus Epps left early with a shoulder injury, pushing Michael Carter II into nickel. Daniels was pressured often but hit rarely, and he ran 14 yards on third-and-15. ## DeJean's rough day Two illegal contact penalties extended scoring drives, a 16-yard strike to rookie Antonio Williams set up a touchdown, and the Diggs TD came on his watch. > If he's the best nickel in the league, all that can't happen. ## Special teams: A Braden Mann has a case for game MVP after pinning Washington inside its own 10 three times. Elliott was perfect, and Carter blocked a PAT that forced the late two-point try. ## Coaching: B- Mannion's OC debut looked like last season, Sirianni rushed a needless snap after a clear Smith catch, and Fangio's safe four-man rushes let Daniels find Diggs. > the Commanders might have won ## Baun's one-man quarter An ankle tackle on Croskey-Merritt, a pass breakup on Diggs, a screen blown up by running through a 324-pound guard, a near-pick, then a chase-down short of the sticks. ## Key takeaway The Eagles won on special teams, a game-sealing Hurts-to-Goedert strike, and one linebacker having the game of the day. The new offense still looks like the old one.