Perhaps the Washington Commanders' recent win had something to do with the opponent. But optimism has been restored, and Terry McLaurin could be back this week. And here is the Commanders’ X-factor for the Week 6 Monday Night Football clash with the Bears.
Washington has alternated wins and losses this season, so it will be looking for its first two-game winning streak. The Bears come in a 2-2, riding a two-game winning streak with victories over the Cowboys and Raiders.
The Commanders’ X-factor shouldn’t come as a surprise because he was the X-factor last week. Jacory Croskey-Merritt burst into the spotlight against the Chargers and should have a similar performance against the Bears.
Commanders RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt standing out
Croskey-Merritt leads the Commanders with 283 yards rushing and four touchdowns. He’s averaging an incredible 6.6 yards per carry. That total will come down with more usage, but he’s been an explosive guy on an already strong offense.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said Croskey-Merritt has unique talents, according to Commanders.com.
“I think it's the change of direction,” Quinn said. “He's got very good vision inside, but he can really put his foot in the ground and break tackles. There's an element of vision and cuts. I can remember even all the way back through training camp there. And I thought he excels really on the inside plays where now he can see things quickly, make a violent cut, and then get north-south.”
Need proof that Croskey-Merritt is the real deal? How about these numbers, according to Yahoo.com
“He forced six missed tackles, triple the combined total of McNichols and [Chris] Rodriguez, and his efficiency speaks for itself,” Ray Garvin wrote. “Among RBs with 30 or more carries this season, Croskey-Merritt ranks first in success rate (65.1%), first in runs of 5-plus yards (58.1%), second in 10-plus yard gains (20.9%), first in first down or touchdown rate (39.5%), and second in yards after contact per rush (4.4) all while facing eight or more defenders in the box on over half his carries (51.2%).”
RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt enjoying his opportunity
Croskey-Merritt didn't have the draft pedigree to command early touches. But they are coming in bunches now.
“I'm so thankful for this organization for believing in me, for trusting me, and I'm so thankful and just excited to be here,” Croskey-Merritt said.
Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said Croskey-Merritt has a good ceiling.
“Bill [Croskey-Merritt] is exciting, being a young guy,” Kingsbury said last week. “I think the sky's the limit for him as he continues to improve without the football.”
And it’s looking like the Commanders got the steal of the 2025 NFL Draft, picking Croskey-Merritt in Round 7, according to athlonsports.com.
“But if we’re talking about value, it’s impossible to look at the bottom of that list and find the last running back taken, and not think Croskey-Merritt looks like the biggest steal of the bunch,” and perhaps the best value pick in the entire draft up to this point. For an offense that already has a superstar quarterback in second-year phenom Jayden Daniels and a legit No. 1 receiver in Terry McLaurin, the future is bright for the Commanders with Croskey-Merritt taking over the RB1 spot.
Commanders have been fierce on the ground
One of the reasons the Commanders have been able to run the football successfully — they are No. 1 in the league with 156.4 yards per game on the ground — is the presence of Deebo Samuel. He adds an element they didn’t have in 2024, and it’s paying off handsomely, according to Sports Illustrated.
“He's meant a lot. I think it's the competitive nature also that he brings,” Quinn said. “I think we've all seen him, you know, different ways he can be featured.
“So, from kick returning, he's done it out of the backfield, catching down the field routes. I'm pleased with the trajectory that he's headed. The next steps, different spots, different locations. And so he's making all the right moves for us. And so we just want to keep him on this trajectory and where he is at and how we're going. But it's the competitive nature that he brings into the play.”
Quinn pointed to a specific play where Samuel made a difference that other players can’t always make.
“There was a screen the other day that could have been two yards gained,” Quinn said. “And I think it ended up being eight just by the sheer force and nature that he entered into the tackling. And so, plays like that, they may not show up big on the stat sheet. But they just convert into the next one and into the next one. And so, he's had a lot of those so far.”
Samuel helps open the door for guys like Croskey-Merritt to make plays. And that’s one of the strong points of the Commanders’ offense.
