The Washington Commanders improved to 3-4 on the season with a thrilling 23-21 win over the Green Bay Packers Sunday.
Washington overcame a horrific offensive start in quarterback Taylor Heinicke’s first start in 2022. Heinicke began the game by missing his first four passes and only hit on one of his first seven attempts. One of his misses was picked off by Green Bay linebacker De’Vondre Campbell who returned 63 yards for a touchdown to give the Packers a double-digit lead.
But Heinicke found running back Antonio Gibson for a nine-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter to cut Green Bay’s lead to 14-10. The Commanders would open the second half with the football, and this time Heinicke found wide receiver Terry McLaurin on a 37-yard touchdown to give Washington a lead it would never lose.
Here are five takeaways from the Commanders’ second consecutive win.
Taylor Heinicke is resilient
If you could find one word to describe Taylor Heinicke, the best word could be resilient. No matter what happens to Heinicke or around Heinicke, he always comes back. He doesn’t flinch. When he has a negative play or turns the ball over, it doesn’t stop him from pushing it downfield again.
That is one of the many reasons he is beloved by his teammates. Yes, Heinicke knows the offense. Yes, he can move around. But his biggest attribute is doesn’t quit. He plays like he’s always one play away. McLaurin described him perfectly after the game.
McLaurin on Heinicke: “he plays like it’s his last game every time.”
— John Keim (@john_keim) October 23, 2022
Anyone who has watched Heinicke over the last two seasons understands his limitations but realizes there is a special element to Heinicke’s game. No, he isn’t Washington’s franchise quarterback, but he can play.
Great day for Antonio Gibson
Antonio Gibson has had several good days since coming into the NFL in 2020. However, he hasn’t had a day where fans could see everything that he offers. In the win over the Packers, Gibson rushed for 59 yards on 10 attempts, caught three passes for 18 yards and returned three kickoffs for 78 yards.
Gibson, a former college receiver, was Washington’s top running back over the past two years. He was good in that role, but he wasn’t being used to his fullest potential. Now, with rookie Brian Robinson Jr. in town, the Commanders can use Gibson in multiple roles. And he can thrive. Gibson has a chance to be one of the primary reasons Washington turns its season around.
That's why they paid Terry McLaurin
The game began slowly for McLaurin. He didn’t get his first catch until the second quarter, a little six-yard crosser that gave the Commanders a first down. As usual, McLaurin didn’t complain, and he kept working hard, waiting for his turn.
On Washington’s first possession in the second half, Heinicke’s beautiful deep ball to McLaurin changed the game. The Commanders were ahead and seized the momentum. But that wasn’t McLaurin’s only meaningful contribution.
On Washington’s final offensive drive, McLaurin caught a pair of passes that helped seal the win for the Commanders. On a 2nd-and-6 with around 2:43 remaining, McLaurin caught a pass and went 14 yards to the Washington 43-yard line to keep the clock moving.
Then, three plays later, with the Commanders facing a 3rd-and-9 with a little over two minutes remaining, Heinicke took a big hit in the pocket, all the while firing a strike to McLaurin for 12 yards and a first down. That meant if Green Bay did get the ball back, there would be 30 seconds left with no timeouts. That’s what happened. McLaurin was huge in Washington’s win Sunday.
WOW 🤯
Taylor Heinicke stays in the pocket and delivers a dime to Terry McLaurin!
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/KccReRD53O
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 23, 2022
Tip of the cap to Washington's defense
Remember when everyone wanted to fire defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio? Del Rio’s group has faced its share of struggles over the past year, including early this season, but what’s not talked about is how the group has continued to improve since Washington’s Week 3 loss to the Eagles. If the Commanders had a competent offense in losses to Philadelphia and Dallas, you never know how those games may have turned out.
There are multiple reasons for Washington’s improvements. One, the defensive line is winning without blitzing. That’s an encouraging thought considering the defensive line could get Chase Young back soon.
Next, the improved play by linebackers Cole Holcomb and Jamin Davis. Those two are continuing to make plays. Finally, young safeties Kam Curl and Darrick Forrest have helped the secondary, which has improved since benching expensive veteran cornerback William Jackson III.
Give head coach Ron Rivera credit for sticking with Del Rio when some were begging for Rivera to fire him.
Has the season turned around?
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. Yes, the Commanders have won two games in a row. But for fans to believe the season has turned around, more work needs to be done. Next week’s game at Indianapolis is going to be an interesting one, if nothing else but for the owners involved. We can have that discussion if the Commanders can win one of their next two before facing the Eagles again in Week 10.
But it’s impossible to deny there is a different feeling around the time right now. Part of that is due to Heinicke’s energy, the Commanders winning despite having two of their best weapons sidelined the last couple of weeks and the much-improved defense.
You can’t help but wonder what could have happened if Carson Wentz wasn’t intercepted on the final play of that crushing home loss to the Titans in Week 5.
