Washington Football Team: Week 1 by the numbers as WFT comes up short vs Chargers

Bright Spots

119.3: After Ryan Fitzpatrick was knocked out of the game early in the second quarter, fan-favorite, Taylor Heinicke entered the game. This was the time to see if the Bucs game last year was all a mirage or if Heinicke has the potential to be the real deal. After going 0-for-2 to start the game, Heinicke once again nearly led the Washington Football Team to a come-from-behind victory, finishing 11-for-15 for 122 yards, 1 touchdown, and a 119.3 passer rating. Heinicke led Washington to their only touchdown of the game early in the third quarter, where he went 5-for-5 for 70 yards while adding another 5 yards on the ground, capping the drive off with an 11-yard dime to Logan Thomas in the end zone.

100%: The game plan against the Giants on Thursday needs to be, “Get the damn ball in Terry McLaurin’s hands.” McLaurin only received four targets on Sunday and came down with four catches (100%) for 62 yards, including what could go down as a catch of the year candidate. If you have a top-five receiver on your team, he needs to be getting at least 10+ targets a game if you want to win the ballgame.

46:  One player you can always count on to come up clutch for Washington…no other than Tress Way. He averaged 46 yards per punt including a 56-yarder that got a favorable bounce. He did pin the Chargers inside the 20 on two of his three punts. That is what I call consistency.

11: Cole Holcomb was all over the field on Sunday, finishing the game with 11 total tackles (eight solo) while adding in one QB hit. We had previously written about how the third-year linebacker had the potential to be a breakout star for Washington this year, and he looks to be well on his way.

11: DeAndre Carter looks electric with the ball in his hands. Yes, he onIy had two punt returns but he average 11 yard per return, which is a welcome sight for Washington, which has been dead last in the NFL in punt return average since 2017.

+1: Despite losing the game, Washington finished the game with a +1 turnover differential. Last season, the Football Team went 6-2 in games that they had a positive turnover differential.

4, 2, 1: Welcome to Washington, William Jackson III. Jackson made plays all over the field, finished with four tackles, two passes defended, and an interception at Washington’s four-yard line, which stopped the Chargers’ drive in its tracks.

2-for-7: Last season, Washington gave up the least red zone touchdowns per game, and it looks like the defense has continued to succeed in that facet of the game this year too. This bend but don’t break defense was a big part of last year’s success and continued against the Chargers.

Los Angeles got into the red zone seven times, which is obviously not a positive, but Washington held them without a touchdown on five of those possessions, although they did benefit from a controversial fumble call on one possession and a kneel-down sequence on the last possession of the game.