PHILADELPHIA — An untimely celebration by wide receiver Stefon Diggs — and a late no-call on a potential false start — doomed the Washington Commanders in their season-opening 24-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.
Referees flagged Diggs for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the fourth quarter, preventing Washington from attempting a two-point conversion that could’ve tied the game at 17.
The Commanders scored another touchdown in the final minute, but failed to reach the end zone on what would’ve been a game-tying two-point try.
But the late-game officiating concerns weren’t Washington’s biggest issues in their debut under new play-callers Daronte Jones and David Blough.
For the first three quarters, it was an ugly performance for Jayden Daniels and the offense in their debut under Blough, the first-time offensive coordinator.
Daniels struggled to find open receivers for much of the game, though the worrisome offensive line held up. The third-year passer completed just 18 of 34 passes for 164 yards, with two touchdowns.
His connection with Diggs — signed by Washington last month — was particularly tenuous. The veteran pass-catcher hauled in just two of his first seven targets, with a pair of drops derailing any early offensive momentum for Washington.
An opening drive field goal by rookie Drew Stevens got Washington on the board early, but they followed it with punts on each of their next four drives.
Meanwhile, the revamped Commanders defense — led by new coordinator Daronte Jones — tried to hold quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Eagles in check. They were mostly successful in the first half, outside of a pair of explosive plays that tipped the scales toward Philadelphia.
A 64-yard grab by receiver Dontayvion Wicks late in the first quarter featured questionable coverage by Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil. The big gain allowed Hurts to find tight end Dallas Goedert in the end zone for an 18-yard score at the start of the second frame.
Philadelphia followed a similar script two drives later. An electric, 42-yard scamper by running back Saquon Barkley put the Eagles in striking distance.
They found paydirt two plays later with a 9-yard strike to Wicks, who again shook free from Sainristil in coverage to give the Eagles a 14-3 advantage.
But — outside of those two drives — the Commanders’ new-look front held, forcing five punts and keeping the game in reach.
A methodical Washington drive late in the second quarter narrowed Philadelphia’s lead. Daniels orchestrated the offense efficiently on a 12-play possession that ended with a one-yard score by running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Croskey-Merritt, with 63 yards on 16 carries, helped power the offense while the passing attack struggled.
The Eagles added a field goal late in the third to stretch their lead to 8 points. Washington opened the final quarter with another long drive into Philadelphia territory.
Daniels opened the effort with a 14-yard scramble that featured enough spins and jukes to impress even the most jaded football fan. He added a 33-yard, third-down dart down the field to rookie receiver Antonio Williams to extend the drive into scoring territory.
Diggs capped the drive with a 10-yard touchdown grab. But he committed a rookie mistake, jumping into the goalpost during his celebration and securing a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The penalty made a two-point conversion — which could’ve tied the game — more difficult. Commander coach Dan Quinn instead opted for a longer-than-usual extra point to make the score 16-17.
The Eagles added another touchdown on a 43-yard catch-and-run by Goedert midway through the fourth quarter. Officials appeared to miss multiple false starts by Philadelphia’s offensive linemen on the game-winning score, adding to Washington’s fourth-quarter frustrations with referees.
Daniels tried to rekindle his magic from the 2024 playoff run on the final drive. He led Washington down to the Philadelphia 3-yard line, needing a touchdown and a two-point conversion. Williams picked a good time to score the first touchdown of his NFL career, snatching a pass off his shoelaces in the end zone with a minute remaining. But the two-point conversion presented a greater challenge.
Daniels completed a shovel pass to tight end John Bates at the line, but Philadelphia’s defenders tackled him well short of the goal line to secure the win.
The Commanders hit the road for another divisional matchup next Sunday in Dallas.
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