Commanders DE Montez Sweat: 'We're Going To Be Better' Following Week 1 Win

Winning is always good, but Washington Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat knows his team can play better, and he expects them to.

The Washington Commanders got their first win of the season, but many left the game feeling letdown.

There was a disappointed haze that sat over FedEx Field for much of the Commanders' 20-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals, and it was due in large part to the lack of offensive proficiency many expected against arguably the worst team in the NFL.

In the locker room after the game was won you might think Washington lost its first game of the season if you didn't know the score going into it. 

And that prompted questions from media to defensive end Montez Sweat who said he didn't think the team felt upset or disappointed but was merely aware of the work still left to be done.

"We definitely need to get back on the drawing board and get back in the lab," Sweat said after the game. "Just keep building on this, we're going to be better."

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Building is always easier when you have a foundation placed, and the Commanders are looking to erect their second win on top of the foundation the first one presented. 

For the defense, many viewed them as the heroes on opening weekend. Sweat, however, says it was not a perfect outing at all.

"At the half, we felt like we let a couple of plays get away from us," Sweat said about his unit. "But at the end of the day, we kind of felt like we knew their game plan...we just wanted to keep on our plan and just get some turnovers."

Washington's defense did exactly that, forcing two of Arizona's three fumbles, and recovering both of them.

It was Sweat who forced each, and he also came up with 1.5 sacks in his first game of the season, in a contract year.

Sweat also came up with five tackles, two for losses, and hit opposing quarterback Josh Dobbs one more time for good measure.

The fifth-year defensive end put his name all over Washington's first win of the season, and if they get some more equations figured out in the lab before heading to Denver this weekend, they'll add a second.