Jacory Croskey-Merritt delivered exactly the kind of game that usually earns a bigger role. Washington still didn’t treat it that way.
Against the New York Giants in Week 5, the Commanders rookie turned in his most productive outing of the season, ripping off 82 rushing yards and a touchdown on 11 carries for 7.5 yards per attempt. He looked dangerous on the edges, especially when running off-tackle, and he protected the ball - something that has not always gone smoothly for him this year. For a player who had been working to steady his spot, it was a strong answer.
It just wasn’t enough to change how Washington handled the backfield when the game tightened up.
When the Commanders needed someone they trusted more, they leaned on Rachaad White. The free-agent addition handled the high-leverage snaps and played 15 more snaps than Croskey-Merritt, who was on the field for just 35 percent of the offense’s plays. White also had seven touches for 18 rushing yards, though his pass protection was shaky and this was his first game back from a shoulder injury.
That decision said plenty about where Croskey-Merritt stands right now. Even after his best performance, he still hasn’t fully won over the coaching staff.
The Commanders also passed over the chance to fully feature the hot hand, and that was especially notable given how well Croskey-Merritt was running. Washington’s offense was not dealing with a back who was grinding for tough yards and struggling to create.
He was producing. Still, the team kept looking elsewhere.
Austin Ekeler’s light usage was part of the same strange picture. After his encouraging return in Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts, he barely factored in here, adding another layer to the backfield confusion.
The bigger message is that Washington appears to be prioritizing reliability over upside, at least for now. With the team off to a 1-3-1 start and still dealing with the fallout from completely botching its final play sequence against the Giants, head coach Dan Quinn is clearly leaning toward players he knows he can trust. That has always been his tendency, and it showed again here.
For Croskey-Merritt, the path is straightforward even if the situation is not. Keep stacking good games.
Keep taking care of the football. Keep forcing the issue until the staff sees him differently.
Right now, he’s still viewed as a useful piece rather than the lead option Washington might otherwise want to develop.
In Other News...
49ers Face A New Monday Night Problem Against Washington
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The attention only sharpens because of what the 49ers bring to the table, even with one of their most important playmakers unavailable. Washingtons defense will still have to deal with a veteran group that can stress a game in different ways, while Daniels comes in off a performance that showed how much he can add with his legs even as the passing game continues to search for a cleaner rhythm. The matchup leaves both sides with obvious questions, but for Washington, the bigger one is whether it can turn that pressure into a statement win on a national stage. [Read more 🡒]
Micah Parsons Just Put A Young QB Under The NFL Spotlight
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Now Washington is moving on to a Week 6 matchup with the 49ers, but the conversation around Daniels has hardly faded. For a young quarterback, these are the kinds of lessons the league tends to deliver loudly, and the Commanders will be watching closely to see whether the lapse becomes a one-off mistake or the kind of detail that follows a quarterback into bigger moments. [Read more 🡒]
Micah Parsons Just Turned Jayden Daniels Into A Bigger Commanders Debate
Micah Parsons has a way of turning one play into a bigger conversation, and his take on the end of overtime in the Giants-Commanders game pushed Washington right back into a familiar debate. On his podcast, Parsons focused on Jayden Daniels and the critical mistake late in the game, framing it as the kind of moment that can ripple beyond the quarterback position and into the future of the coaching staff.
For the Commanders, the frustration is less about one messy sequence than what it suggests about how the operation is being managed in high-pressure spots. Parsons' critique put Daniels' preparation and urgency under a sharper spotlight, and it also raised the stakes around Dan Quinn at a time when every late-game miscue feels like it carries extra weight. [Read more 🡒]