The Eagles open the season at home against the Commanders, and this NFC East matchup already has the feel of a tight early test for Philadelphia.
Last year told two very different stories for these teams. The Eagles went 11-6 in the regular season and stayed on top of the division before losing to San Francisco in the Wild Card round. Washington, meanwhile, stumbled to a 5-12 finish after injuries piled up, including the absence of then-reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels.
The teams split their late-season meetings in 2024. Philadelphia won 29-18 in Washington, then the Commanders answered with a 24-17 win over the Eagles’ backups in Week 18.
The betting market has stayed put here, with neither the spread nor the total moving since opening for this game.
SI Betting’s Iain MacMillan laid out his view in his Road to 272 Bets column, and his case is built on two things: Philadelphia still has something to prove, and Washington looks healthier heading into the new season.
“While I still believe the Eagles are the team to beat in the NFC East this season, there are still some things they have to prove to me before I'm ready to lay points on them. First of all, can they find a way to replace A.J.
Brown's production at wide receiver with him now in New England? Also, I can't mention the Bears' record in one-score games without mentioning that the Eagles had an even better record in one-score games at 8-4.
Meanwhile, the Washington Commanders have filled some holes on their roster and are much healthier than they were a year ago. They need Jayden Daniels to get back to his 2024 form, but entering this season healthy should go a long way toward doing that.”
That line of thinking fits the way this game sets up. Philadelphia is still the favorite on paper, but the Eagles have a habit of making life difficult on themselves, especially this early in the year. Washington, fresh off last season’s divisional matchups, should have plenty of motivation.
The lean here is simple: the Eagles can win, but the Commanders are live enough to keep it inside the number. The prediction points to Philadelphia taking the game without covering the spread.
In Other News...
Commanders Injury Report Brings Relief Before Week 1 But One Detail Matters
The first official injury report of the season gave the Commanders a noticeably healthier look than they had two weeks ago, a welcome development as Week 1 approaches. Odafe Oweh, Bill Croskey-Merritt and KLavon Chaisson were back in limited practice, while Nick Allegretti, Jordan Magee, Marcus Mariota, Charles Omenihu and Ben Sinnott were listed as full participants, a sign that the roster is moving in the right direction after an early stretch of health concerns.
Dan Quinn still had one important caveat, though, and it speaks to how early this part of the calendar remains. Everyone was out there in some form, but not everyone is working at the same intensity or for the same length of time, which means the report offers encouragement without fully answering how ready the group is for opening week. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Have A Left Tackle Problem They Can't Ignore
The Commanders moved quickly to release D.J. Humphries shortly before their season opener, but the timing of the decision only sharpened an already uncomfortable problem up front. With Laremy Tunsil dealing with a torn triceps injury, Washington is expected to turn to third-round pick Brandon Coleman at left tackle, a spot that suddenly looks a lot less secure than it did when camp opened.
What makes the situation even more urgent is the lack of a clear answer behind Coleman. Washington has not made a corresponding roster move to replace Humphries, leaving the depth chart thin at one of the most important positions on the field. For a team trying to get through the early part of the season without its top option at left tackle, the margin for error is looking awfully small. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Still Have One Painfully Obvious Gap Heading Into Eagles Opener
The Commanders head into their 2026 opener in Philadelphia with a backfield that looks built more for sharing work than for carrying a game on its own. Washington is expected to lean on a running-back-by-committee approach, with Wild Bill, Rachaad White and rookie Kaytron Allen all in the mix as the team tries to find a rhythm before facing the defending Eagles on the road.
Even with that group in place, the position still stands out as the most obvious place for an upgrade if Washington wants more punch offensively. Saquon Barkley looms over that conversation as the kind of back who could instantly change what this offense looks like, which only sharpens the contrast between what the Commanders have now and what they may still be missing. [Read more 🡒]