Washington Football Team: Three takeaways from Week 10 loss to Lions
2. The Antonio Gibson, J.D. McKissic combination is a solid one
The Lions have one of the worst run defenses in the NFL. That much was known heading into the game. That said, it was still unknown whether or not Washington would find success attacking the defense with their running backs but at the end of the day, they were able to do it.
Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic proved to be a rock-solid tandem on Sunday. On the ground, they combined for just 51 yards on 21 carries, which was a bit disappointing, but more importantly, they had a combined three rushing TDs. They were very effective near the goal line and helped put Washington in position to succeed.
Through the air, they were even better. They combined to catch 11 passes for 63 yards on a combined 19 targets. McKissic, in particular, was great as a safety valve for Smith and in pass protection, he helped to keep his quarterback clean. He did everything needed of him to help the Washington offense hum.
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Both Gibson and McKissic appear to have clear-cut roles in the Washington backfield. Gibson will be more of a between-the-tackles option for the team and though he only had 3.5 yards per carry against the Lions, he was able to make plays near the goal-line when it mattered. He should continue to get a bulk of the carries while also being utilized throughout the game as a receiver.
Meanwhile, McKissic will be the team’s top receiving back and checkdown. As long as Alex Smith is starting, that will be a critical role for the team. McKissic has been able to make men miss in space and has been sure-handed in that capacity. As long as he’s doing that and handling enough carries to avoid becoming a one-dimensional option, he will be an effective part of the Washington backfield.
It’s nice that Washington appears to have found the best combination for them at RB. It will be interesting to see if their success moving the offense can continue against better teams but for the time being, this is good enough. And as Gibson gets more reps at running back, his ability to generate yardage on the ground should only continue to improve.