5 Commanders players who need to thrive in Week 2 vs. the NY Giants
By Dean Jones
The Washington Commanders have nowhere to go but up following their Week 1 loss at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It's a long campaign and miracles weren't going to happen overnight after a complete teardown throughout the offseason, but it's obvious that there is a lot of hard work ahead before this team can contend.
Dan Quinn and his staff got a gut check. They saw the same defensive problems that caused Jack Del Rio and Ron Rivera to be fired rear their ugly head. It was a solid enough offensive performance, but getting into a hole early made things more difficult than needed.
Fortunately, the games come thick and fast. Attention has already turned to Washington's home opener against the New York Giants. This looks like a winnable game and a good chance to lay down a marker within the NFC East. However, this can only be achieved by raised performance levels and improved execution in all phases.
With this in mind, here are five Commanders players who must thrive in Week 2 at Northwest Stadium.
Commanders players who must thrive in Week 2 against the NY Giants
Benjamin St-Juste - Commanders CB
There wasn't much Benjamin St-Juste could do in Week 1. The cornerback tried admirably to counteract the supreme threat posed by Mike Evans, but it wasn't enough to prevent the future Pro Football Hall of Fame pass-catcher from bringing in five receptions for 61 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
St-Juste didn't get much help from others in the Washington Commanders' cornerback room after Mike Sainristil and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. struggled mightily. The former third-round selection cannot dwell on this performance for too long, especially with first-round wide receiver Malik Nabers representing another stern challenge in Week 2.
Nabers is no stranger to Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. The duo formed a prolific partnership at LSU and were among the first names taken in the 2024 NFL Draft. St-Juste's physical scope means he'll likely be tasked with keeping the dynamic pass-catcher quiet. Much will also depend on whether much-maligned signal-caller Daniel Jones can get him the football.
Either way, a big performance is needed from St-Juste. Something that would alleviate some concerns about his prospects along the way.