# The punter won the Eagles their opener

> Philadelphia beat Washington 24-22 on a day when the sloppiest unit was the offense and the steadiest was a guy who kicks the ball away.
- Title: The punter won the Eagles their opener · PhillyVoice
- Summary: Philadelphia beat Washington 24-22 on a day when the sloppiest unit was the offense and the steadiest was a guy who kicks the ball away. When a game is stuck…
- Keywords: eagles, nfl, special teams, punting, week 1, news, local, punter, won, opener, PhillyVoice
- Source: PhillyVoice — https://phillyvoice.com/eagles-commanders-braden-mann-week-1-mvp-special-teams-punting
- Published: 2026-09-13T23:36:40.622+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: eagles, nfl, special teams, punting, week 1, news, local
## A punt that refused to bounce
Jaylin Lane backed off expecting a touchback. The ball hopped left along the hash marks and died at the Washington 2-yard line.

> Instead, the ball landed and took a taunting hop left along the hash marks, dying completely still in the grass at the Washington 2-yard line.
## Thirty-three seconds, no threat
Mann's coffin corner pin came with 33 seconds left in the half. Washington just ran the ball forward and let the clock die.
## Eagles 24, Commanders 22
Philadelphia opened 1-0 at Lincoln Financial Field. The win was real, the performance was a mixed bag.
## The defense started scary
Zack Baun and Vic Fangio's unit held Washington to nine points through three quarters, looking as imposing as any recent Eagles defense.
## Then the cracks showed
Asked to protect the lead over and over, the tackling got uncharacteristically sloppy and Jayden Daniels put together two fourth-quarter scoring drives.
## Ojomo saved it
Washington's comeback came down to a 2-point try. Moro Ojomo made the stop that decided the afternoon.
## The new offense, in flashes
Sean Mannion's first game as playcaller had moments: Dontayvion Wicks breaking ankles, Jalen Hurts hitting Dallas Goedert on a seam route for a score.
## And then stuck in mud
For every clean series there were one or two where the pocket collapsed instantly and Saquon Barkley ran into a wall. The offensive line is a legitimate worry.

> it was like they had to be matched with one or two more that got stuck in the mud
## Narrow margins magnify specials
A close game that sat at a standstill turns every small edge into a big one. That is where special teams stop being an afterthought.

> every little advantage counts, which means special teams can make a massive difference
## Seven punts, 51.6 yards
Mann was called on seven times and averaged about 51.6 yards a kick. Five landed inside Washington's 15, four inside the 10.
## Washington never scored off one
Not a single point came off a Mann punt. Four of those pinned drives ended in quick three-and-outs.
## The lifeline in a messy win
Hurts' efficiency and the tackling will get picked apart all week. Field position is the reason none of it cost Philadelphia the game.

> But for as rough as it got, the Eagles always had a lifeline when it came to field position.
## Key takeaway

When a game is stuck at a standstill, field position is a weapon, and Braden Mann handed the Eagles one on all seven of his punts.