[NFL Important News | NFL Group Updates | NFL Practice/Exhibition Season Ongoing Updates]
Brian Robinson Jr., the Commanders’ main running back for the past three years, might be leaving soon.
The Commanders may have shown why on Monday evening. With Robinson out of action because of reported trade discussions, Washington easily defeated a weak Bengals defense, as both teams used their starting players early on.
The Commanders began with a quick four-play, 73-yard touchdown drive without a single pass. Running back Chris Rodriguez broke away for a 40-yard run, setting up quarterback Jayden Daniels for a 14-yard touchdown run through and past multiple helpless Bengals defenders.
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Then it was Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s chance to shine. The rookie from Arizona, selected in the seventh round, played a key role in Washington’s second drive, gaining 32 rushing yards as the Commanders only needed three plays to score their second touchdown of the game.
Croskey-Merritt finished the drive with a 27-yard touchdown run.
By halftime, Rodriguez had rushed for 62 yards on six carries (10.3 yards per carry), and Croskey-Merritt had 32 yards on two carries (16 yards per carry). Deebo Samuel (1 carry, 19 yards) and Daniels (1 carry, 14 yards) had also made significant gains against the Bengals defense.
Washington gained 130 yards on 13 first-half carries (10 yards per attempt) against a Bengals defense that performed just as poorly as it did during the 2024 regular season.
It’s always difficult to trust your observations during the preseason. However, Cincinnati’s run defense didn’t inspire much confidence, while Washington may have found its running back lineup without Robinson.
NFL Important News
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Browns announce Joe Flacco as starting quarterback for Week 1: The Cleveland Browns made it known on Monday that Joe Flacco will be the starting quarterback against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, a decision that has been anticipated for a while and is now confirmed. However, this doesn’t resolve all the uncertainty on the Browns’ roster, as Kenny Pickett, the expected backup, hasn’t played in a preseason game yet due to an injury, fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders is still dealing with an oblique injury, and third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel performed well in his debut over the weekend. With Flacco getting playtime in Saturday’s preseason finale, the other three QBs on the roster will have even less time on the field. How will this situation develop?
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Matthew Stafford comes back to Rams practice: Los Angeles Rams fans and fantasy players can breathe easy. Matthew Stafford finally returned to practice on Monday after struggling with a recurring disc issue in his back and participated in team drills. Head coach Sean McVay mentioned that Stafford performed well but chose to be cautious, considering Stafford’s condition as day-to-day and week-to-week. McVay described the situation as “very fluid” and said that while it was “great” for Stafford to be back at practice, the team will monitor his progress for the remainder of the day and on Tuesday.
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Browns bring in WR Isaiah Bond, had him undergo a lie detector test: The Cleveland Browns are said to have signed wide receiver Isaiah Bond to a three-year, $3 million contract on Monday after he wasn’t charged in a sexual assault investigation. Bond, 21, was projected to be a mid-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft but wasn’t selected after being arrested just two weeks prior to the draft. On Thursday, a grand jury in Texas decided not to indict Bond, indicating that there wasn’t sufficient evidence to charge him. As part of their investigation, the team apparently had Bond take an independent polygraph test, according to team general manager Andrew Berry.
NFL Group Updates
AFC East: Buffalo Bills | Miami Dolphins | New England Patriots | New York Jets
AFC North: Baltimore Ravens | Cincinnati Bengals | Cleveland Browns | Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South: Houston Texans | Indianapolis Colts | Jacksonville Jaguars | Tennessee Titans
AFC West: Denver Broncos | Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders | Los Angeles Chargers
NFC East: Dallas Cowboys | New York Giants | Philadelphia Eagles | Washington Commanders
NFC North: Chicago Bears | Detroit Lions | Green Bay Packers | Minnesota Vikings
NFC South: Atlanta Falcons | Carolina Panthers | New Orleans Saints | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC West: Arizona Cardinals | Los Angeles Rams | San Francisco 49ers | Seattle Seahawks
[NFC West: Arizona Cardinals | Los Angeles Rams | San Francisco 49ers | Seattle Seahawks]
NFL Practice/Exhibition Season Ongoing Updates
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