Eagles edge Commanders 24-22 as punter Braden Mann pins opponents deep
Philadelphia defeated Washington 24-22 in Week 1, with punter Branden Mann delivering multiple punts inside the 15-yard line that helped limit the Commanders’ scoring opportunities.
Philadelphia held off Washington 24-22 on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, securing a narrow Week 1 victory. The Eagles’ defense limited the Commanders to nine points through three quarters, but lapses in tackling allowed quarterback Jayden Daniels to engineer two fourth-quarter scoring drives that forced the game into a two-point conversion, which was stopped by Moro Ojomo.
Special teams proved decisive as punter Braden Mann placed seven punts averaging 51.6 yards, five of which landed inside Washington’s 15-yard line and four inside the 10-yard line. The early-half coffin-corner punt at the Washington 2-yard line forced the opposition to run a few yards before the half-time break, and the Commanders never scored directly off a Mann punt, with four resulting drives ending in three-and-outs.
Offensively, the Eagles showed flashes, including a touchdown connection between Jalen Hurts and Dallas Goedert and a breakout run by Dontayvion Wicks, but the unit also struggled with protection issues and inconsistent execution. Despite the mixed performance, the field-position advantage generated by Mann’s punts helped Philadelphia maintain the lead and pull away late in the game.
The win leaves the Eagles 1-0, though analysts expect scrutiny of the offense’s efficiency and the defense’s uncharacteristic tackling as the season progresses.