NFL teams often write off the first month of the season as a fact-finding mission, with teams working out their identities. During Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers, in their first game of October, the Washington Commanders cemented their status as a run-first juggernaut.
Through five games, the 3-2 Commanders top the NFL in rushing yards. They’ve been efficient, too, leading the league in yards per carry despite a revolving door in the backfield.
Austin Ekeler, who entered the season as the starting running back, is out for the season with a torn Achilles suffered in the Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Dual-threat quarterback Jayden Daniels missed two games after suffering a knee sprain in the same game.
But the Commanders have seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt.
The Arizona product, commonly called “Bill” in the locker room and on broadcasts, has tallied 283 yards on 43 carries. Sunday’s win was his arrival on a national stage.
After falling behind 10-0 early, the Commanders relied on Croskey-Merritt. He rushed for a career-high 111 yards with two touchdowns and a pair of receptions for 39 yards.
“It’s the change of direction. He’s got very good vision inside, but he can really put his foot in the ground and break tackles,” Commanders coach Dan Quinn said Monday. “He can see things quickly, make a violent cut and then get north-south.”
Croskey-Merritt was nominated as the FedEx Ground Player of the Week and received a shoutout from quarterback-turned-broadcaster Tom Brady following the game.
The rookie smiled gleefully at the camera as teammates rewarded him with shoulder pats as he spoke on the post-game show.
“It definitely gives you a lot of confidence,” the running back said, holding a football signed by Brady. “It feels amazing. I’m so thankful for this organization for believing in me, for trusting in me. I’m so thankful and just excited to be here.”
The 24-year-old flashed early in training camp. His potential was promising enough that the Commanders traded running back Brian Robinson Jr., who led the team’s backs in rushing last year, to the San Francisco 49ers.
“It was just the fact that we felt really confident in the other guys in that room,” Commanders general manager Adam Peters said of the trade in August.
The decision has paid off through five weeks.
Croskey-Merritt leads all qualified running backs — those with more than 31 attempts this season — with 6.6 yards per carry. Even a fourth-quarter fumble didn’t dampen the breakout performance on Sunday.
“I can make plays when my name is called,” Croskey-Merritt said. “Obviously I’ve got a lot of work to do, but I feel like it’s just the beginning. I’ve got a lot more I want to show.”
“That’s the fun part for some of these young players, that you just keep going like this. Even on the mistakes, like a fumble, you say, “Alright, how are you going to grow?’” Quinn said. “We do anticipate him growing and getting even better.”
Having Daniels back under center has also helped take an already-potent running attack into a second gear.
The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year led the team in rushing last season but causes headaches for defenses even when he doesn’t keep the ball.
Just the dynamic threat of a Daniels option prevents defenders from pursuing the Commanders’ running backs too aggressively.
“It makes you defend the 11th player. He can carry out the fakes and stay alive in that spot,” Quinn said. “We also have some throws that come off our runs. We’re just going to stay in this attacking mode and try to put as much pressure on a defense as we can.”
Washington’s runners return home for a Monday night game against the Chicago Bears next week. Croskey-Merritt and company could see an opportunity to build on Sunday’s performance — the Bears have one of the worst run defenses in the NFL.
Chicago has allowed a league-worst 6.6 yards per carry and only the 1-4 Miami Dolphins have allowed more rushing yards per game. Similarly, only the Dolphins have given up more explosive runs of 20 or more yards than the Bears.
The Commanders are hoping to keep Sunday’s momentum rolling forward.
“We want it to look like that all the time,” Quinn said.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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