It's here. The Washington Commanders begin their 2026 campaign with a trip to the Philadelphia Eagles. Head coach Dan Quinn's squad is looking to make an early statement, and getting one over on their fierce NFC East rival would be a good place to start.
Everyone knows what to expect. Lincoln Financial Field will be a cauldron of hate for Washington. Big characters and strong will are needed, and everyone must execute their assignments effectively. Even that might not be enough, but it's the best shot Quinn has of getting off to the best possible start.
This might also be a good time to play the Eagles. They remain strong, especially on defense. But they are running a new offense again, and they no longer have the services of Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown to depend upon.
The stakes are high for both clubs right out of the gate. Here's everything you need to know before these bitter division adversaries take the field.
Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles game-day primer
How to watch Commanders at Eagles in Week 1
The Commanders' season opener against the Eagles is FOX's game of the week and will kick off at 4:25 p.m. Eastern Time. Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady are on the call, with Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi reporting from the sidelines.
The game will also stream on FOX One, FOXSports.com, and the FOX Sports app. Anyone with NFL Game Pass on YouTube TV can also catch the matchup.
Commanders at Eagles injury updates for Week 1
The Commanders are missing left tackle Laremy Tunsil and defensive lineman Johnny Newton long-term, but everyone else got the green light for Week 1. Odafe Oweh, K'Lavon Chaisson, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, and Daron Payne were all cleared to feature, but just how much they'll be able to influence proceedings is undetermined.
As for the Eagles? They won't have the services of edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, which is a plus for Washington. Everyone else is available.
What Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels said before Eagles clash
Dan Quinn: "The best teams I've been part of have a strong connection in the locker room first... This team is just connected, maybe more quickly than we've had."
Jayden Daniels: "I don't want to be my final product in Week 1. I just want to go out there and continue to just get better each and every day, each and every game and do whatever it takes to help the team win some football games."
Storylines to watch for Commanders in Week 1
The Commanders have a tough start to overcome. Quinn is confident, and so is general manager Adam Peters. But the next few weeks will tell fans everything they need to know about how far along this project really is.
Daniels is healthy. The Commanders' defense should be much improved, and they have the element of surprise working in their favor. However, how much Tunsil's absence will affect Washington's protection remains to be seen.
There are a lot of unknowns. The new offensive and defensive schemes represent a window into the Commanders' future. How this group comes together in an intimidating atmosphere will be crucial, and the performance of rookie kicker Drew Stevens might have a massive say in proceedings.
They are underdogs, but they have a chance.
Prediction
The Commanders have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Their backs are against the wall, which is precisely the way Quinn likes it. And the last time everyone wrote them off, they surged their way to the conference championship game.
Philadelphia won't be doing them any favors. They also have doubters to silence. They also have the talent to retain their NFC East title for the third straight year if everyone meets expectations.
Even so, if the Commanders can quieten the crowd early and bring a sense of anxiety into the equation, that could provide the opening needed to stun the NFL world right away.
It'll be a difficult challenge, but the Commanders can win if everything works in their favor.
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