The Washington Redskins won their first season opener of the Jay Gruden era, dominating the Arizona Cardinals in a 24-6 victory.
Pure domination. That’s the only way to describe the Redskins victory over the Cardinals in Week 1.
While many expected an evenly matched battle in the first contest of each team’s year, the Redskins started off on the right foot and quickly jumped out to a lead. They got as much as a 24-point lead before they were able to relax a bit towards the end of the game. But for most of the night, they beat the Cardinals in every aspect.
Of course, the team’s efforts are an amalgamation of individual efforts from all around the roster. On Sunday, the Redskins had a lot of players that stood out. In a victory, it’s easy to see a lot of potential standouts, but the truth is that some had more of an impact than others did on the game. And while the team definitely deserved the win, there are certainly a few players that deserve more recognition for their efforts.
Three players were particularly good against the Cardinals and definitely performed at a high-level In some cases, they played at close to peak efficiency. Here’s a look at the three standouts from the game, starting with an offensive player at No. 3.
3. RB Adrian Peterson
Peterson did everything he could to prove that he still had something left in the tank in this game. From the start, he ran with great energy, power, and elusive ability as he carved up his former team. It truly was a vintage AP game.
Peterson handled a lion’s share of the carries, 26 overall, and totaled 96 yards and a touchdown. He was able to continually pound the ball up the middle, but he also made a couple of nice runs that were on the longer side. It’s clear that he still has talent, and he definitely knows how to utilize his skill set.
Peterson also was surprisingly a factor in the receiving game. In fact, he led the team in receiving yardage with 70 yards on two catches. Of course, it’s worth noting that most of that yardage came on a 52-yard burst that saw him catch a ball on the sideline, use his burst and speed to get upfield quickly, and break some tackles as he fought for yardage. It was a really impressive play by Peterson.
However, there was one major blemish on Peterson’s night. And it came on that play. At the end of the 52-yard catch, Peterson fumbled and allowed the Cardinals to recover. The Redskins were already up enough that the mistake didn’t matter, but it’s still worth noting that Peterson put the ball on the ground. If that issue continues, Jay Gruden may not be content to give him as much of a workload.
It will be interesting to see if Peterson can keep this going in future weeks. After all, he is a 33-year-old veteran with a lot of carries under his belt. Still, he definitely was a standout on Sunday afternoon, so he deserves praise for his Redskins regular season debut.
2. RB Chris Thompson
Two runnings back among the top three standout performers? That should tell you just about everything you need to know about the Redskins plans on Sunday.
While Peterson had a nice outing for the Redskins, Thompson played a big role as the team’s top pass-catching back. Of course, this was always expected, as that has been Thompson’s role for the better part of the last couple of seasons, but he was even better than one could have predicted on Sunday.
After missing all of the preseason as he recovered from a leg injury he suffered in 2017, Thompson looked as dynamic as he had in recent seasons in the team’s victory. He showed excellent route running skills and still had the burst that made him a big-play threat for most of last season.
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On Thompson’s TD, he did well to get into open space, catch the pass, and use his combination of elusiveness and speed to get the score. He was really able to run circles around the Cardinals defense and despite seeing limited snaps, he had a major impact.
By the end of the game, Thompson had logged 128 yards and the touchdown on just 11 total touches. If he can continue to produce at this clip, the Redskins offense will continue to hum. Considering that Alex Smith likes throwing to him, Thompson had a team-high seven targets, this trend should continue on throughout the season.
Thompson has a very good chance to be a game-changer for the Redskins offense, so look for him to be a staple of the standouts in the near future.
1. CB Quinton Dunbar
There wasn’t a star that shined brighter than Dunbar against the Cardinals. Simply put, he was an absolute beast.
Dunbar played very well in coverage throughout the entirety of the game. He defended three passes and notched an interception. All afternoon, Dunbar was quickly reacting to the ball and breaking on it to make plays. There really was no stopping him at all.
With Dunbar’s new number, 23, it was easy to mistake him for DeAngelo Hall during his prime. That may be lofty praise for the fourth-year man, but he truly looked like a great starting corner on the field. Hopefully, he will be able to continue that trend in the coming weeks, and it looks like he has the potential to be a long-term starter for the team, whether it’s as a No. 1 or a No. 2 corner.
The Redskins have a lot to like about their performance against the Cardinals. They showed great energy, effort, and really did a lot to demonstrate that they are a contender in a packed NFC. These three standouts helped set the tone, and hopefully, they will continue their solid play moving forward.