The Washington Commanders despatched a message with their opening offensive script.
Leaning on their run sport to nice success on “Monday Night time Soccer” in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Commanders confirmed why their reported determination to maneuver on from working again Brian Robinson could possibly be clever.
On the offense’s first play from scrimmage, quarterback Jayden Daniels handed broad receiver Deebo Samuel the ball on a jet sweep, and the offseason commerce acquisition gained 19 yards.
On the next play, working again Chris Rodriguez Jr. gained 40 yards off proper deal with, setting the Commanders up within the Bengals’ pink zone.
After one other designed run, Daniels scrambled 13 yards for a tying landing.
Invoice Croskey-Merritt, a 2025 seventh-rounder, capped Washington’s second drive with a 27-yard landing run.
Earlier Monday, NFL insider Mike Garafolo shared that the Commanders and Robinson reached a “mutual determination” for the fourth-year working again to take a seat Monday’s preseason Week 2 sport.
“A commerce earlier than the minimize to the 53-man roster stays a chance,” Garafolo wrote on social media.
Final season, Robinson, a 2022 third-round decide, set profession highs in rush yards (799) and rush touchdowns (eight) forward of a 2025 contract yr.
As offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury confirmed along with his play calling early in opposition to the Bengals, the Commanders have each proper to be assured about their dashing assault sans Robinson.
Croskey-Merritt has made essentially the most of his alternatives this preseason, gaining 56 yards on 9 carries (6.2 yards per try), together with 26 yards after contact, per Pro Football Focus data.
Veteran Austin Ekeler is getting into his second season with the franchise, and whereas now not at his peak, he stays a dependable choice.
Samuel provides the Commanders one other dimension within the run sport as proven on their first offensive play, whereas Daniels, the workforce’s main rusher a season in the past, is all the time a risk to make performs along with his legs.
Washington’s dashing assault seems to be to be in good condition even with Robinson now not a part of the equation. The Commanders could not have made that message any extra clear.
