The Washington Football Team trails Baltimore, 21-10, at the break. Here are three takeaways from the first two quarters:
1. Antonio Gibson has provided a spark to Washington's offense.
Antonio Gibson has been praised for his versatility since he was drafted, and that attribute was on full display in the first half, as he fueled Washington's offense with 106 total yards on 12 touches. He was the team's leading rusher and receiver.
Offensive coordinator Scott Turner lined Gibson up all over the field. He had nine carries for 31 yards, but he also lined up in the slot and as an outside receiver. He opened the game with a 10-yard run after a quick change of direction allowed him to outrun multiple Ravens defenders. In the second quarter, he caught a screen pass and weaved through Baltimore's defense for a 40-yard gain.
Four plays later, Gibson barreled into the end zone for his third touchdown in as many games to cut Baltimore's lead to 14-7. As Washington continues to attempt a comeback, expect Gibson to get more touches.
2. Washington has only made a few mistakes, but the Ravens have capitalized on them.
Washington has only been outgained by 18 yards, and it has 14 first downs compared to eight for Baltimore. Still, Washington trails by 11 points because when it has made mistakes, Baltimore has capitalized.
The first miscue was a fumble from running back J.D. McKissic, which allowed Baltimore to start its drive at Washington's 34-yard line. It only took two plays for the Ravens to open the scoring, as Lamar Jackson connected with Marquise Brown and then Mark Ingram found the end zone from one yard out.
Following a missed 54-yard field goal from Dustin Hopkins, Jackson doubled the Ravens' advantage with an electrifying 50-yard touchdown run. Jackson faked the hand-off and was off, shedding Landon Collins' tackle and outrunning the rest of the defense to make the score 14-0.
3. Dwayne Haskins shows signs of improvement.
Head coach Ron Rivera made it clear that he needed to see more growth from Dwayne Haskins Jr. against the Ravens. It would seem that Haskins has heeded that request, as he has completed 16-of-22 passes for 149 yards. He has also not committed a turnover.
One of Haskins' biggest criticisms from Rivera was that he was staring down receivers against the Cleveland Browns. Against the Ravens, Haskins has spread the ball around much more efficiently with seven Washington players being targeted. He also completed throws to checkdown receivers when big plays were not open downfield.
Haskins has also taken care of the football after committing four turnovers against the Browns. He has only been sacked twice and has thrown to open receivers. Consistency was also an issue for Haskins in Cleveland, so he will need to continue making positive plays for the rest of the game.
