Commanders Hope to 'Feed Off' Undefeated Preseason
The debate for how much does preseason success affect's a team's performance in the regular season is one that'll never end.
For the Washington Commanders, just posing that question after for them after the uncertainty heading into the regular season is a promising sign. They finished preseason play undefeated after a 21-19 win over the Cincinnati Bengals at Fed Ex Field on Saturday.
"It creates a good atmosphere," Commanders coach Ron Rivera said. "It creates a positive vibe and we're going to grow from it. Does it mean we're going to win in the regular season? [I] don't know but I hope it does. I hope this is something we can draw from, something that can help us as we go forward...There's some energy, there's some excitement and hopefully we can feed off that."
Washington last went unbeaten in the preseason in 2013. They ended up going 3-13 in Mike Shanahan's final season as the head coach. A performance similar to that this season would be surprising and likely lead to seismic changes throughout the organization.
The biggest question that needed to be answered was at quarterback. Sam Howell passed every test with flying colors, including going 19 of 25 for 188 yards and two touchdowns on Monday in Washington's 29-28 win at home over the Baltimore Ravens. His performance also gave hope that the offense will function much better under Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
"I'm excited just because of all the positive things that are going on," Rivera said. "I know the expectations are going up a little bit because of how we've performed. I think it's about managing our situation and circumstances. We have an opportunity to go out and play and we're excited about it."
With preseason in the rearview mirror and Week 1 on Sunday, Sept. 10 at at the forefront, the Commanders will have a chance to carry their momentum into the regular season when they host the Arizona Cardinals at 1 p.m.
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