Rewinding on WFT-Cards - 1st Quarter

Here's what I'm thinking on Monday evening with a little bit of time to digest the Washington Football Team loss to the Arizona Cardinals

A bunch of random thoughts of the Washington Football Team 30-15 loss in Arizona, as I watch as much of the game back (slowly) as possible. 

"We played two teams today. Them and ourselves," Ron Rivera said. He's so right. 

**The game started off with an ominous tone for me and I tried hammering this home on twitter. A special teams penalty (Cam Sims) on the opening kick return along with a hold by rookie Khaleke Hudson felt like a bad tone setter. 

Maybe it was? Maybe it wasn't? Special teams are always more important to me than most in the media. Many just couldn't give a you-know-what. 

It's one of the first things I look at. 

Two penalties on specials on the first series is not a good start in any way. Obviously.

Can't afford free yards vs. this offense.

Then Kyler sucks in Sweat on the keeper.
@WSHFootballSI

— Chris Russell AKA the 🐓🐓! (@Russellmania621) September 20, 2020

Sims penalty on the opening play of the game cost Washington 12 yards of field position. Hudson's hold on the first punt by Tress Way gave Arizona possession of the ball on Washington's 48-yard line after the ten-yard mark-off. 

**Landon Collins had a to tough first series as well. Not only was he the apparent culprit on the miscommunication between him and Fabian Moreau on the opening touchdown for Arizona, but he also had a holding penalty that gave Arizona a first down. 

It came on a first down incomplete so it didn't necessarily cost Washington anything more than five yards but it still counts. Part of a sloppy start in so many ways for Rivera's guys. 

To be fair, Collins did have a surprising interception on Kyler Murray that set up the Washington offense perfectly. I say surprising simply because pass coverage is not his strength. It looks like the WFT defense was in a two-deep safety shell look. 

**On Antonio Gibson's 2nd run of the game, he slips off a tackle with relative easy on a nice shift cut and gains six yards. 

Gibson had another sweet eight-yard run on the next series in which he made a nice jump-cut to get around the would be tackler. 

While we're talking about the rookie running back and this was later on in the game,  here's his first NFL touchdown. I love the way he bounces off of tacklers. Three times in these three plays that I described. 

Nice run by Gibson for the TD. Pull LG Wes Martin to kick out the unblocked edge defender, right side seal off defensive inside. Gibson shows good vision to find the lane and cut back, then strength to work through contact and into the end zone. pic.twitter.com/WX48QEVLtv

— Mark Bullock (@MarkBullockNFL) September 20, 2020

I'm trying to be more positive than ever Washington Football fans. I'm 47 and I feel some sort of legitimate hope for the first time in forever. 2012? December of 2015? 

I'm trying. It's not easy. 

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Chris Russell is the Publisher of this site, a part of SI.com. He can be heard on 106.7 The FAN in the Washington D.C. area and world-wide on Radio.com. Chris also hosts the "Locked on Washington Football Team" Podcast and can be read via subscription to Warpath Magazine. You can e-mail Chris at russellmania09@Gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @Russellmania621