Dec 22, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) is tackled by Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne (94) during the fourth quarter at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Commanders' rivals will face off in a lame NFL season opener

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By David Harrison | Last updated May 12, 2025 12:00 PM ET

As defending Super Bowl Champions, we all knew the Philadelphia Eagles would open the season at home, and on opening night of the 2025 NFL season. What we didn't know until Monday morning was who the Eagles would be hosting, with several playoff teams like the Washington Commanders on their upcoming list of teams to host.

We found out Monday that it won't be the Commanders opening the season in Philadelphia, which by itself is okay because there are several other good matchups to choose from if you're the NFL.

So, which team did the league choose over Washington and others to face the defending champs on opening night? The Dallas Cowboys. (Insert failing sound effect here)

Look, we get it, the Cowboys may not be America's Team in the sense that all of the country loves them, but they do numbers, even when they're bad.

However, in the sense of giving all football fans a matchup worth celebrating the season with, the NFL botched this one big-time.

Of the eight opponents that will visit the Eagles inside Lincoln Financial Field this season, half of them were playoff teams in 2024. The ones that weren't? The New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears, and–you guessed it–the Cowboys.

Even if the league opted to not have a rematch of the NFC Championship Game in Week 1, something that would be hard to blame them for given the scoring margin in that contest, a matchup with the Detroit Lions who so many still claim was the best team in the conference last year would've been great.

The Denver Broncos making a Week 1 trip to Philadelphia would have been good too, considering how much that fan base is excited about what head coach Sean Payton has brewing with quarterback Bo Nix.

Hell, even the Raiders would have been a better show to watch given the return of head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith leading a team that already had a solid defense, not to mention top rookie running back Ashton Jeanty there to help them try and stun everyone in Week 1.

Anything but Dallas–or the Giants, if we're being honest–would have respected the massive amount of fans who will still watch the game in spite of once again having The Star crammed down our collective throats, yet again.