What We Saw: Week 4

The What We Saw team dissects every game from Week 4

Ben Brown
What We Saw 8 Months Ago
Series Navigation
Introduction
Lions @ Packers
Falcons @ Jaguars
Dolphins @ Bills
Vikings @ Panthers
Broncos @ Bears
Ravens @ Browns
Steelers @ Texans
Rams @ Colts
Buccaneers @ Saints
Commanders @ Eagles
Bengals @ Titans
Raiders @ Chargers
Patriots @ Cowboys
Cardinals @ 49ers
Chiefs @ Jets

Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles

Final Score: Eagles 34, Commanders 31 (OT)

Writer: Ryan Radel (@RadelFF on Twitter)

 

What a game! This game was fun to watch as both teams put up a bunch of points and made some big plays in a game that I had much different expectations for. The final two minutes of regulation were as entertaining as a regular-season game can get!  The Eagles took a seven-point lead with under two minutes left, and the Commanders answered with a 64-yard drive in 96 seconds to send the game to overtime. The Commanders won the toss and got the ball to open overtime, but had to punt on a three and out after a failed challenge on what was ultimately ruled a sideline incompletion. The Eagles proceeded to drive downfield and seal the victory on a 54-yard field goal to put an end to this boxing match, extending their unbeaten streak this season.

 

Three Up

  • AJ Brown – He looked simply uncoverable at times.
  • Terry McLaurin – Terry was able to deliver against a tough opponent on the road.
  • Brian Robinson Jr. – He’s the guy in the Commanders’ backfield.

Three Down

  • Antonio Gibson – Brian Robinson takes all of the valuable touches.
  • Dallas Goedert – In an offense this high powered even an average level of involvement would stand out in the tight end wasteland.
  • Rashaad Penny – O Rashaad, Rashaad, wherefore art thou Rashaad?

 

Commanders

 

Quarterback

 

Sam Howell: 29/41, 290 yards, TD, 5 sacks | 6 carries, 40 yards

 

Sam Howell took some bad sacks, three of which came from Nicholas Morrow, but otherwise looked pretty good against a very intimidating defense. Even under pressure, Howell managed to take care of the ball and left the game without any turnovers. He was able to extend plays, and even drives, a few times with his legs as he continues to impress me with his mobility. When it came down to clutch time, Howell didn’t collapse under pressure and kept his team in it, tossing a score as the clock hit 0:00 sending the game to overtime.

 

 

Running Back

 

Brian Robinson Jr.: 14 carries, 45 yards, TD, fumble (recovered) | 2 targets, 2 receptions, 6 yards

 

The efficiency wasn’t there but Brian Robinson Jr.‘s game could’ve been even bigger if it wasn’t for coughing up the ball on the goal line. It was recovered by a teammate and resulted in a score, but that doesn’t help Robinson Jr. in the fantasy world. He’s taken over this backfield for the time being and still managed a productive fantasy day against one of the toughest defensive fronts in football. Robinson Jr. was generally kept in check, but when he was able to get some room, he made the defense pay.

 

Missed Opportunities

  • Goal line fumble – see below. The score technically went to Terry McLaurin (I think).

Antonio Gibson: 6 carries, 19 yards, fumble (recovered) | 1 target, 1 reception, 7 yards

 

While he managed to recover it, Antonio Gibson fumbled as he showed that his ball security issues still persist. Gibson already gets about half the touches as his backfield running mate, and with games like today, that trend may likely continue. There was minimal space to be had in the run game in general but Gibson was uninspiring. Additionally, the majority of the high-value touches out of the backfield go to Brian Robinson Jr.

 

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

Terry McLaurin: 10 targets, 8 receptions, 86 yards

 

I believe the aforementioned fumble recovery was ruled as a score for Terry McLaurin in most fantasy apps which made his fantasy day even better. Sam Howell looked McLaurin’s way all game, amounting to ten targets. It’s clear he is the number one option in this offense. McLaurin reeled in eight of those ten targets for 86 yards. One of his missed targets came when it mattered the most – a pass down the left sideline to extend the Commanders opening overtime drive. The pass was ruled incomplete, challenged, and had the ruling upheld, leading to a turnover on downs.

Notes

  • I wasn’t sure how to score this but Terry recovered the Brian Robinson Jr. fumble in the end zone resulting in a touchdown.

Missed Opportunities

  • Overtime sideline catch was ruled incomplete which would’ve extended the drive.

