Jayden Daniels connected for two touchdowns with Terry McLaurin and the Washington Commanders beat the New York Giants 27-22.
The Commanders are 7-2 for the first time since 1996.
🚨 🚨The @Commanders are 7-2 for first time since 1996 after 27-22 win over @Giants here are a few things that stood out to me 🚨🚨
Game Balls🏈- Dante Fowler, Noah Brown, Jeremy Chinn and Chris Rodriguez@mymcmedia pic.twitter.com/Xu1gDuH8Up
— Lynnell Willingham (@Nell_BTP) November 3, 2024
Nell’s Super Six Pack
The Washington Commanders continue to roll after their 27-22 win over the New York Giants. Most Las Vegas sportsbooks set Washington’s season win total at 6.5 wins ahead of week 1. The Commanders after Sunday’s win are now 7-2, the teams best since 1996, I wasn’t even a thought yet! What a time to be a fan of the Burgundy and Gold! Here are my top 6 observations from Sunday’s win.
Run defense is still a concern, but improving – Coming into Sunday, the Commanders had the 5th worst run defense in the NFL giving up 5.2 yards per rush. They also had given up the 4th most runs of 10 plus yards, not ideal for a team with postseason aspirations. The run defense continued to struggle to start the game, the Giants ran for 139 yards in the 1st half, ripping off chunk runs left and right. For the game the Giants finished with just 164 yards on the ground. Give credit to the Commanders defense for fitting the runs better and getting off double teams in the 2nd half, but still, the run defense needs plenty of work.
No Brian Robinson, no problem – A large part of Washington’s offensive success has been their ability to consistently run the football. I’ve dubbed it exotic Smash Mouth football. The way Washington runs, it’s a lifestyle choice. Third year running back Brian Robinson Jr. has been a massive part of that with his bruising, rugged running style. In last week’s win vs Chicago, Robinson didn’t touch the ball for 15 straight plays in the 2nd half, leaving many to wonder about his health. Robinson missed Sunday’s game against the Giants with a hamstring injury, providing the fan base with some real doubt about how they can replace his production. As cliche as it sounds, it was next man up. Without Robinson, the team ran for 149 yards on 38 carries, with 4 different runners carrying the ball 8 or more times, safe to say, running the ball is apart of Washington’s DNA whether Robinson is available or not.
Jayden Daniels continues to keep his name in MVP race – The Washington football franchise hasn’t had a league MVP since Joe Theismann won the award back in 1983. Through 9 games another Washington QB is in prime position to bring the prestigious award back to the nation’s capital. Daniels has his team at 7-2 and has thrown 9 TDs to just 2 interceptions. When you factor in his rushing ability, poise, leadership and impact on winning, it’s clear, he’s a legit MVP candidate. Daniels threw for 209 yards and tossed 2 more TD passes on Sunday en route to the teams 7th win of the season. I’m sure he knows how good he’s been, but regardless of if he wins the award or not, Daniels has proven he is at least the Commanders MVP.
October is over, but Terry continues to be scary – There was plenty of discussion leading up to the season as to whether or not Terry McLaurin was a legit number one receiver. Since coming to Washington, Terry has been the model of consistency. Super hard-working and most importantly uber talented. Through nine games Terry is on pace for 85 catches 1230 yards and nine touchdowns all of which would be career highs. On Sunday, McLaurin had only two catches, good thing for Washington is that they both went for touchdowns. After a slow start to the season, Terry and Jayden Daniels have become one of the best quarterback-receiver duos in the NFL and they are just getting started.
Adam Peters, take a bow – As great as Daniels has been, the man who deserves the most credit for Washington’s 7-2 start is general manager Adam Peters. Peters was the most highly sought after talent evaluator on the market this off-season and Washington lured him in. Peters wasted no time turning over the roster bringing in the most new players in the NFL. Those new guys, have played a HUGE role in the teams 7-2 start. One new guy in particular that has burst onto the scene in the past month has been former top 5 pick Dante Fowler Jr, who has emerged as this teams best pass rusher throughout 9 weeks, racking up 6.5 sacks and helping the Commanders defense turn the corner. To put it in layman’s terms, Peters has built a tremendous team in year 1 of a rebuild and it’s paying major dividends.
Game Balls– Dante Fowler, Noah Brown, Jeremy Chinn and Chris Rodriguez
