The Washington Commanders escaped with a win in Week 1. As previously outlined, September wins under Ron Rivera should never be taken for granted. The first game of the Josh Harris administration brought a raucous and optimistic atmosphere that had been sorely missing under Dan Snyder. The Arizona Cardinals nearly spoiled the party. After a long offseason of speculation, more questions have risen to the surface for Washington.
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Questions Arise After Narrow Victory in Week 1
Q: Who is to blame for the six sacks?
A: The Cardinals sacked Sam Howell six times. The short answer is that there were many culpable parties. In some cases, multiple players were at fault on a single play. Eric Bienemy left Logan Thomas on an island against a four-man rush; the five linemen were preoccupied with three rushers. Sahhdiq Charles was directly responsible for two sacks on back-to-back plays derailing the second half’s first series.
On the strip sack that resulted in Arizona’s only touchdown, Cardinals linebacker Dennis Gardeck left Andrew Wylie in the dust. To make matters worse, Howell tried to extend the play with lackadaisical ball security. If the Commanders plan to compete in the NFC East this season, the offensive line needs to improve and Howell must learn when to cut his losses.
Q: How concerning was Sam Howell’s performance?
A: Week 1 was a microcosm for Howell’s football career up to this point: all of his well-documented strengths and weaknesses were on display. He flashed the escapability, creativity, and arm strength that fans and reporters have been salivating over. However, he also contributed to multiple sacks and forced several throws into tight coverage. The first week is often the most sloppy game of the season for most teams, and Howell outperformed about half of the quarterbacks in the league on Sunday.
It would be wise to exercise some patience with the sophomore quarterback. After his tipped pass was intercepted, Howell responded with an 8-play, 59-yard drive on the next series. Following the aforementioned fumble-six, he marched the offense 69 yards in 55 seconds to kick a field goal before the half. With respect to his obvious physical tools, Sam Howell’s composure and short memory might be his most valuable qualities. He is now 2-0 as a starter in the NFL.
Q: How good can the Commanders defense be?
A: Defense was the sole reason that the Commanders escaped Week 1 with a win. Montez Sweat lived in the backfield, Kamren Curl was involved in ten tackles, and the secondary prevented any big plays in the passing game. Additionally, Jonathan Allen had the highest pass rush win rate among all NFL defensive tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. The Commanders defense as a unit registered 11 tackles for loss, three sacks, six quarterback hits, two forced fumbles (and recoveries), and three pass deflections.
As a result, the defense held Arizona without an offensive touchdown for the entire game. Josh Dobbs’ offense mustered five punts, 210 total yards, and three field goals for the full 60 minutes. Last year’s defense started slowly and improved steadily over the course of the season. If Week 1’s performance is sustainable, the Washington Commanders could have a top-five defense in the NFL this year.
Main Photo: Brent Skeen-USA TODAY Sports
