LANDOVER, Md. — The Washington Commanders noticed what they wished to turn out to be on offense, particularly within the run sport. Brian Robinson powered the bottom sport between the tackles, whereas Antonio Gibson did so to the sides. They scored their most factors since Week 2.

The Commanders additionally noticed who they might be on protection — limiting huge performs, controlling the bottom sport and getting off the sphere on third downs. They allowed a season-low yardage whole.

That components — driving the run sport and protection — allowed Washington (3-4) to beat the Inexperienced Bay Packers, 23-21, on Sunday. But it surely’s additionally one they should use in the event that they’re going to construct on a two-game profitable streak, beginning Sunday in opposition to the Indianapolis Colts (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)).

It additionally occurs to be the identical components Washington used throughout its finest stretch in 2021, a four-game profitable streak that helped it climb out of an enormous gap.

“I feel the signal of a staff that has an opportunity to show round, is a number of the components we put collectively [Sunday],” Washington receiver Terry McLaurin mentioned.

He was talking concerning the offense, however it applies to each side of the ball — to not point out particular groups, which has recovered two muffed punts that led to factors the previous two video games.

The Commanders held the Packers to 232 whole yards, limiting them to 38 dashing yards on 12 carries. Inexperienced Bay was 0-for-6 on third downs. In the meantime, Washington rushed for 166 yards and held the ball for over 37 minutes.

It’s not at all times the prettiest approach to win, besides when it’s a staff that hasn’t received loads recently. Outcomes, not magnificence, decide the postgame temper.

Throughout a four-game win streak final season, serving to Washington attain 6-6 earlier than COVID-19 points and accidents wrecked them, it was the run sport and protection that received video games.

“The most important factor, greater than anything, is simply you go win, you’ll be able to win fairly, you’ll be able to win ugly. I imply if you will win ugly, who cares?” Washington coach Ron Rivera mentioned.

Whereas backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke began for the injured Carson Wentz on Sunday, it was the run sport that paved the best way. And it labored the best way the Commanders hoped it will in coaching camp: Robinson (20 carries, 73 yards) was the muscle and Gibson (10 carries, 59 yards) was the burst.

In a Week 6 win over Chicago, these two mixed for 76 second-half dashing yards — Gibson averaged 7.0 yards per carry, Robinson 4.1.

“That’s type of what we envisioned,” Rivera mentioned. “You’ve gotten a man [Robinson] that’s just about a hammer that could be a very bodily runner inside. Then you definitely see Antonio use his athleticism, his imaginative and prescient, his velocity and quickness to take that ball and bounce it outdoors and switch the nook. He did {that a} couple instances and it was very spectacular.”

Rivera mentioned having two distinct backs helps each gamers. It begins with Robinson working the ball inside, softening the center. Then they flip to the faster Gibson, who weighs 220 kilos.

“He bounces it a pair instances, now it stretches the protection,” Rivera mentioned. “You come again, you hand the ball again off to Brian going inside and abruptly there is a crease or two that wasn’t there earlier.”

They want extra such success Sunday. The Colts’ protection ranks fourth in yards per carry, however twenty fourth in dashing yards allowed per sport.

In the meantime, Washington’s protection has performed effectively, too. For the season, they rank twelfth in yards and nineteenth in factors. However over the previous 5 video games, Washington ranks eleventh in factors and seventh in yards. In the course of the win streak, the Commanders have confronted two struggling offenses in Chicago (twenty ninth in factors, thirtieth in yards) and the Packers (twenty sixth in factors, twentieth in yards).

Nevertheless, in addition they like what they’ve seen on movie, too. Their defensive position has performed extra constant, working extra profitable stunts than final yr, and getting extra vertical. Washington ranks ninth with 19 sacks and certain will get defensive finish Chase Younger again from his ACL damage quickly, probably for Week 9 versus the Minnesota Vikings.

“The boys are consuming; all these boys are consuming,” security Bobby McCain mentioned of the road. “We inform them you retain dashing like that, you’re going to make it simple on us.”

The Commanders additionally carried out a brand new protection scheme this yr, utilizing extra of a zone match protection that applies man rules in zone protection.

“I do know it’s the identical workers working [the defense] however we’re working completely different stuff,” Washington linebacker Cole Holcomb mentioned. “We needed to undergo that course of over again.”

“We have been attempting to determine all of it out,” he mentioned. “I feel we’re beginning to determine it out.”

Sunday, Colts quarterback Sam Ehlinger will make his first NFL begin after Indy benched Matt Ryan for the season. The run sport, with Jonathan Taylor, has struggled this season — they’re twenty ninth in yards per carry and thirtieth in whole dashing yards.

However, opponent apart, the secondary has been extra communicative and the linebackers in current weeks have been extra constant. They’ve blended it up with their appears to be like, too, alternating between three safeties or three corners when utilizing a nickel package deal.

They’ve been fooled much less when movement has compelled last-second shifts or project modifications, as occurred to nook William Jackson III a number of instances earlier this season.

They allowed a mixed 17 performs of 20 yards or extra within the first three video games. They’ve allowed 13 up to now 4. These days huge performs have resulted much less from a confused defensive participant and extra from an excellent offensive play.

It helps, too, that they’re second in third-down protection after rating thirty first final season.

“At first of the season, we have been like ‘OK, how’s this scheme work? The place do I match within the scheme?” nook Benjamin St-Juste mentioned. “Now, we’re comfy; folks know one another, the way to play off one another. You may see it on the sphere how comfy and the way shut we’re.”

If the Commanders wish to make the following 10 video games attention-grabbing, they discovered the components. The query stays: How lengthy can they make it work?