Week 2 saw the Commanders hit the road after opening the season at home. Denver is a tough place to play compared to other road destinations due to the higher altitude, this sparked a bit of controversy after Head Coach Ron Rivera revealed that the team would leave for Denver later in the afternoon Saturday before the game. His reasoning? If you’re in Denver for less than 24 hours, you are less prone to feel the effects of the altitude change on your body. I am no scientist, so I do not know if that is true or untrue, but that did not stop fans and media members from debating its validity leading up to Sunday.
After the first Quarter the ‘bad idea’ crowd probably felt vindicated as the Broncos walked all over the Commanders. Russell Wilson looked sharp and after a 60-yard bomb to WR Marvin Mims Jr. the Broncos were up 14-3 heading into the 2nd Quarter. Sam Howell got off to a rocky start and the offense had trouble sustaining drives, but they showed some life here and there. The 2nd Quarter started off looking much the same and at the 9:01 mark Russell Wilson hit Brandon Johnson for a 16-yard TD, Broncos lead 21-3. Another stalled drive for the Commanders offense resulted in another punt, one that would be returned for 45 yards by Marvin Mims Jr. With 7:57 to go in the half and Denver now on the Washington 40, 28-3 going into the half was looking like a real possibility. Jamin Davis to the rescue, on a broken play due to a collapsed pocket Wilson rolls to the left and tries to run for it, only for Jamin Davis to close the gap with lightning speed and get a sack, he also managed to knock the ball loose, Washington football. Although we did not know this in the moment, this would be the play that changed the game. The Commanders offense took that fumble and drove 49 yards for their first TD of the evening. Unfortunately, Logan Thomas took a nasty shot to the head on the TD grab and will probably end up in the concussion protocol. Brain Robinson punched in the 2-pt. conversion and Washington trailed just 21-11, a major difference compared to the possibility of 28-3 that was feared before the fumble. Some more lock down defense ensued on the following drive, resulting in a punt. The Commanders offense managed to squeeze in 3 more points before the half, suddenly, the offense was clicking, and it was 21-14 Denver at the half.
If you felt that the Commanders offense was finding its groove heading into the half, you were correct. The Commanders had 5 drives in the 2nd half, they scored a touchdown on 3 of them, they missed a field goal on another, and the last drive they simply ran 3 times to try and wind the clock out. This resulted in their only punt of the half. Sam Howell looked fantastic in the second half which included a 30-yard touchdown dime to Terry McLaurin, it was an elite level throw. Brian Robinson (BRob) is starting to come on strong, he had his best pro game with 87 yards on 18 carries, 2 rushing TDs, and the above mentioned 2 pt conversion. He should start to see more carries each week as a breakout season could be loading. Washington won this game by a lot more than the final score would indicate. Hail Mary’s are by definition, luck plays. You’re hoping luck is in your favor, and it was for Denver as the game came to a close which ended with a Washington victory at 35-33. The defense seems to be prone to giving up the big plays, it has been an issue for a few seasons now, but after the first few gashes, they locked in and were a critical component to the come-back. 35 points should be enough to win almost every week, I do not expect that type of offensive output consistently, but I also do not expect weekly Hail Mary’s, and the defense giving up 33. The Commanders still have a few things to clean up on both sides of the ball, but this game was promising for both Sam Howell and the d-line.
Heading into week 3 back at home vs the Buffalo Bills, the Commanders will need their defense to come out strong. They cannot afford to allow quick early score like they did vs the Broncos, Josh Allen is an MVP level player and if you let him get comfortable early, you will be in for a long afternoon. Sam Howell has been sacked 10 times through 2 weeks, although he has some flaws that contribute to that total, the o-line needs to be more consistent in pass protection, the Commanders are going to need to consistent offensive output to beat a team like the Bills. Some fans think this team has top 10 potential, the Bills are beatable coming off a rocky week 1 and a bounce back week 2, if the Commanders truly are a top 10 level team, a win at home would vs a potential super bowl contender would certainly put them in the conversation.