Some interesting Commanders stats after 3 games

This is just a collection of statistics that caught my eye for one reason or another as I perused the NFL stats sheets after three weeks.

KICKING

• As far as I can tell, Joey Slye is the only NFL kicker who has not attempted a field goal through three weeks. He actually lined up for a field goal against the Eagles (and kicked it through the uprights), however, an unnecessary roughness penalty against Philly erased the play and Washington took the 3 points off the board in return for the first down. That drive was stopped on the shovel pass to Logan Thomas at the 1-yard line on 4th & goal that was followed by a defensive safety on the next play from scrimmage.

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RECEIVING

• Terry McLaurin, after posting a 102-yard game against Philadelphia, has moved up in the receiver rankings. He is now ranked 15th overall (14th among wide receivers) in total yards, at 235. If you extrapolate that over 17 games, the result is 1,332 yards. Terry’s yardage production has increased each game. He put up 58 vs the Jags, 75 against the Lions, and 102 vs the Eagles.

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

• Still on Terry, the Captain is 3rd in the NFL in yards per receptions at 19.6. There were expectations that Terry would increase his yards per reception with Wentz as his QB, and they are being realized. After averaging 15.8 yards per reception as a rookie, Terry’s average dropped to 13.7 in 2021.
• McLaurin has receptions of 35 yards (Lions), 45 yards (Eagles), and 49 yards (Jags), which are the 41st, 29th, and 22nd longest receptions in the league in 2022.
• After pretty much getting blanked against Philly (2 catches for 10 yards) Jahan Dotson is still tied for the 2nd in TD catches with 3. Only Stefon Diggs has 4, leading all other NFL pass catchers.
• Curtis Samuel continues to shine in YAC. His yards after catch number of 103 yards is 16th best in the NFL.
• Curtis and Terry are both moving the chains; they are ranked 25th & 29th in first down catches with 10 and 9 first down catches, respectively. Cooper Kupp and Ja’Marr Chase lead the league with 17 each.

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RUSHING

• Antonio Gibson is tied for 14th in the league in rushing attempts with 40, but is only 30th in the league in yards due to his average of just 3.1 yards per carry. His 10-yard loss in Sunday’s loss to the Eagles put a dent in his numbers.

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• Speaking of yards per carry, no one on the Commanders cracks the top-40 in this metric; hopefully Brian Robinson will be able to change that when he returns to health and enters the lineup.
• Curtis Samuel has the longest rushing gain on the team, at 21 yards. We simply haven’t gotten much explosion in the rushing attack through three weeks.
• We have gotten touchdowns. Gibson is tied for #6 in the league with 2 rushing TDs through 3 weeks. Jamaal Williams and Nick Chubb are tied for 1st place with 4. Jalen Hurts is the only non-RB ahead of Gibson, he has 3 rushing TDs.
• Gibson has done a decent job moving the chains; he is ranked 19th in first downs, at 9.

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PASSING

• Carson Wentz continues to be highly ranked in statistical measures, even after a fairly underwhelming game against the Eagles. His rankings:

-4th in attempts (130)

-5th in completions (82)

-5th in passing TDs (7) [Lamar Jackson is #1 with 10]

-6th in yards (861)

-20th in Comp% (63.1)

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Wentz has also been sacked more times (15) than any other quarterback aside from Joe Burrow (also 15). Matt Ryan is 3rd, with 12 sacks. Wentz and Ryan lead the league in sack yards lost, with 95 & 88 respectively.

Wentz is 13th in passer rating (90.6) and 24th in QBR (40.0).

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TACKLING

• Cole Holcomb is 21st in the league in total tackles (24), but Darrick Forrest leads the team in Solo Tackles with 15.
• After his 2-sack performance against the Eagles, Jamin Davis is tied for 8th in the league in sacks with 3; Alex Highsmith is ranked #1 with 4.5. Daron Payne is 2nd on the team with 2 sacks.
• Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne lead the team in tackles for loss, with 3 each.
• Kendall Fuller and Ben St-Juste are tied for 4th in the NFL in passes defended, with 4 each.

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

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KICK & PUNT RETURNS

• Interestingly, Dax Milne leads the league in kickoff return yards, probably because he also leads the league in kickoff returns (many of them poorly judged). He is one of only 2 players with 9 returns, and one of only 4 players to return more than 6 kickoffs in 3 weeks. Milne’s average yards per return seems respectable at #10, but without the context of where on the field the return started, it’s hard to judge this metric.

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• More encouraging is Dax Milne’s #9 ranking for punt return average (11.0 yards per punt return), which indicates some skill and judgement. Milne also has the 12th longest punt return of the young season (19 yards). He is also 5th in the league in fair catches, with 5.

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PENALTIES

• As a team, Washington has the 3rd fewest penalties in the league, with just 12 yellow flags. Only the Ravens and Vikings have had fewer.
• Washington is 8th in the “good” kind of penalties — those called on the other team — with 19 flags thrown against the opposition. The differential of 7 penalty flags is 4th best in the NFL.

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

• Washington has had the 2nd fewest pre-snap penalties (3). Only the Jets have had fewer.
• Interestingly, 10 of Washington’s penalties have been called in their two home games; only 2 were called against the team in their road game in Detroit.