Commanders key numbers: The good and the bad from Week 1 triumph vs. Cardinals

What key numbers were evident throughout the good and the bad of what ended up being a dramatic win for the Washington Commanders in Week 1?

With Dan Snyder out and Josh Harris' ownership group in, things were looking up for the Washington Commanders. For 45-plus minutes on Sunday, the new regime's deserved honeymoon phase seemed to be at risk, but a late comeback changed all that.

In front of a lively, sold-out crowd, the Commanders almost let the home opener slip away. But the resilience that the team has demonstrated countless times under head coach Ron Rivera came through once again.

Harris was able to get his storybook first win as the Commanders' new owner and the fans were able to breathe a sigh of relief. But this story had a bunch of speed bumps and sloppiness before it came to its conclusion.

As the clouds darkened and the rain poured down, boos began to reverberate throughout FedEx Field in the second half. The patience of this fanbase was beginning to wear thin.

At that moment, you had to imagine Snyder was somewhere on his yacht, rolling around in his money, and laughing at the struggles of his old team. But as the saying goes, it’s always darkest before the dawn.

After three first-half turnovers, the Commanders had gained a grand total of two net yards on their first two second-half possessions. Down 16-10, it was clear that the offense needed help, and Montez Sweat answered the call.

Sweat forced a fumble deep in Arizona Cardinals territory and Daron Payne scooped the recovery. As the Commanders entered the fourth quarter, they had some much-needed momentum.

Then Sam Howell - who had been harassed all game showed he wasn’t done. On third and goal, in a play reminiscent of Taylor Heinicke, the quarterback scrambled for a six-yard touchdown.

After kicker Joey Slye's extra point, the Commanders regained the lead and maintained it for the remainder of the game.

And with that, the sky began to clear, and the sun emerged again. Was this symbolism at its finest? The beginning of greater things to come? We'll just have to wait and find out.

Let's get into the key numbers from Week 1.