A resurging rookie and an unsung hero led the way of the biggest winners for the Commanders who helped snap losing streak
The Commanders win was led by Bill Croskey-Merritt’s bounce-back game and veteran Antonio Hamilton being an unsung hero.
The Washington Commanders avoided ending the season with a losing streak and finally got their first win since Week 5 against the New York Giants.
The team also needed to see some of their younger players step up, and a few were able to, despite Dan Quinn still holding out on playing time for a few players. The roster needs to see a youth movement this offseason, and that starts with its current players, who can leave a mark in the last few games.
We saw one rookie have a bounce-back game, and some flash plays from others that should be encouraging about the future. Here’s a look at five of the biggest winners against the Giants.
RB Bill Croskey-Merritt
The Commanders’ losing streak was also a bad streak for the running game, including rookie Bill Croskey-Merritt, who hasn’t had a good game since the team’s last win against the Los Angeles Chargers. That dry streak ended on Sunday against the Giants when Croskey-Merritt got his opportunities again with Chris Rodriguez Jr. out.
Croskey-Merritt hasn’t rushed for over 38 yards or found the end zone in over seven weeks, and he ended that stretch with 96 yards on the ground and a touchdown to go with it.
Croskey-Merritt can have an impactful role on the team moving forward if he can clean up his fumbles and use that burst he has to make explosive plays for the rest of this season and next.
CB Antonio Hamilton
The Commanders needed someone to step up on defense, and that’s what happened on Sunday by a surprising player. Antonio Hamilton is a veteran who has bounced around teams in the league at 32 years old, but he made play after play for the Commanders. His biggest play was a touchdown-saving pass breakup on Darius Slayton in the end zone.
The defense will go through a lot of changes this offseason, and potentially lose a lot of corners, so having Hamilton show that he can be a depth piece will be a big win for the roster.
TE Ben Sinnott
The stat sheet wasn’t anything crazy, but Ben Sinnott made a big play when he got a chance and showed that he needs more. Sinnott has been blocking his tail off this season, but his opportunities in the passing game should go up with Zach Ertz out for the season. He ran a great post route where he got separation at his breaking point, and continued to rack up yards after the catch, which this offense has been missing. Hopefully, Kliff Kingsbury gives Sinnott a few more opportunities before the season ends to show he can be a real option next season.
WR Jaylin Lane
The Commanders are still waiting to see what wide receiver Jaylin Lane can do on offense, but in the meantime, he’s making his mark as a great punt returner. He found the end zone on a punt return for the second time this season, which makes him the first Washington player to ever do so as a rookie. Lane’s two touchdowns are also the first time it’s happened in a single season since Brian Mitchell did so last in 1994.
CB Mike Sainristil
It’s been an up and down season for Mike Sainristil, who has played both inside and outside this season, but he had his best interception on the season against the Giants, and needs to build off it. This is Sainristil’s fourth interception on the season, which makes him the first corner to do so since Kendall Fuller in 2017. The team need to continue to develop Sainristil, play him at his strongest position, and add to the defense to support him.
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