Commanders Beat Cardinals: 3 Takeaways From Ugly Week 1 Win

The Washington Commanders came back in the second half to win 20-16 over the Arizona Cardinals.

It was as ugly as ugly can get, but the Washington Commanders came out on top 20-16 against the Arizona Cardinals for their first win of the season. 

The Commanders defense did their part, not allowing a touchdown, but the same can't be said for the offense. Despite their troubles, Washington managed to score 10 unanswered points in the second half to start the season 1-0

Here are three takeaways from Washington's Week 1 victory ...

O-Line woes

If the Commanders offense is going to improve and Sam Howell is going to be the man under center, the offensive line needs to be much better than the unit that allowed 48 sacks last season. Sunday was a big step in the wrong direction. 

Howell was under constant duress and was sacked six times and under pressure nearly every time he dropped back. The quickest way to ruin a young quarterback's career is with a bad offensive line. If the offensive line's performance against the Cardinals was any indication, Howell could be in for a long year.

Howell looks like a rookie

Struggles are bound to happen and they were more than present for Howell in the second start of his NFL career. 

Howell finished his day 19 of 31 for 202 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Howell could have easily ended up with more turnovers after multiple errant passes hit off the hands of Cardinals defensive backs. 

The most concerning thing is this game was supposed to be a layup for Howell. With tougher games on the horizon, things could get uglier before they get better. 

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Montez Sweat proving his worth

The Commanders defense continues to be the anchor of the team and Montez Sweat was the engine that made them go. 

The fifth-year defense end had 1.5 sacks, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble that he recovered. With free agency coming up at the end of the season, Sweat could be in line for a mega-deal if he continues to play at a high level.