Stefon Diggs found the end zone, Treylon Burks delivered the biggest chunk play, and yet the Washington Commanders’ most heavily used receiver in Sunday night’s 27-10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles was Antonio Williams.
That’s the part worth watching as Washington moves forward without Terry McLaurin, who is out for the season. Williams led the team with seven targets and five catches for 54 yards, and his usage was a clear sign of how much the Commanders are leaning on the rookie right now.
He played 50 snaps, which was 83% of the offense, ahead of Burks at 40 snaps (67%) and Diggs at 39 snaps (65%). For now, Williams looks like the receiver Washington trusts most in this rotation.
The rookie’s impact showed up in the middle of drives, not just on highlight plays. On Washington’s 89-yard touchdown march, Williams caught three passes for 20 yards.
He kept one possession alive with a five-yard grab on third-and-4, then moved the chains again with a 10-yard catch on second-and-10. Later, in the fourth quarter, he came through with a 30-yard reception that stood as the biggest gain on the drive that stretched Washington’s lead to 19-10.
Antonio Williams was sensational Sunday night. Unguardable pic.twitter.com/uh06r9UegT
Washington also got a productive return from Charles Omenihu, who was back in the mix with Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw inactive. He finished with a sack, three quarterback hits, and a fumble recovery, and he was credited with a quarterback hit on the fourth-down pass Rasul Douglas intercepted late in the fourth quarter. Douglas brought that pick back to Philadelphia’s 37, and Washington scored on the next possession.
Omenihu’s workload was significant, too. He played 46 defensive snaps, or 67%, compared with 49 for K’Lavon Chaisson, 45 for Odafe Oweh and 40 for Dorance Armstrong. With the front potentially getting healthier, the question is whether Washington keeps him in that kind of role.
The backfield had a different look as well. Austin Ekeler carried the ball eight times for 36 yards and scored on the two-point conversion.
He played 20 snaps, or 33%, behind Rachaad White, who led the group with 28 snaps (47%), and Jeremy McNichols, who had 12 snaps (20%). That was a noticeable bump for Ekeler after he played just seven snaps against San Francisco.
Ekeler also helped set up one of Washington’s key scoring chances with an 18-yard run that moved the Commanders to Philadelphia’s 8-yard line in the second quarter. Diggs caught the tying touchdown on the next play.
That split could shift again against the Rams. On Monday, Quinn said Jeremy McNichols has a midfoot injury and added, “I'm concerned it's serious.”
More scans are scheduled for Tuesday. With Jacory Croskey-Merritt still on injured reserve, Washington may need Ekeler to absorb more of the load if McNichols can’t go.
Another notable wrinkle from the snap counts came on defense, where Mike Sainristil never played a snap. He did log 16 special teams snaps, but none on defense in the win over Philadelphia. That leaves a real question about where he fits in the rotation after a game in which Washington didn’t use him there at all.
At cornerback, Amik Robertson played 68 snaps (99%), Trey Amos played 60 (87%), and Rasul Douglas played 32 (46%). Quinn said Monday that Amos no longer needs the workload restriction he had against San Francisco. He also praised Nick Cross at nickel, where Washington used him close to the line of scrimmage and as a blitzer.
One of the next things to watch is whether Sainristil gets back into the defensive mix, whether Williams keeps leading the receivers in opportunities, and whether Omenihu stays this involved up front.
In Other News...
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Dan Quinn later praised Daniels for what he brought to the moment beyond his play, pointing to the rookie's leadership in dealing with the team's sluggish start. For Washington, it was another reminder that Daniels is not just trying to run the offense, but to set a tone when things go sideways, which is exactly the sort of presence a team can build around. [Read more 🡒]
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Before the injury, there were reports that general manager Adam Peters had been in discussions about a possible deal involving Payne and the New York Giants, a sign that Washington was at least willing to explore its options. The Commanders have not moved him yet, and they have not released him either, which leaves Payne in a strange spot as the offseason picture starts to come into focus. [Read more 🡒]