Is it crazy that I kind of feel bad for Jayden Daniels? I know I shouldn’t. But looking at this Philadelphia Eagles’ roster compared to the Washington Commanders, the biggest key to winning this football game comes down to two defensive anchors: Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. Daniels probably still has nightmares from the 2024 NFC Championship Game, and honestly, who could blame him?

Let’s get it straight. That NFC title game was probably the best moment in Commanders history over the last 10 years. Washington won the division in 2020 with a losing record, and four out of the last six seasons they’ve finished with a losing record. That is a poverty franchise. And the Eagles, in what was supposed to be the Commanders’ prize season, put them to bed with a 55-piece in the NFC Championship Game.

Carter and Davis should feast against a weak Commanders offensive line

Looking at this season opener, I have a lot of respect for Daniels. He’s talented, he’s dynamic, and he showed real growth last year. But he is going to be having nightmares again. Carter and Davis are the key to winning this football game, and you could even throw Jalyx Hunt in there. Vic Fangio is going to have a field day scheming against this Washington offense, and it’s not necessarily Daniels’ fault. The Commanders’ roster is just not that good, and their offensive line is very, very weak.

These two guys have to dominate up front. I believe they will. The Eagles’ defensive tackle tandem is built for this kind of matchup, where you can collapse the pocket on a young quarterback who thrives when he has time and space to operate. Take that away from Daniels and you take away his best attributes. Simple as that.

Eagles need to establish the ground game early

The other massive piece of this Week 1 puzzle is Saquon Barkley. The Eagles need to establish their running game, and they need to do it early. I know everybody has the spotlight on Jalen Hurts and what the offense will look like under the new scheme. That’s a fair question. Philadelphia has done a good job of keeping things in the shadows this offseason, but now offensive coordinator Sean Mannion has to prove to everybody that he’s capable of being a play-caller at this level.

I think the Eagles have to get back to what works best. Put the ball on the ground against a new-look Commanders defensive line, one that’s dealing with some injuries of its own. Let Saquon do his thing the same way he kicked off the 2024 NFC Championship Game. Get back to having a complementary offense where the run sets up the pass and the defense can stay fresh.

Yes, Hurts is going to have to take shots. He’s going to have to make big plays in the passing game. We’re all excited to see DeVonta Smith as the clear wide receiver 1, and he’s going up against a Commanders secondary that’s banged up. No Trey Amos in Week 1, and Washington is probably going to trot out some combination of Makai Lemon and Dontayvion Wicks. That’s all great for the Eagles’ passing attack, but the recipe for success is straightforward. Put the ball on the ground, take time off the clock, extend drives, and just get back to the basics.