Washington Football Team: 3 unsung heroes from win vs Giants

We’re two weeks into the regular season, and the Washington Football Team is in sole possession of first place in the NFC East.

Fans will take that all day given that Ron Rivera’s side has looked anything like a playoff team over the first two games.

Having said that, things certainly improved against the Giants. The passing and running game were both efficient. The offensive line held up well for the most part. The defensive line generated consistent pressure.

All fans can really complain about is the secondary (yikes) and the defense’s inability to stop designed runs for Daniel Jones. The Giants quarterback took off for 95 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. That can’t happen.

In all honesty, Washington could’ve ended up on the wrong side of the scoreline if not for the likes of Taylor Heinicke, Terry McLaurin, Jonathan Allen, and Dustin Hopkins, each of whom turned in huge performances.

However, those stars haven’t gotten enough praise. Why don’t we show love to a couple of players who also stepped up to the occasion in a must-win game, but have gotten grossly overlooked as far as postgame praise goes?

Washington Football Team: 3 unsung heroes from Week 2 win

3. Adam Humphries

The snap counts would indicate that Dyami Brown is Washington’s No. 2 receiver, but the box score proves that Washington’s quarterbacks trust Adam Humphries just a tad more, which is understandable given Brown is a rookie.

Despite playing 12 fewer snaps than Brown on Thursday night, Humphries was significantly more productive, hauling in seven of eight targets for 44 yards.

While those numbers pale in comparison to McLaurin’s career night, Humphries came through in several big spots for Washington. Whether it be making a few defenders miss after catching an underneath route or drawing a penalty that kept drives alive, Humphries helped keep the wind in the Football Team’s sails all night.

That’s exactly why Washington signed him this offseason, is it not? McLaurin is the undisputed No. 1 target and will nab all the headlines — albeit, not on a national scale — but Humphries is a hugely important player for this offense.

Expect more big plays from the 28-year-old going forward.