The are just days away from kicking off the 2026 season against .
This is a big opportunity for the return most key players from 2025 and are expected to contend once again.
One of the keys for the Commanders will be the defense keeping the Eagles’ explosive offense in check. The Eagles no longer have A.J. Brown, but they still have weapons like DeVonta Smith, Saquon Barkley, and Dallas Goedert.
Smith, in particular, will be dangerous as the team’s new No. 1 receiver. Fortunately for the Commanders, they might have the perfect solution to Smith.
Amik Robertson dominated Smith in 2025
In 2025, as a member of the On the other side, Amik Robertson held DeVonta Smith without a catch on 3 targets across 15 matchups.Robertson stayed within one yard of Smith for 1.55 seconds per matchup, the longest average time in tight coverage in any WR-CB matchup since at least 2018 (min. 10 matchups).… — Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) For whatever reason, Robertson had Smith’s number, and the receiver was unable to get any separation whatsoever. That’s definitely a game Smith won’t forget, and the Commanders would be wise to exploit it once again.
If Smith can be kept in check, the main focus will be stopping the Eagles’ ground game. Last season, the Commanders and Eagles split the season series, so it will be interesting to see how it shakes out this year.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: