You've seen the headlines. The Brian Robinson Jr. trade rumors, the Jacory (Bill) Croskey-Merritt buzz. It all came to a head Monday night when the Washington Commanders took on the Cincinnati Bengals. Robinson was held out in a “mutual decision” between him and the team, and Croskey-Merritt was handed a hefty workload.
It was only fitting that the rookie ended up celebrating in the end zone on Washington's second drive, courtesy of a 27-yard scamper that added more fuel to the team's backfield fire. Both the Bengals' and Commanders' starting offenses led touchdown drives — including two Cincinnati scores with quarterback Joe Burrow in the game — in the Bengals' 31-17 win.
Former Washington wideout Mitchell Tinsley stole the show, though — except with his new team, the Bengals. The 2022 undrafted free agent snagged two high-difficulty touchdown passes and a few other throws with acrobatics in his preseason revenge game.
While Cincinnati's run-stopping group looked shaky, the defense overall settled in and secured two interceptions, one from rookie linebacker Barrett Carter.
PFF's dedicated team of graders was hard at work, analyzing every player on every play in real time. The comprehensive grades and data will be available after a thorough review tomorrow at 12 p.m. EST.
In the meantime, we’ve gathered some high-level data and snap counts from the game to give you an early look. Our expert graders have also nominated the standout player of the game, highlighting exceptional performance on the field.
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PLAYER OF THE GAME
Third-year wide receiver torched his former team Monday night to the tune of five catches for 73 yards and two touchdowns. Three of the grabs were classified as contested — tied for the most of any receiver in a game this preseason.
BOX SCORE
SNAP COUNTS & PLAYER PARTICIPATION
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