Eagles 24, Commanders 22: A Blocked Kick and a Stuffed Two-Pointer Decide the NFC East Opener
Jalen Hurts threw three touchdowns, Dallas Goedert caught two of them, and Philadelphia survived a furious Washington finish when a last-minute two-point try was snuffed out.
Divisional games in September have a way of resurfacing in December, and the Eagles banked one of the tight ones: a 24-22 win over Washington at Lincoln Financial Field decided, in the end, by two failed kicks-and-conversions.
Jalen Hurts completed 14 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover, adding 46 rushing yards. Dallas Goedert was his favorite target with four catches for 77 yards and two scores — including a 43-yard seam-route touchdown that pushed the lead to 24-16 with around six minutes left. Saquon Barkley added 83 yards on 15 carries, 42 of them on one burst.
How it unfolded
Washington led 3-0 after a 55-yard field goal before Hurts hit Goedert and then newcomer Dontayvion Wicks, who announced his Eagles debut with a 64-yard catch and a corner-route touchdown. Crucially, Washington's extra point was blocked after a Jacory Croskey-Merritt 1-yard plunge — a single hidden point that shaped the entire endgame. A 36-yard Jake Elliott field goal made it 17-9 in the third quarter.
Jayden Daniels started slowly — 6-of-16 passing in the first half, per NBC Sports — but warmed up late, finding Stefon Diggs from 10 yards to make it 17-16 and then driving Washington to an Antonio Williams 1-yard touchdown with 1:01 to play. Needing two to tie, the Commanders called a shovel pass to tight end John Bates; Philadelphia read it and stopped it cold, and DeVonta Smith recovered the onside kick to seal the win. Zack Baun led the Eagles defense with 12 tackles and two passes defended.
What it means
Philadelphia is 1-0 with a divisional head-to-head already in hand before a trip to Tennessee. Washington leaves with the harder lesson: Daniels finished with just 164 passing yards under steady pressure, and a blocked extra point forced the Commanders to chase the game on a two-point play. They get a fast chance to respond against Dallas in Week 2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYunnfDMXGc