Commanders rookie phenom solved the biggest mystery with the team, and made history in the process in his debut
What a debut for the late-round rookie who has been the hype of the team.
Everyone has been anticipating exactly how the Washington Commanders would look as they kick the season off, and we got our answers in a 21-6 victory against the New York Giants.
Week 1 is always tricky because you really don’t know what to expect with it being the first live in-game action, and you really get to see who your team is. That includes who is actually going to play, and we had a lot of questions about the running back room, but rookie phenom Bill Croskey-Merritt wasted no time showing that he will be a big part of the run game.
Bill has arrived
The Commanders listed Chris Rodriguez Jr as an inactive player before the game, and showed us a glimpse of what to expect, but we still had no idea how the running backs would be played. Austin Ekeler was the starter, and he had a big game as well, but once Croskey-Merritt came on the field midway through the second quarter, everyone quickly saw how good he really is.
The offense drove down the field with a 7-3 lead and halftime approaching, and Croskey-Merritt decided to add some points to the scoreboard. He took a counter to the right side like he had before, and took it to the endzone for his first real touchdown in the NFL.
Croskey-Merritt’s touchdown on Sunday marked the first time a Washington running back scored a touchdown in their debut since Alfred Morris did it in Week 1 in 2012. That’s a 13-year drought at a position that has rotated a ton of the last few years. The Commanders may have their long-term answer now, though.
The nail in the coffin
The game was pretty much over when the Commanders got the ball back with a 21-6 lead and almost three minutes left, and they just needed to pick up some first downs and drain the clock. Croskey-Merritt decided to just take the ball for a 42-yard gain and take the last bit of their soul on the way out.
The big run put Croskey-Merritt at 10 rushes for 82 yards and a touchdown on the day. An impressive showing in the seventh-round rookie’s debut against a really good Giants defensive line. Austin Ekeler might be RB1-A, and Croskey-Merritt might be RB1-B on offense. The Commanders rushed for a combined 220 yards and two touchdowns, and that’s a recipe for winning all season with Croskey-Merritt as a true homerun threat.
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