The first game of the Washington football team season as opposed to divisional rivals Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1 had a different feel even before the ball broke.
The burgundy and gold colors remained but acquired a new importance. Instead of the word “Redskins” in the final area, “Washington” covered the length of the painting in giant gold and capital letters. The gold numbers were in the look of the helmets contained in the team’s old logo, making a comparison to the Alabama Crimson Tide.
There were no enthusiasts at FedExField to see those historical settings due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, their absence gave the game a more intimate feel. All the drama he had explained to Washington last off-season remained out of the stadium. no one to applaud when Washington returned to score 20 unanswered problems at the time of the win, 27-17. There was no one in the stands to see Chase Young’s first bag or the other seven that the team registered that day. The only sign that Logan Thomas hit a landing pass or that Peyton Barber rushed to score two points was the false noise of the projected crowd.
But after a low season in which the 87-year team’s nickname was removed amid social and monetary pressure, and accusations of attack through 40 former employees, the victory of the comeback served as the beginning of a comeback for the entire organization. without fanatics, Ron Rivera’s team sent a message to the nation’s capital and to world football that can still be heard loud and clear: the Washington football team is not only another off the field, but also within it, because in the only way they are about professional football, Washington has shown that it can win.
Rivera talked about the importance of winning for him at his press conference on Monday.
“They are so young, however, they have suffered a lot,” Rivera said. “I think it’s an organization of young men who have had to deal with some things in recent years. But when you start to see things happening, like on the sidelines, I started hearing them ask questions like, “How can we do that?”and “What can we change?” I saw a certain adulthood that pleased me.
“I think with their stamina in the game, those guys have the potential. We can keep those guys in combination for a while, we can grow and grow as a team. Who knows where we can go?.
The win over the Eagles grew in importance as the Week 1 matchups continued. The Dallas Cowboys lost to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night and the New York Giants lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night.
For just a moment in franchise history in Washington, he is only in first place in the NFC East after Week 1. The last time Washington was alone in possession of first place after Week 1 was in 2002 when the team finished 7-9 in Steve Spurrier’s First Year as head coach. While there are peculiarities that have led to this statistic, such as Washington’s abysmal record at the opening of the season, it is significant because of the hope it generates. Against all odds, Washington is at the forefront.
Although in the first half he opposed the Eagles, no one would have expected Washington to oppose the game. The team fired three consequences for 25 yards in the only first quarter. Meanwhile, the offense had only 23 yards per ground and reception combined in the first quarter and was progressing more by gaining yards in the aftertime than on offensive plays.
Washington finished the game with 59 yards on the court and only 77 yards at reception, while high school weakened, yielded 182 yards at reception, added a 55-yard pass to speedy Jalen Reagor and two touchdowns.
But Rivera said she saw confidence in Dwayne Haskins Jr. from the start, even though QB’s room didn’t show it so far.
“I felt comfortable all the time, it’s just a matter of collecting as a group,” Rivera said of Haskins. “To me, it looked like he was having fun. “
Rivera said she saw a replacement in Haskins’ habit at the team’s practice in the third quarter. On that trip, Haskins connected with Steven Sims for a 17-yard reception to set up a one-yard landing through Barber.
“He did very smart things and made some very smart decisions,” Rivera said. “He’s a sophomore who’s done a wonderful job, he’s been learning, who’s made smart decisions. It was one thing that was really nice,” that might have failed some pitches, those pitches were headed for where they should be for the right receivers.
Just as Haskins led the offense to a more successful period, the defense also took his own life. The team’s 8 sacks were recorded in the middle of the moment. Ryan Kerrigan won the NFC Defensive Player of the Week award after recording two sacks at the wisest moment. as well as 4 quarterback pressures, two quarterbacks, two loss tackles and a breakaway recovery in victory.
The two capture 91 and 92 of his career, making Kerrigan the franchise’s new official sack master.
“It’s one of the oldest organizations in the NFL, and having the good luck that many players have had through this organization, having my call there with them now, it’s great,” Kerrigan said about recording layoffs on the team’s website. “I don’t know if I’ve ever dreamed of something like this. It’s special to me. “
While the offense and defense, however, began to settle into what has become a two-half story, other facets of the team were revealed. Washington’s No. 2 selection was a dominant presence, recording 1. 5 catches, a quarterback and a forced one. Fabian Moreau helped replace the game’s momentum by intercepting a wobbly Pass by Carson Wentz in a time before half-time. The runner’s organization without Adrian Peterson left everything to be desired in terms of production, but Barber, Antonio Gibson and Haskins himself turned out to be an encouraging painting in progress.
Perhaps the most memorable component of the game when Riverboat Ron made an appearance. At 7:26 for playing in the last quarter, Rivera left for the fourth. Barber changed the first check out with a one-meter race to get ready. the team for the first goal. Barber’s next three-yard landing gave Washington his first advantage of the game.
Just because the Washington football team is a hit show against the Eagles doesn’t mean it’s going to beat the Cardinals in Arizona 1-0 at the time of the week. Phil suffered injuries, especially on the offensive line, and did not line up his most powerful team. But the Week 1 victory is a start, a promise after a long off-season that things can get better.
I’ve been covering the NFC East since I was a student at the College of the Holy Cross, where I focused on the New York Giants. I graduated from Northwestern’s Medill
I’ve been covering the NFC East since I was a student at the College of the Holy Cross, where I focused on the New York Giants. I graduated from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, where I majored in sports media.