Commanders' 'dirty work' players earned high praise after Week 1
Star players don’t start out that way; they have to earn that status. Even guys like Washington Commanders’ receiver Terry McLaurin started out as an underrated contributor before he became so scary that other teams committed several defenders to eliminating him from the game plan.
We don’t know yet whether or not running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt or tight end John Bates will ever become stars to the same level as the Commanders’ No. 1 receiver, of course, but we do know they do some things very well that could help get them there someday.
Following the first win of the season for Washington, a 21-6 victory over the New York Giants, and before the team’s second game of the year in Green Bay this Thursday, head coach Dan Quinn took a moment to praise both men for their efforts thus far.
A 'Commander Through and Through'
“He's always been an aggressive blocker,” Quinn said of Bates. “For as tall as he is, he can still get down low and get under people... And then, in the passing game on early downs, that is where John can be that factor. He's got good hands; he's got good range... man, we are, he is a Commander through and through, like he is absolutely one of your favorite players to coach too. He just brings it.”
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More Than an Underdog
Some would classify Croskey-Merritt as an underdog after having his final year of college football action stripped from him, ultimately contributing to his status as a seventh-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
“I would maybe not call it the underdog,” Quinn said to that idea. “But just this guy is a true competitor, and he wants to prove it. …I like that hungry mindset, but he wouldn't be here if he didn't have the talent... we've got a lot of belief in him, and I certainly hope he feels that, but he's earned that. That's not something that we just throw around to make a guy feel better.”
The Quarterback's Perspective
Jayden Daniels, the team’s star quarterback, echoed a lot of Quinn’s sentiments in his own comments about his two teammates.
First, on Croskey-Merritt, “Just how he sets up his blocks, his patience, and he runs hard and he's willing to learn and being a young guy in this league... to make the 53 and to play a significant amount of snaps, it is big for him. So, I'm just excited for him to keep growing and keep learning.”
On the rookie’s first regular-season touchdown run, he was able to get around the right side of the formation and into open space, thanks in large part to a block by Bates. Nothing new for Daniels, who said of his tight end, “Man, happy he's on our team and he does all the dirty work that maybe goes unnoticed, but we very much appreciate him here in this building.”
Every team needs the guys who are going to do the dirty work, and those who are fighting for just a little bit more than team glory.
With Bates and Croskey-Merritt, Washington has two good ones to join stars like McLaurin, Daniels, tight end Zach Ertz, and receiver Deebo Samuel.
Together, they helped secure the Commanders’ first win of the season, and together they’ll ensure there are plenty of those still to come the rest of the way toward another run at the playoffs.
Texans Planning Bigger Role for Nick Chubb
Expect to see some more Nick Chubb in the Houston Texans' offense after a solid Week 1 showing.
Following Houston's season opener loss vs. the LA Rams, 9-14, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans was still impressed by what he saw from Chubb in his debut since signing in June. In all, Chubb finished with 13 carries for 60 yards on the ground, averaging 4.6 yards a carry and leading the way in touches throughout the running back room.
And moving forward into the year, Ryans says he wants to lean on Chubb a bit more in the backfield.
"I think Chubb ran the ball really well," Ryans said in an interview with Texans Radio. "We tried to mix it up with the backs– got Woody some touches, Dameon [Pierce]– we're going to try to lean in with Chubb a little bit more."
"He deserves it. He’s shown that he continues to get better as the game went on. You saw him running stronger, finishing plays in a physical manner. So, we've got to get him going a little bit more, and I think he can really help us."
Chubb has seemingly made a super strong impression in the Texans' building since arriving on his one-year, $5 million deal in the offseason, and without Joe Mixon in the fold as he deals with a foot injury that has placed him on the Injured Reserve for at least the first four weeks of the year, the door has opened for Chubb to have some major responsibility in this scoring unit.
Chubb sits in the Texans' running back room alongside veteran Dameon Pierce, rookie Woody Marks, and team captain Dare Ogunbowale to share the workload with– certainly a group that faced a fair share of questions before the season, of just how the responsibilities would be divided in the backfield.
But, as Chubb continues to prove he's healthy from last season and the most productive guy in the room, Ryans clearly wants to get the ball in his hands in the run game while they deal with Mixon's absence– however long that may be– and bank on his physicality and consistent improvements to be a driving force in their work on the ground.
Chubb has reportedly been consistent and hard-working for the Texans dating back to training camp, has clear respect in the locker room from teammates and the coaching staff, and of course, has a proven track record in the league of being one of the better runners of the football in recent history while at his peak production.
That doesn't mean you won't see guys like Pierce, Marks, and Ogunbowale get some occasional reps their way as well, but if Ryans' comments prove true, we could very well be looking at the start of Chubb being a real bellcow in Houston.
