Commanders RB Antonio Gibson Due For Another Big Game vs. Lions?

Washington Commanders running back Antonio Gibson logged over 130 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars. What will his encore performance look like against the Detroit Lions?

Jeremy Brener | Sep 16, 2022

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The Washington Commanders (1-0) are waltzing into Week 2 looking for another victory, and if they come out on top Sunday afternoon against the Detroit Lions (0-1), running back Antonio Gibson will likely have another big game.

Even though most of the attention after last week's win surrounded the strong play of wide receivers Jahan Dotson, Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel, it was actually Gibson who led the team in both rushing and receiving yards. Gibson racked up 58 yards on the ground on 14 carries and seven catches for 72 yards.

After that performance, it's hard to believe that Gibson was likely expected to be demoted to a backup spot in favor of Brian Robinson Jr., but after the rookie running back was shot twice in the knee late last month, the third-year pro has another opportunity that he doesn't want to waste.

"I think as he's matured as a player, you know, being in year three, he's able to carry more mentally and physically," offensive coordinator Scott Turner said.

Drafting Robinson was key in allowing Gibson become a bigger part of the receiving game, which only helps the Commanders become more dynamic on offense.

The Commanders want to be unpredictable on offense and give each team a different look every week to become a little more dynamic, and that includes this week's game against the Lions. But having a player like Gibson allows you to be more versatile as an offense and it plays right into the Commanders' strengths.

The Commanders and Lions kickoff Sunday at 1 p.m. in Detroit.

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Published Sep 16, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.