Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts won their sixth consecutive opener as the host Philadelphia Eagles held off the Washington Commanders 24-22 on Sunday.
Hurts completed 14 of 25 passes for 203 yards and three touchdown passes plus 48 rushing yards. Dallas Goedert caught four passes for 77 yards and two touchdowns while Saquon Barkley had 15 carries for 83 yards for the Eagles (1-0).
Daniels completed 18 of 34 passes for 164 yards with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Washington (0-1) scored 13 points in the fourth quarter to create a dramatic finish.
Jayden Daniels faced a 24-16 deficit and fourth-and-2 just outside the Eagles’ 10 with 2:04 to play when he found Terry McLaurin for his second catch of the drive — and the game. His 6-yard grab set up a first-and-goal.
The Commanders came back on the field on the other side of the two-minute warning with a two-tight end set and rookie Kaytron Allen behind Daniels, but were still on the doorstep on third down.
Out of a four-wide receiver set, Daniels went to rookie wide receiver Antonio Williams on a quick out. Williams gathered the low throw with both hands as the ball hit the grass, but officials ruled the play a touchdown. A replay review upheld the call on the field and made it a 24-22 game.
The Eagles weren’t fooled on the two-point try. Defensive tackle Moro Ojomo was waiting for an inside shovel pass to tight end John Bates, stopping him at the line of scrimmage.
DeVonta Smith recovered the onside kick to send the Eagles to victory formation.
The Eagles failed to generate consistent push at the line of scrimmage in the running game. Philadelphia punted on four consecutive possessions before Hurts found a one-one-one matchup and hit Smith on a stutter-and-go, getting behind Rasul Douglas and tapping his toes for a 31-yard gain. The drive fizzled but Jake Elliott’s 35-yard field goal extended Philadelphia’s lead to 17-9.
Philadelphia was able to pressure Daniels without blitzing. He escaped several times before Jihaad Campbell got home for the Eagles’ first sack in the fourth quarter.
But Daniels bounced back.
He ran twice and completed a 33-yard pass to Williams — who had two of the Commanders’ three plays over 15 yards — to get Washington to the Philadelphia 10. From a stacked trips left formation, Daniels looked left to find Stefon Diggs isolated against safety Cooper DeJean. Diggs slanted diagonally in front of DeJean and caught a bullet from Daniels for a touchdown. The Commanders opted for an extra point after Diggs was flagged for his TD celebration, and Washington trailed 17-16.
Hurts, sacked three times on the day, answered in the face of louder boos after a second-down incompletion left the Eagles with third-and-18 at the Philadelphia 31. With the pocket shrinking, Hurts found room up the middle and sprinted past the first-down marker for a 22-yard gain to move the chains. Two plays later on third-and-6, Hurts flipped a short completion to tight end Dallas Goedert, who turned up field to a wide-open track to the end zone for a 43-yard touchdown.
Philadelphia’s Dontayvion Wicks had two receptions for 73 yards, including a 9-yard TD catch in the first half.
Commanders tight end Chig Okonkwo (hamstring) left the game at the end of the third quarter and did not return. Okonkwo caught two passes for 16 yards.
–Field Level Media
