Washington Football Team: Three takeaways from Week 11 win vs. Cowboys
2. Antonio Gibson is the key to Washington’s offense
Move over, Terry McLaurin. There’s another talented third-round pick that’s entering the running to be the most important player in the Washington offense.
While McLaurin is more proven and at this point, more talented than Gibson, the rookie has become a critical part of the Washington offense.
In particular, Gibson has been critical to the team’s red-zone success in recent weeks. He extended his scoring streak to five games with a first-half rushing touchdown and his 11 rushing touchdowns is the most among rookies this year. He has made an impact in that area, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg.
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Gibson has run with good burst. His vision is getting better. He’s running with power now too, and he can mix it up as needed to keep defenses guessing what he will do. And as a receiver, he has been a key checkdown for Alex Smith. Along with J.D. McKissic, Gibson has been one of Smith’s favorite receivers and he totaled five catches and 21 receiving yards against the Cowboys. The defense simply had no answers for his dynamic skill set and versatility.
Even in pass protection, Gibson was stellar. He knew his assignments and consistently was able to stalemate the extra man trying to get to Smith, and that allowed the quarterback to hit some intermediate-length passes downfield.
As time goes on, Gibson should only continue to get better as he has during his rookie season. Expect Washington to keep getting the ball in his hands, as the more opportunities he has, the better the team will do.