 

Jahan Dotson: 9 targets, 4 receptions, 27 yards, TD

 

A majority of the incompletions for Jahan Dotson came from what I will call good decisions by Sam Howell. Howell had to get rid of it so he threw a ball that probably wasn’t going to be catchable, but if anyone was going to be able to catch it, it was Dotson. Combine that with good coverage from the Eagles resulted in Dotson bringing in less than half of his targets for a meager 27 yards. Dotson’s fantasy day was salvaged by a highlight touchdown catch as time expired to send the game to overtime:

 

 

Curtis Samuel: 8 targets, 7 receptions, 51 yards | 1 carry, 1 yard, TD

 

Curtis Samuel‘s production in the passing game was, in a word, reliable. His longest gain was 15 yards as he ran a lot of short crossing routes and looked for the edge. He brought in seven of his eight targets for 51 yards and helped keep the offense in rhythm, plus was given this valuable red zone touch on a jet sweep early in the game to open the scoring:

 

 

Logan Thomas: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 41 yards | 1 carry, 2 yards

 

Outside of one long reception of 27 yards, Logan Thomas had a fairly average game. He looked like the fourth or fifth option in the offense at best this week. His highlight was what is apparently being called “The Logan Shove”. Logan Thomas played quarterback in college and lined up for a QB sneak on third and inches, which he converted.

Notes

  • I don’t love the nickname

 

 

Dyami Brown: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 51 yards

 

Byron Pringle: 2 targets, 1 reception, 15 yards

 

John Bates: 1 target, 1 reception, 6 yards

 

 

Eagles

 

Quarterback

 

Jalen Hurts: 25/37, 319 yards, 2 TD, 3 sacks | 9 carries, 34 yards

 

Whenever it seemed like the Eagles offense needed a big play, Jalen Hurts delivered. Two receivers each had a long of over 35 yards and had massive impacts on the game, one of which was a 59-yard bomb to give the Eagles the lead in the 3rd quarter. Hurts continued to show excellent decision-making as he extended plays with his legs and took care of the ball. Hurts did take three sacks but none of them were egregious. In the end, he won the shootout and continued to look like the MVP candidate he is.

 

 

 

Running Back

 

D’Andre Swift: 14 carries, 56 yards, TD  | 4 targets, 4 receptions, 23 yards

 

Any concerns about who owns this backfield should be put to rest now, if not soon. The game was pass-heavy on both sides but D’Andre Swift still managed 18 touches, 14 of which came on the ground for 56 yards. Swift continued to display his skill set in both the passing game and the rushing game as he brought in all four of his targets for 23 yards while finding the end zone from five yards out in the first quarter. The offense looked like it kept Swift’s health in mind which is going to do wonders for his fantasy production in 2023.

 

 

Kenneth Gainwell: 4 carries, 14 yards, fumble (recovered) | 2 targets, 2 receptions, 7 yards

 

Kenneth Gainwell acted as the spell-back for D’Andre Swift in this matchup. Outside of a 13-yard gain on the ground, the rest of Gainwell’s touches were underwhelming.

 

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

A.J. Brown: 13 targets, 9 receptions, 175 yards, 2 TDs

 

There was some drama in this offense to start the season but Jalen Hurts put that nonsense to rest today as he funneled 13 targets to A.J. Brown. Brown brought in nine of those 13 targets for a whopping 175 yards and two scores. Each of those scores were big plays – one coming from 28 yards out and the other coming from 59 yards out. The Commanders had no answer for Brown and he made them pay all game as he continued to beat coverage and get open for Hurts.

Notes

  • He’s always open.

 

 

DeVonta Smith: 9 targets, 7 receptions, 78 yards

 

Second fiddle to A.J. Brown today, DeVonta Smith still got his with seven catches for 78 yards on nine targets. A lot of the chunk plays went to Brown but the offense still had plays drawn up specifically for Smith. Today the big plays happened to go to his counterpart. Nearly half of Smith’s yards came on this beautiful snag with the clock winding down before half, which resulted in a field goal:

 

 

Dallas Goedert: 4 targets, 2 receptions, 25 yards

 

As mentioned previously, even an average level of involvement in an offense that put up 319 passing yards on 37 attempts would likely result in an above-average week among tight ends this season. He continued to be a short-yardage option for Hurts, and with the offense scoring on huge plays, there was not a lot of necessity for Goedert to keep the sticks moving.

 

 

Olamide Zaccheaus: 2 targets, 1 reception, 11 yards

 

 

 

 

 

Series Navigation
Introduction
Lions @ Packers
Falcons @ Jaguars
Dolphins @ Bills
Vikings @ Panthers
Broncos @ Bears
Ravens @ Browns
Steelers @ Texans
Rams @ Colts
Buccaneers @ Saints
Commanders @ Eagles
Bengals @ Titans
Raiders @ Chargers
Patriots @ Cowboys
Cardinals @ 49ers
Chiefs @ Jets

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