Burgundy & Gold Reaction: Week 1 Takeaways

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September 13, 2022

by Steve Thomas

Carson Wentz‘s Career in a Nutshell

This game rolled up every aspect of Carson Wentz into a wild roller coaster ride with all the anxiety any fan can handle. Aside from the narrative-driven side of the fans and media, Wentz’s overall debut went very well among the majority. Yes, it was the Jacksonville Jaguars and their team is still rebuilding, but  this is also an improved Jaguars team against whom Carson Wentz struggled twice last season. What’s the difference, you may ask? The weapons, especially the wide receiving group.

It was never a secret that Carson Wentz can be a very volatile quarterback but when he has the weapons and protection he generates more ups than downs. Early in the game, Wentz threw for 123 yards after completing 11 of 15 pass attempts and 2 touchdowns. In these early drives, we saw Samuel’s versatility in this offense on his way to scoring the game’s first touchdown, as well as rookie sensation Jahan Dotson reeling in his first career reception for a touchdown (the first of 2 on the day). Speed, misdirection, and precise route running put the Jaguars’ secondary on their heels all first half. Terry McLaurin only hauled in 1 reception on 4 targets in the first half, but  Wentz found him down the sidelines for a 49 yard touchdown pass to close in on the Jaguars by one 22-21.

The pass itself was on the money and key at that stage of the game but the most impressive aspect of this touchdown toss was the results of the previous drives. Carson Wentz made 2 very poor decisions earlier in the game – in one, the timing with the wide receiver was off, which could have very well cost Washington this game. These interceptions helped Jacksonville go on a 19-0 run which we all know what this fan base was thinking, “Oh here we go again!” As part of Wentz’s offseason criticism revolving around his mental makeup, we saw his back against the wall after making decisions that could have very easily resulted in this team folding, but that didn’t happen. Carson Wentz left those plays in the past to mount 2 scoring drives with a game-winner going to the rookie Jahan Dotson. When you look closely at Dotson’s scoring play he ran this route like a veteran wide receiver. Dotson didn’t telegraph to the defender when the ball was coming, took a slight step to the inside causing the defender to hesitate enough then laid out for his second TD reception of the game. Jahan Dotson and this receiving group showed their potential yesterday and that’s without full chemistry with each other and Carson Wentz.

In a nutshell, each week, Carson Wentz will make your heart sink, but also give you a reason to be optimistic. While his numbers were very good and his arm strength is exactly what Scott Turner needs, the most encouraging part of this game was how he rebounded from some very bad decisions. Not folding under pressure and allowing his wide receivers to make plays is all that this coaching staff and a fan base want.  Wentz delivered that on Sunday against Jacksonville. One additional caveat: he controlled his urge to force the big play downfield and utilized his running backs underneath to keep the offense rolling and the chains moving. This was easily the most exciting game by a Washington quarterback in the past several years, maybe even longer depending on one’s view of Kirk Cousins.

Antonio Gibson Focused

Antonio Gibson answered the call of criticism this week after fumbling the ball on his first carry in the preseason and apparently losing his starting job to Brian Robinson Jr. His ball security and patience behind the line demonstrated a level of growth many were hoping for entering this season. He averaged 4.1 yards per carry, which isn’t great, but seeing how he maintained the football tight to his side cupped within his arm was reassuring. With that said let’s talk about just how Scott Turner utilized him in this offense. This 23 yard pass inside the 10 is just a prime example of the weapon he can become in the passing game. Primarily a wide receiver in college converting to a running back in the NFL, it’s very clear how comfortable Gibson is running routes and getting him into open spaces. By catching 7 passes in 8 targets on Sunday, Gibson showed that his duel-threat talent could give the receiving group far more potential open looks downfield as this season ages. Is this the game we look back on to saying that was the moment Wentz and this offense began their trajectory to a top-end offensive unit in the NFL? It will be fun to find that out over the coming season but Antonio showed very encouraging signs that Ron Rivera will surely hope he can not only maintain but excel more going forward.

Better Lucky Than Good

Stats can be very deceiving here as Jacksonville’s 3rd down efficiency, on the surface, was a terrible 25% which gives an impression of Washington’s defensive dominance. When examining the final drive by Jacksonville, the pressure from Montez Sweat and Daniel Wise then leading to a game-ending interception by Darrick Forrest Jr. is what Ron Rivera wants from this defense. Watch Forrest’s aggressive and impactful style – that’s a glimpse of what the defense can be. Pump the brakes here just a bit, though, as the on-field performance spoke a bit differently in other areas. The defensive front got some pressure on Trevor Lawrence and made him very uncomfortable most of the game, sacking him twice; however, when he had time Washington’s linebackers were continuously overmatched. Washington’s linebacking group’s inability to be impactful in the passing game and watching their running game gash this defense multiple times has to leave you with some level of concern. To be totally honest, the miscues by Trevor Lawrence and Jacksonville’s kicker Patterson in the first half alone had the potential to change this game’s story if they managed to hit on a couple of opportunities. The deficiencies defensively coupled with the tendency of a poor decision or two from Carson Wentz will not only not bode well against playoff-caliber teams but also against hungry young talented teams like Detroit next week. Maybe Washington should make a call to Landon Collins this week or even Blake Martinez. Kick those tires! For a full game recap check out Noonefromtama’s article. Not to end on a negative note this textbook hit by Darrick Forrest Jr. was certainly a thing of beauty.