A very disappointing Week 1 is in the books. Let's take a closer look at what players were standouts, and who was lackluster vs. the Chargers. Unfortunately, the bad list is going to be longer than the good one.
Studs:
1. William Jackson - Normally, we have been accustomed to free agency acquisitions not working out in Washington. While the preseason was likely leaving us a bit concerned in regards to WJ, he stepped up in Week 1 with some nice plays on the ball and a key interception with the Chargers threatening to score deep in our territory in the 2nd half. It could have been the turning point in the game, but our team did not seize the moment and still found a way to lose.
Tress Way - Whether you agree with Rivera's decision to punt or not with about 6 minutes to go down by 4, Way did everything he was asked to do in that situation. He pinned the opponent deep in their territory with a really good punt, setting the defence up for a critical stop. Unfortunately, we know the script all too well in Washington...
De'Andre Carter - on Sunday, Carter proved that he can potentially be a useful weapon for us this season and help a struggling offence earn shorter fields to work with. He had good burst, was decisive, and moved upfield on returns with little wasted time. It was a breath of fresh air from what we have been accustomed to.
Duds:
1. Antonio Gibson - 90 yards on 20 carries is a nice stat line, but at the end of the day, despite some nice looking runs, he choked when it mattered most. Someone who is potentially going to be the focal point of this offence cannot afford to put the ball on the carpet in the worst possible of situations.
2. Brandon Scherff - as far as I am concerned, this is not a guy you invest in long-term. Two critical penalties in crunch time situations are not what you expect from a team captain. This was not someone leading by example Sunday. Once again, our offensive line collapsed and sputtered when the game was on the line.
3. Chase Young - the Defensive Rookie of the Year was a ghost on Sunday. You thought he would have been chomping at the bit to get after Rashawn Slater, who was touted for having some great college type against Chase Young. Instead, Young had to be moved away from Slater's side at various times in the game to allow for a more favourable matchup.
4. Samuel Cosmi - the kid was rudely introduced to the NFL by Joey Bosa. He was man-handled on several occasions and really didn't have an answer all day. I expect him to bounce back, but it is not the start you want out of the gate, especially if it starts playing on his mind.
5. Benjamin St. Juste - I have a rooting interest in this kid for obvious reasons. However, the Chargers exploited his inexperience on several occasions and their receivers were usually too tall of an order for him to handle in critical situations. If this turns into a trend this season, we could have some problems on the back end, as BSJ appears to be a guy they have big plans for.
5. Kendall Fuller - it maybe was the worst game we have seen him play in a Washington uniform. He has done a heck of a lot more good than bad for this franchise, but getting benched was certainly not a career highlight.
6. Dyami Brown - talk about being given an opportunity to make a statement. Curtis Samuel is out and on a day where you know the opposition is going to do everything in their power to blanket Terry, he can't find many opportunities to get open and make something happen to spark the offence. An underwhelming debut to say the least. Maybe I am being too harsh on the kid, I don't know?
7. Coaches - they all had their share of blunders on Sunday. Rivera's decision to not go for it on 4th and 7 left a stain on his shirt after we couldn't get the ball back. Del Rio couldn't find an answer for Herbert's ability to release the ball quickly, nor could he figure out how to get in Herbert's face with a largely brand new offensive line that he was going up against. As well, while the Chargers put on a clinic for how to exploit our rookies, our group of coaches didn't do the same.
8. Dan Snyder - having sewage (or rain water depending on who you believe) leaking into the seat when you are trying to win this fanbase back is not a good look. Regardless, in many ways, the leak looked a lot like our defence on Sunday.
What say you?
Studs:
1. William Jackson - Normally, we have been accustomed to free agency acquisitions not working out in Washington. While the preseason was likely leaving us a bit concerned in regards to WJ, he stepped up in Week 1 with some nice plays on the ball and a key interception with the Chargers threatening to score deep in our territory in the 2nd half. It could have been the turning point in the game, but our team did not seize the moment and still found a way to lose.
Tress Way - Whether you agree with Rivera's decision to punt or not with about 6 minutes to go down by 4, Way did everything he was asked to do in that situation. He pinned the opponent deep in their territory with a really good punt, setting the defence up for a critical stop. Unfortunately, we know the script all too well in Washington...
De'Andre Carter - on Sunday, Carter proved that he can potentially be a useful weapon for us this season and help a struggling offence earn shorter fields to work with. He had good burst, was decisive, and moved upfield on returns with little wasted time. It was a breath of fresh air from what we have been accustomed to.
Duds:
1. Antonio Gibson - 90 yards on 20 carries is a nice stat line, but at the end of the day, despite some nice looking runs, he choked when it mattered most. Someone who is potentially going to be the focal point of this offence cannot afford to put the ball on the carpet in the worst possible of situations.
2. Brandon Scherff - as far as I am concerned, this is not a guy you invest in long-term. Two critical penalties in crunch time situations are not what you expect from a team captain. This was not someone leading by example Sunday. Once again, our offensive line collapsed and sputtered when the game was on the line.
3. Chase Young - the Defensive Rookie of the Year was a ghost on Sunday. You thought he would have been chomping at the bit to get after Rashawn Slater, who was touted for having some great college type against Chase Young. Instead, Young had to be moved away from Slater's side at various times in the game to allow for a more favourable matchup.
4. Samuel Cosmi - the kid was rudely introduced to the NFL by Joey Bosa. He was man-handled on several occasions and really didn't have an answer all day. I expect him to bounce back, but it is not the start you want out of the gate, especially if it starts playing on his mind.
5. Benjamin St. Juste - I have a rooting interest in this kid for obvious reasons. However, the Chargers exploited his inexperience on several occasions and their receivers were usually too tall of an order for him to handle in critical situations. If this turns into a trend this season, we could have some problems on the back end, as BSJ appears to be a guy they have big plans for.
5. Kendall Fuller - it maybe was the worst game we have seen him play in a Washington uniform. He has done a heck of a lot more good than bad for this franchise, but getting benched was certainly not a career highlight.
6. Dyami Brown - talk about being given an opportunity to make a statement. Curtis Samuel is out and on a day where you know the opposition is going to do everything in their power to blanket Terry, he can't find many opportunities to get open and make something happen to spark the offence. An underwhelming debut to say the least. Maybe I am being too harsh on the kid, I don't know?
7. Coaches - they all had their share of blunders on Sunday. Rivera's decision to not go for it on 4th and 7 left a stain on his shirt after we couldn't get the ball back. Del Rio couldn't find an answer for Herbert's ability to release the ball quickly, nor could he figure out how to get in Herbert's face with a largely brand new offensive line that he was going up against. As well, while the Chargers put on a clinic for how to exploit our rookies, our group of coaches didn't do the same.
8. Dan Snyder - having sewage (or rain water depending on who you believe) leaking into the seat when you are trying to win this fanbase back is not a good look. Regardless, in many ways, the leak looked a lot like our defence on Sunday.
What say you?