As the 24-22 scoreline would suggest, the Philadelphia Eagles vs Commanders game was exceedingly close in several statistical categories during their Week 1 matchup. Both offenses scored three touchdowns and a field goal, rushed for 130+ yards, took care of the ball, and struggled to protect their quarterbacks. Across the league, the Eagles and Commanders ranked 16th and 17th in total yards, respectively.
Games this close are decided on the margins. Here are three statistics, good and bad, that defined the Eagles’ victory over their NFC East foes:
Philadelphia Eagles’ First Down Woes
The Eagles averaged 1.7 yards per play on first down, the worst in the NFL in Week 1
Philadelphia struggled mightily on first down in Week 1. They committed 3 penalties, threw for a net -6 passing yards, and managed just 33 total yards on 20 first-down plays. It left them consistently behind the chains, fighting against long second- and third-down yardages that put them in obvious passing situations. With an interior offensive line that was struggling like the Eagles’ in Week 1, it often meant the end of a drive.
A closer look at Philadelphia’s 2nd-down yardages supports this trend. 13 of their 19 second-down plays came on 2nd and 7 or longer, and just one came on 2nd and 2 or shorter.
It should come as no surprise that the Eagles managed just 10 first downs in Week 1. Their 24 points were fueled primarily by chunk plays: all three Philadelphia touchdowns came on drives that featured a 40+ yard gain. It worked for the Birds in Week 1, but that will be a hard formula to repeat across a 17-game season.
Philly Pressure Disrupts Daniels
The Eagles pressured Jayden Daniels on 50% of his dropbacks
Commanders signal-caller Jayden Daniels faced the second-highest pressure rate across the NFL in Week 1, behind only Jordan Love, who faced a staggering 78% blitz rate against the Vikings. While they managed just one sack on their 19 pressures – a 2.6% sack rate that tied them for third-worst across the league – the Eagles still disrupted the young quarterback’s rhythm, holding him to a 20% (3/15) completion percentage while under pressure in Week 1.
Daniels’ elusiveness in the pocket was the only thing keeping the Commanders’ passing game afloat. His 14-yard scramble on a first-half 3rd and 15 was especially clutch, as it sustained a drive that eventually led to a Washington touchdown. Had Daniels not been as slippery in the pocket (or if the Eagles’ rushers were more diligent in compressing the pocket), Philadelphia’s win would have been far more comfortable.
Braden Mann Proves His Worth
Four of Eagles punter Braden Mann’s seven punts were downed inside the 20-yard line
The Eagles took a swing on Mann in the offseason, signing the former Texas A&M Aggie to a four-year, $14 million contract that made him the highest-paid punter in franchise history. His first game under that contract seems to have proved them right: he averaged 51.6 yards per punt, pinning the Commanders inside their own 20 four times.
Mann’s excellent punting helped curb momentum swings and prevented the Commanders’ offense from getting into a groove. His three punts that pinned Washington inside their own 15 all led to Commander three-and-outs; the best came with 33 seconds left in the first half, a booming punt that the Eagles downed at the two-yard line. It squashed any hopes Washington had of putting points up at the end of the half, forcing a conservative run call before the teams went to the break.
Special teams can sometimes be overlooked in the grander scheme of a game or a season, but Mann’s performance put punting at the forefront of the conversation. If he can sustain this level of excellence throughout the entire season, Philadelphia’s stingy defense will be even harder to score on.
