NFL and Eagles Fans, Don’t Put Much Stock In Week 1 Results

by Marc Narducci | Sep 18, 2026

What Week One in the NFL showed us is that you can never believe everything you saw in the opening week.

Oh, you can believe it, but it may not be sustainable.

First off, the Eagles.

They were supposed to walk over a Washington Commanders team that has one of the worst NFL offensive lines and that was before losing their best lineman, tackle Laremy Tunsil for the season.

Yet the Eagles needed a Commanders botched two-point conversion to win the home opener, 24-22.

(As for that two-point conversion call, why the Commanders didn’t roll out QB Jayden Daniels, instead of having him attempt a shovel pass up the middle where there were three Eagles defenders, defies logic).

Anyway, Jalen Hurts showed that when he adds a little bit of running, he can be doubly dangerous. Hurts completed 14 of 25 for 203 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed seven times for 46 yards, a hefty 6.6 yards per carry.

There are still plenty of things to iron out, but again, that is the same with every team in Week 1.

Since few starters for any quality team play in the preseason, those squads usually don’t start hitting their rhythm until about the fourth week of the season.

For Eagles fans concerned that the Birds didn’t blow out Washington, here are a few reminders of how crazy Week 1 was:

San Francisco 27, LA Rams 7 in Australia

Wait, weren’t the Rams supposed to go 17-0 in the regular season enroute to winning the Super Bowl? The Rams are still a talented team (although they have lots of trouble with the Eagles) and they should be a Super Bowl contender, but they are one of the older units in the NFL and it showed.

Detroit 31, New Orleans 30 in OT

Detroit was supposed to blitz the Saints at home and only held on when New Orleans missed on a two-point conversion pass in OT. Many consider Detroit a Super Bowl contender, and the Lions very well could be, but they were awfully lucky to escape at home against a six-win team from a year ago.

Arizona 26, LA Chargers 14

The Cardinals are named as a potential team to earn the No. 1 NFL draft choice in 2027 and again, that might happen, but they took it to the Chargers in Los Angeles. Even though Arizona is still likely the fourth best team in its own division (behind the Rams, San Francisco and Seattle), the Cardinals showed plenty of fight in Week 1, while the Chargers, who routinely underachieve in the postseason, were MIA.

Minnesota 39, Green Bay 22

Who had on their bingo card former Eagle Carson Wentz coming off the bench and leading the Vikings to a comeback win after starting QB Kyler Murray suffered a concussion? Minnesota was considered by many to be the fourth best team in the NFC North (behind Detroit, Chicago and Green Bay), but if the Vikings receive even serviceable QB performance, that could change. Again, can we expect Wentz to throw three TDs and no interceptions, while recording a 123.5 passer rating every game? Don’t count on it. This was only Week 1.

A Word About Week 2

The Eagles visit the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. It’s possible that the Eagles are facing the worst team in the NFL. Two years after drafting Cam Ward No. 1 overall, the Titans might be looking for another QB in the 2027 draft. They lost 23-10 in Week 1 to the NY Jets, a team that isn’t exactly a Super Bowl contender. If the Eagles can’t convincingly beat the Titans, even though it is only Week 2 and more rust has to be chipped away, it would be a major surprise.

Yet, the Eagles and other teams won’t really start showing their true colors until at least the beginning of October. Overreacting to Week 1 is part of the game. We will know within a month if the overreaction seems justified.

Courtesy Eagles Twitter/X

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Author: Marc Narducci

NFL and Eagles Fans, Don’t Put Much Stock In Week 1 Results

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