Three takeaways from the Washington Commanders’ preseason win over the Baltimore Ravens
On Monday night, the Washington Commanders ended the record 24-game preseason winning streak of the Baltimore Ravens. They did so with a final score of 29-28 thanks to a Joey Slye field goal with nine seconds left to give them the lead.
Washington found themselves down by eight points late in the fourth quarter. They scored a touchdown but did not convert the two-point conversion. Managing to get the ball back with just under three minutes, the Commanders put together a 14-play, 60-yard drive that spanned 2:44 seconds. It ended with the game-winning 49-yard field goal.
While it’s only a preseason game, this type of win can still get fans excited. Especially considering how some key names played when given the opportunity.
A win like that shows a deep roster that’s willing to compete, as well as some competent coaching. Washington came into the preseason with roster spots open and starting roles being fought for. They already ironed some of that out (Sam Howell as the starting quarterback, for example). This game made the vision even more apparent.
With that in mind, it was a preseason game. That means we saw a lot of players hit the field. The starters (for the most part) got the entire first half. Then it was backups, third-stringers, and roster hopefuls the rest of the way.
What did we learn from seeing this mixed bag of talent? A lot. Let’s look at three major takeaways from a wild preseason win for the Commanders.
Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
Washington Commanders’ Rookie defensive back duo looks legit
The Washington Commanders spent their first two picks in the 2023 NFL Draft on defensive backs. They selected cornerback Emmanuel Forbes with the 16th overall pick. Then they landed safety Jartavius Martin in the second round.
From the moment they were drafted, it was expected that both defensive backs would feature heavily in the gameplan. However, even early draft picks must prove themselves before the regular season. Nothing is just handed to someone.
With that in mind, the hope was that Forbes and Martin would make some plays in the preseason. The good news is that both did just that against the Ravens.
Emmanuel Forbes finished the day with just one tackle. However, he showed a lot of physicality. Forbes is listed at 6’0″, 180 lbs. That size had a lot of people questioning if he would be able to handle the NFL. Forbes looks good making tackles and certainly isn’t afraid to go after the ball carrier.
Jartavius Martin recorded two tackles, one pass deflection, and one interception. The safety returned the interception 59 yards.
Martin showed off some great speed and phenomenal awareness and concentration. The interception came on a ball in the end zone. He was behind the play a little due to what looked like a slight bump from his teammate.
Martin was able to get back into the play, though, and make the slightly underthrown pass difficult to catch. He then caught the ball off the deflection and took off to get Washington into a good field position. That’s the type of playmaking ability you love to see.
The Commanders haven’t had the best luck creating homegrown stars in their secondary in recent seasons. Forbes and Martin could break that curse.
Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
No shortage of receivers for the Washington Commanders
This isn’t the most shocking revelation. However, it’s great to see the depth prove itself time and time again. The Washington Commanders have a fantastic wide receiver corps.
Terry McLaurin is an elite receiver. Jahan Dotson could take another step towards becoming elite himself. What we’re focusing on here is depth, though.
Curtis Samuel still shows the potential to be a top-tier offensive weapon as well. He adds a fun dynamic to the offense and can open up a playbook.
Then there’s Dyami Brown. Brown has some struggles. The route running isn’t always there, and his hands aren’t the most reliable. That being said, Brown is electric. He gives Washington a deep threat that has proven over the last two years that he can make plays.
You can’t help but love Brown as a fourth option. Especially considering there’s still a ton of potential in his young career.
Technically, he’s not a wide receiver. You have to love what you’re seeing from tight end Cole Turner as well, though. Sam Howell seems to be comfortable with Turner. The tight end is rewarding him by proving to be a reliable option that can make some plays.
Washington has had Terry McLaurin as a top receiver in the NFL for a few years. All of a sudden, there’s a ton of talent around him. If Howell can continue to emerge as a legitimate quarterback, the Commanders have something special here.
McLaurin and Dotson could be the best wide receiver duo we’ve seen in Washington in a long time. Having depth behind them seems unfair.
Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
Do the Washington Commanders have a solid set of quarterbacks?
In the last slide, we were talking about the wide receivers in Washington. There seems to be real depth there, and it’s an actual strength of the team. That’s not something we’ve gotten to say often about the Commanders in recent years.
Something else we haven’t gotten to talk about in a positive light is the quarterback position. That could change extremely fast.
Sam Howell was a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Despite that, he was seen as a legitimate prospect. Howell didn’t get his first NFL start until the final week of his rookie season. He was solid. There were some clear positives to build off of and some clear negatives to improve on.
Then Howell got the entire offseason to work on things. Washington had surrounded him with talent. They brought in Eric Beiniemy as the offensive coordinator. Everything was being put into place.
Through two games in the preseason, Howell has looked fantastic. He diced up Baltimore’s defense the entire first half. Then came in Jacoby Brissett.
Brissett is someone who has shown he can start if needed. He’s got good mobility and can make plays with his arm. Not only is he a perfect backup, but you would feel comfortable if he was forced into playing time.
Finally came Jake Fromm. Fromm is the clear three here, but he’s also showing a little something. Yes, it’s against fringe roster players. But Fromm went 10-for-16 for 91 yards and a touchdown. He also conducted the final drive that set up the game-winning field goal.
For the first time in a while, it feels like the Commanders have a complete quarterback trio.
First, there’s the obvious starter that has the potential to be great. Fans might not get into arguments about whether he or the backup should be starting for a few weeks. That would be the first time that happened in years.
Then there’s the clear backup. A veteran who you trust to play well if needed. But also someone who could start on a few teams in the NFL.
Finally, the third-stringer who is just there as depth but who has given you flashes of potential? No one is asking for anything from him, so anything given is just a bonus.
Washington has had insanely miserable luck at the quarterback position in the 2000s. This could be the start of that luck turning around.