It was the first time that most of the Commanders' starters were on the field, and as a result, things were better executed compared to the 48-18 loss to the Patriots. The first offensive play went to Deebo Samuel, who turned upfield on a jet sweep for a 19-yard gain. That set the tone for Washington's ground game, as they rushed for 106 yards on their first six carries and 185 yards overall.
Most of the Commanders' success on the ground came from the duo of Chris Rodriguez Jr., who was named the starter before kickoff and had 62 yards on six carries, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who scored his first-career touchdown on a 27-yard run down the right sideline. Croskey-Merritt, who had earned praise from the coaching staff prior to the game, looked as advertised with vision, burst and speed. He played well into the second half before finishing his night with 46 yards on 11 carries.
"I thought early what I liked was decisiveness," Quinn said. "You certainly saw some of the big plays. We're still learning \[about\] Bill in some ways. Not every run for every back is quite the same."
The defense, which had previously allowed the Patriots to score 41 points, also looked more efficient with the starters on the field. Running lanes were narrower for the Bengals' staple of running backs, who finished the game with 89 yards on 27 carries, and the front put consistent pressure on Joe Burrow, bringing him down for a 17-yard loss.
Still, mistakes, as well as the sloppiness head coach Dan Quinn described after the team's loss to the Patriots, popped up throughout the evening.
The Bengals got on the board first with a one-yard run by Chase Brown, but the Commanders helped them get there by committing a neutral zone infraction on fourth-and-short and a defensive pass interference call. The Commanders went from nearly getting Burrow off the field to being down 7-0 thanks to 30 penalty yards.