The Washington Commanders put forth a surprising performance on Monday Night Football, as they handed the Philadelphia Eagles their first defeat of the season by the score of 32-21.
Taking down a team like the Eagles, one that had appeared to be very formidable, is always a team effort, especially when a team like the Commanders doesn’t have a lot of talent.
These three players, in particular, played a key role in upsetting Philly.
1. Brian Robinson Jr.
Washington didn’t have a strong running game coming into this game, and Brian Robinson hasn’t been having a very strong year, as he came in with just 219 rushing yards and one touchdown in five contests.
To be fair, he has been recovering from a serious injury.
But on Monday, he burst forth with 86 rushing yards, and he scored the touchdown late in the second quarter that put the Commanders ahead for good.
AYYYYYYYYYY @BrianR_4
📺 #WASvsPHI ESPN pic.twitter.com/dbNVYJd8JI
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) November 15, 2022
Overall, they put up 152 rushing yards, and they may have exposed the one relative weakness the Eagles have: rush defense.
2. Terry McLaurin
Terry McLaurin may be one of the more underrated wide receivers in the NFL.
He may not put up the exact same gaudy numbers of an A.J. Brown, but he is very consistent and reliable.
On Monday, he collected 128 yards on eight catches, and he did a lot of his work early to keep Washington in the contest.
3. Taylor Heinicke
The Commanders quarterback who replaced Carson Wentz in the starting lineup may not have had a statistically great game – he went 17 of 29 for 211 yards and threw one interception while failing to throw a touchdown – but overall, he was solid.
He pushed the right buttons to keep Washington in front throughout the second half, running the ball quite a bit but also being able to consistently convert on third downs to keep the ball in its possession.
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