5 disappointments from Commanders victory vs. the Cardinals in Week 1

Commanders turnovers

This is fairly obvious. You usually do not win in the NFL when you allow six sacks, commit eight penalties, and turn the ball over three times. Sam Howell had a ball tipped on his pick, and he failed to secure it when being pressured and sacked late in the second quarter. As with the offensive rhythm, I expect that will improve as the signal-caller plays more.

Antonio Gibson, on the other hand, is a different matter. He seemed to bounce back from his disastrous 2021 season with a solid year in support of Brian Robinson Jr. in 2022. But he does have a history of fumbles, so to see him cough one up against the Arizona Cardinals is worrisome.

For the game, Gibson had just four touches - five if you count his ill-advised kickoff return. When Robinson needed a rest late in the game, the Washington Commanders turned to rookie Chris Rodriguez Jr. instead.

Gibson figures to be a vital part of this offense going forward. But he may have to earn the coaches’ trust in order for that to happen.

On a positive note, I just want to point out Jahan Dotson’s textbook recovery of what looked to be a Robinson fumble during the winning touchdown drive. The fact that it actually was not a fumble shouldn’t detract from how well the wideout handled the moment. He does a lot of things right.