Commanders moving up in ESPN's power rankings
It was far from pretty where the Washington Commanders were concerned in Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals. However, the most important thing above all else was the eventual result rather than the performance.
In that sense, it was mission accomplished by Ron Rivera and his players. The Commanders will have stiffer tests ahead, but starting with a positive result buids further momentum after one of the most joyous offseasons in franchise history.
ESPN's power rankings reflected the growing positivity surrounding the Commanders. After placing Washington at No. 25, they now sit at No. 21, with beat writer John Keim highlighting the performance of stud cornerback Emmanuel Forbes as a major positive on his competitive NFL debut.
"None of Washington's newcomers made a tremendous impact, but Forbes, their first-round pick (16th overall), played a solid game. He handled his assignments well, didn't bite on some double moves, kept his eyes in the right place in zone coverage and drove well on the few passes thrown to his man. On his TFL, he showed good recognition and quickly sped past a lineman headed his way and made the tackle on a run."John Keim, ESPN
This is a solid foundation from which to build. The Commanders have a lot to clean up and some position groups remain a concern, but all signs point to things trending up in the biggest way imaginable if they emerge from Mile High Stadium in Denver victoriously on Sunday.