Week 2 saw the Washington Commanders earn their first victory under new head coach Dan Quinn, a 21-18 win over NFC East rival – and perpetual thorn in their side – New York Giants. Washington played much better in all three phases than Week 1. Offense, defense and special teams all played a CRITICAL part in the win. A lot of positives to take away from the win, plenty to work on as well.
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NELL’S SUPER SIX PACK:
Here are my top 6 observations from today’s win
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Exotic Smashmouth Football – Washington has a lot to be proud of from today’s win, but what is most important, an offensive identity was established. The Commanders imposed their will physically on the Giants defense from snap one to the final whistle. In the win, the team ran the ball 35 times for 215 yards. My MCPS diploma tells me that is a whopping 6.1 yards per attempt. Between Brian Robinson, Jayden Daniels and Austin Ekeler, the Commanders might just have one of most dynamic backfields in the NFL. I’m not sure how many games they’ll win, but if they run the ball this way, it’ll be more than you think.
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How about the new kid on the block???!!! – The Commanders needed all 60 minutes to pull out the victory this afternoon. The hero in today’s win? New Commanders kicker Austin Seibert. When he joined the team five days ago, most folks were unaware of who he was, coaches and teammates included. Today, he plays the role of savior. Seibert finished his first game in burgundy and gold 7 for 7 on field goals including the game winning 30 yard field goal as time expired. According to Commanders PR, Seibert set a new single-game record with 7 made field goals. After mowing through four kickers since the spring, is Seibert finally the answer? One can only hope.
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Benjamin St. Juste brought the juice in week 2 – Last weekend the Commanders gave up big play after big play in the pass game. Granted, it was against an elite Tampa Bay receiving core, but it was very clear, someone needed to step up in the secondary after giving up 37 points and allowing 4 passing touchdowns. This afternoon, St Juste was the most impactful defender for Washington. His coverage all game long was sticky and he did a tremendous job using his length. St Juste also had the most impactful play of the afternoon, forcing a critical fumble with 12:58 left to go in the 3rd quarter. This turnover came after New York drove the ball inside the 20 yard line of Washington and virtually guaranteed themselves points. Big time play from St. Juste that hopefully builds some confidence for the rest of Washington’s defense.
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Red Zone offense MUST GET GOING – Despite only scoring 21 points, it was very clear that Washington has the potential to be an explosive high scoring offense. Washington carved up the Giants defense for over 400 yards of total offense, despite the success in between the 20s, it was very clear that the fellas left some meat on the bone. Washington had 6 red zone opportunities, and ended up kicking 6 field goals. Self-inflicted mistakes crushed the team’s ability to make this game a runaway, in the box score you see a 3-point victory, but anyone who watched knows it should not have been that close. Penalties in the red zone were a consistent theme Sunday. All six of Washington’s red zone opportunity were handicapped by penalties, something that MUST BE corrected moving forward.
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Jayden Daniels was at his best when it mattered most – A lot was made of Daniels missed opportunities in the season opener vs Tampa Bay. Although he rushed for 88 yards, it was clear, he left some plays out on the field. In the first half, the Giants mimicked Tampa Bay’s gameplan, sending pressure from all angles in an attempt to disrupt the timing of Washington’s pass game. In the first half, the plan worked, initially. Daniels was sacked four times in the first half, all of which were his fault. In the second half, he was sacked just once. His improvement IN GAME is something that should encourage fans. As the game rolled along, you saw him become more sure with his decision making, letting it rip without hesitation moving the offense with ease. He made big plays with his legs, but his arm won the football game.
Jayden Daniels on throws 10 yards past the line of scrimmage:
– First six quarters: 3/6 for 36 yards
– Second half against the Giants: 6/8 107 yards
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STOCK REPORT
STOCK UP– Brian Robinson, Benjamin St Juste, ENTIRE OFFENSIVE LINE
STOCK DOWN– Jeremy Chinn, run defense, discipline
Washington (1-1) travels to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals next week on Monday Night Football.
