5 Commanders players who could be benched after Week 2 triumph vs. NY Giants
By Dean Jones
The Washington Commanders salvaged a morale-boosting win against the New York Giants in Week 2, but there is a tremendous amount for Dan Quinn and his coaching staff to work on. Nobody expected flawless football over the first few weeks. However, improvements must arrive quickly with some difficult-looking games upcoming on the schedule heading to the midway point of the campaign.
Some players are not living up to their billing so far. This is a constant assessment from Quinn and general manager Adam Peters in Year 1 of this substantial rebuild. They've already got plenty of food for thought regarding the future. Winning in the clutch versus the Giants doesn't change much - it just kept the team from digging themselves into a deeper hole.
This weekend will be a far greater test of their credentials. The Commanders travel to the Cincinnati Bengals for a mouth-watering Monday Night Football clash. It's a chance for Quinn to announce that his squad is no longer going to be one of the NFL's whipping boys. It's also an opportunity for Jayden Daniels to showcase why he should have been taken No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft over Caleb Williams.
For some, their statuses are less certain. With this in mind, here are five Commanders players players in danger of being benched after Week 2.
Commanders players who could benched after Week 2 win vs. NY Giants
Michael Davis - Commanders CB
Many fans were perplexed as to why Michael Davis didn't get a single defensive snap in Week 1 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Things are more clear on that front now.
The veteran cornerback wasn't great against the New York Giants. Davis quickly became a weak link in coverage and couldn't wrap up tacklers effectively to further raise concerns. This was in keeping with how things went for the player last season on the Los Angeles Chargers, which is the most worrying aspect of all.
Dan Quinn said they are still assessing the defensive back dynamic with several failing to meet loftier expectations so far. Davis will probably get another shot considering Emmanuel Forbes Jr. is still recovering from thumb surgery. If he continues to struggle, it won't be much longer before he's demoted or removed from the equation entirely.
The Cincinnati Bengals' passing attack can be prolific when early confidence is built. If Tee Higgins is ready to go, the onus falls squarely on Davis and second-round rookie Mike Sainristil to deliver with Benjamin St-Juste tasked with keeping Ja'Marr Chase quiet.