By The Numbers: Washington Football Team pulls off a stunner

The lows from Washington’s first win

154: Washington has given up 154 yards over the last two weeks on the opponent’s first drive, both leading to touchdowns.

10/10, 85: Last week, Justin Herbert hit four different receivers on his first drive and finished 6-for-6 for 40 yards. On Thursday, Daniel Jones went 4-for-4 for 45 yards and ran in a touchdown. Overall, both QBs combined to go 10-for-10 for 85 yards. That’s not what an elite defense gives up.

10.6:  You would think a game featuring both Saquon Barkley and Antonio Gibson would end with one of them ending as the leading rusher. That wasn’t the case, as Daniel Jones finished with 9 carries for 94, a 10.4-yard average while adding a rushing touchdown. It was like deja-vu. Jones ran through the Washington defense with ease, leaving Landon Collins in the dust, just as he had done last year. This time it was a 46-yard run (after the holding penalty), last year it was a 49-yarder.

1-4: Daniel Jones has had Washington’s number for the last two years, with Washington going 1-4 against him over the last 2+ years, picking up their first win on Thursday. In the five games against Washington, Jones has a 9:2 TD to INT ratio, has averaged a 68% completion percentage and 7.26 yards-per-carry, while losing no fumbles. In his 24 other career games, Jones has a 2.8:2 TD to INT ratio and 18 lost fumbles.

35: Former Washington kicker Graham Gano was automatic, going 5-for-5 on field goals for the Giants, including nailing a 55-yarder. Gano has now hit 35 consecutive field goals. Cue the Drake lyric, “You’re gonna miss me a little when I’m gone.”

80: Washington had nine penalties for 80 yards, after having eight penalties for 57 yards last week against the Chargers. Last year, the team the team averaged 42.5 penalty yards per game, so something needs to change this season.

There were many undisciplined penalties on both sides of the ball for Washington. Sam Cosmi had two costly penalties, an unnecessary roughness that turned a 2nd and 2 into a 1st and 22 and a holding penalty that turned a 3rd and 7 to a 3rd and 17. Both drives ended with punts. On defense, four of Washington’s penalties gave the Giants automatic first downs, including Chase Young’s roughing the passer, pass interference on William Jackson III and Kendall Fuller, and defensive holding on Landon Collins.

5: A big play is defined as a pass that goes for over 25 yards or a run that goes for over 10 yards. Against the Giants, Washington’s defense gave up five big plays including three runs by Daniel Jones, a 41-yard run by Saquon Barkley, and a 33-yard touchdown reception by Darius Slayton. Washington has had an issue giving up big chunks of yards over the past few years and will need to get that under wraps if it wants to stand a chance against the top-tier teams in the league.

It wasn’t pretty, but Washington was able to come away with its first win of the season while defeating a division foe. And maybe, just maybe they were able to figure out the answer at quarterback. Only time will tell.