Don't Call It A Comeback: Commanders' Curtis Samuel Makes Immediate Impact in Week 1 Win
As Curtis Samuel juked out Jacksonville Jaguar defenders in the first quarter, one thing was obvious to him.
He’s back.
“It’s been so long since I have been able to make dudes drop like that,” Samuel. “It’s been a while, but I wouldn’t say I impressed myself, but I did what I knew I could do and I was just like I said I was on call when they made plays and when I touched the ball.”
Samuel caught eight passes for 55 yards and one touchdown in the Washington Commanders’ 28-22 win over Jacksonville.
With those stats, Samuel already surpassed his stats from last season. In 2021, injuries limited him to just five games. In those five games, he only caught six passes for 27 yards and had four carries for 11 yards.
After catching no touchdowns last season, it took only one drive for Samuel to reach paydirt on a three-yard reception to give the Commanders a 7-3 lead with 7:36 left in the first quarter.
“It was just one of those things where I was excited to be back out there,” Samuel said. “To get the first touchdown of the season and get my first touchdown in a long time, I think that was a great way to start the season off.”
Samuel’s impact grabbed the attention of his teammates and head coach Ron Rivera. Rivera, who coached Samuel when he was with the Carolina Panthers, lauded the receiving corps chemistry. He also noted how Samuel lived up to what the team expected from him.
“I thought [WR] Curtis [Samuel], that’s what we’ve been hoping for,” Rivera said. “That’s the guy that we know and what he is capable of and he came out and played to his ability and played to his skill set.”
Carson Wentz completed 27 of his 41 passes for 313 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. His last touchdown of the game was a 24-yard game-winner to Jahan Dotson.
With Terry McLaurin, Dotson and Samuel each on the receiving end of a touchdown, that showcased how dangerous they can be.
“You know, we saw [WR] Curtis [Samuel] start picking the game, running every play, you know, making guys miss underneath doing some different things,” Wentz said. “And so we're very versatile and I think that's what makes us have the ability to do some really good things.”
Dotson echoed Wentz’s sentiment, mentioning that he knew what the receivers were capable of early in training camp. The season-opener was proof of that with the trio catching four touchdowns.
“I told you guys earlier during camp we had a lot of talent in that room, especially between us three [WR’s Terry McLaurin and WR Curtis Samuel],” Dotson said. “You guys’ kind of saw a glimpse of that today, there’s just so much we can do.”
Washington had high hopes for Samuel when they signed him to a three-year contract worth $34.5 million in the 2021 offseason. After appearing in just five games in 2021, Commanders fans never got to see Samuel at his best. Now, with a strong start to the season, Samuel’s health may allow him to show what he’s capable of.
“My main thing going into the season was my health,” Samuel said. “I feel like I changed and everything I got is going for me. My diet and everything, I just have to keep it on.”
Samuel and the Commanders will look to improve to 2-0 Sunday as they travel to the Motor City to face the Detroit Lions. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Commanders? Click Here.
Follow Commander Country on Twitter.
