5 winners and losers from the Commanders win at Patriots in Week 9
By Dean Jones
Winner No. 1
Emmanuel Forbes - Commanders CB
It's been a rocky ride for Emmanuel Forbes to begin his NFL career. The rookie cornerback's been given a baptism of fire by some elite-level weapons this season, which resulted in the Washington Commanders benching their first-round selection to raise concerns about whether those in power made the right call at No. 16 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Forbes hinted via his Instagram story that he was in line for prominent work in Week 9. That proved to be the case, and the former Mississippi State standout was eager not to waste such an opportunity versus a less-than-stellar New England Patriots passing attack led by struggling quarterback Mac Jones.
This was Forbes' best pro game by a considerable margin. The slender figure looked assured in coverage, maintaining discipline and keeping his eyes right where they needed to be in pursuit of making plays.
There's just no telling what this might do for Forbes' confidence long-term. Putting him against another physically imposing wideout next weekend at the Seattle Seahawks in D.K. Metcalf might be a step too far, but it would be a shock if we didn't see an improved contribution over the second half of 2023 after this.
Washington's belief never wavered in Forbes. Taking him out of the firing was the right call, which lit a fire under the defensive back when the time came for increased responsibilities.