Four Washington Football Team players deserving of game balls vs. Eagles

It’s a time-honored tradition: a winning NFL team celebrating a victory by handing out game balls to deserving players.  The Washington Football Team had four such players on Sunday vs. the Eagles.

Sunday was a good day for the Washington Fooball Team after completing an impressive comeback victory over Philadelphia. The Eagles jumped out to a 17-0 lead while the Burgundy and Gold looked as if they were stuck in hardening cement.  Before anyone in Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley knew it, the Eagles lost to Washington, 27-17, behind a barrage of defensive pressure and offensive tenacity.

Today, we take the time to award our own game balls to four players and it is something we will do after each victory this season.  If it is a loss, then we will award no more than two game balls.  There are times when a good, solid victory would dictate that we award more players, but time and space restrict us, so let’s keep it at four and two.

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It’s time to take a look at the four awards for Sunday’s game.

1. Washington Football Team Game Ball: Fabian Moreau

Fabian Moreau is very deserving of the first game ball and it was his interception late in the second quarter that ignited the comeback.  The offense had a short field and was able to punch it in for a much-needed touchdown in the final seconds of the first half.  That one play was the momentum changer that Washington desperately needed and they never looked back after Moreau’s interception.  Too, Moreau was able to shut down his side of the field when he was in the game.

2. Washington Football Team Game Ball: Ryan Kerrigan

Ryan Kerrigan was arguably the MVP for Washington on Sunday and he is awarded our second game ball.  Kerrigan is no longer a starter, but he is still one of the best defensive players on the team.  He harassed Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz for much of the game with multiple hurries, pressures, and hits.  Kerrigan also contributed two key sacks and recovered a fumble late in the game that sealed the victory.

With the extraordinary depth of the defensive line, Kerrigan is now able to have fresher legs throughout a game (he played 22 of 68 plays on Sunday) and put his focus squarely on the quarterback. He did just that against the Eagles.

For his efforts on Sunday, Ryan Kerrigan is awarded not only the second game ball, but also the game MVP award.

3. Washington Football Team Game Ball: Jimmy Moreland

Jimmy Moreland had a surprisingly superb first season after being a seventh-round draft pick last year, and he is still looking to turn heads in his second season.

Early in the second half, Moreland intercepted a Wentz pass and returned it 32 yards – deep into Eagles territory.  Washington scored a touchdown several plays later as they continued to carry the momentum all the way to the end of the game.  Moreland also contributed six tackles and one pass deflection.

4. Washington Football Team Game Ball: Dwayne Haskins

Dwayne Haskins didn’t put up gaudy numbers and to be honest, a couple of passes should’ve been intercepted, but he provided two important moments of key leadership during the game.  Check out this tweet from The Athletic’s Rhiannon Walker late yesterday afternoon.

That is your first big-time leadership moment.

Then, In the second half, Haskins came over to the defense during a break in the action in the second half as they were sitting on the bench.  He high-fived and fist-bumped many of the defensive players.  It was as if he was acknowledging their superb play and it undoubtedly had a very positive effect.

The leadership demonstrated by Haskins yesterday was vital for the WFT in their triumph over Philadelphia.

Honorable Mentions

Here are the players who received an honorable mention this week:

• Chase Young
• Morgan Moses
• Matt Ioannidis
• Peyton Barber
• Daron Payne
• Jon Bostic
• Logan Thomas
• Montez Sweat.

The Week 1 awards are in the books, and we hope to award four game balls again next week.