The Washington Commanders lost their second consecutive preseason game on Monday night, falling 31-17 to the Cincinnati Bengals. Several Washington starters sat again, including Bobby Wagner, Zach Ertz, Terry McLaurin, Von Miller, and Laremy Tunsil, but quarterback Jayden Daniels did play — briefly.
Daniels played one series for the Commanders and didn’t attempt a pass. He didn’t need to, as Washington had a four-play, 74-yard drive — all runs — with Daniels finishing things off with a 14-yard touchdown run.
While several of Washington’s starters didn’t play, key members of the rookie class did and played well. How well? Pro Football Focus grades for Week 2 of the preseason are in, and it was another good week for rookie right tackle Josh Conerly Jr.
Let’s take a look at the best (and worst) performers on both sides of the ball.
Commanders PFF grades: Top 5 offense
- TE Cole Turner: 91.8
- QB Jayden Daniels: 85.6
- WR Jaylin Lane: 79.6
- C Tyler Biadasz: 72.2
- TE John Bates: 72.1
Biadasz and Bates stood out for their blocking. We aren’t sure how Bates “only” scored a 72.1 for run blocking. If you go back and watch that first drive, you’ll see a lot of Bates. Biadasz was active, too. Lane, the rookie from Virginia Tech, had an impressive night.
Commanders PFF grades: Top 5 defense
- S Quan Martin: 84.7
- S Percy Butler 83.7
- S Robert McDaniel: 79.3
- LB Jacob Martin: 77.8
- DE Javon Kinlaw: 74.7
A great night, even if it was brief for Martin and Butler, each of whom had some impressive stops. Jacob Martin had a terrific night, as he was active as a pass rusher. Kinlaw played an impactful 10 snaps.
Commanders PFF grades: Bottom 5 offense
- RG Bobby Hart: 43.9
- LG Julian Good-Jones: 41.3
- QB Sam Hartman: 41.0
- WR Michael Gallup: 40.7
- RG Timothy McKay: 26.9
Sam Hartman needed a good night after his performance against the Patriots last week. It was another tough night for the second-year passer. His interception directly led to Cincinnati’s touchdown before halftime and proved to be the difference in the game. Michael Gallup playing late in the preseason game tells you everything you need to know about his chances of making the roster.
Commanders PFF grades: Bottom 5 defense
- CB Essang Bassey: 46.0
- LB Clelin Ferrell: 41.1
- CB Bobby Price: 37.1
- LB Frankie Luvu: 38.8
- DE Deatrich Wise Jr: 32.2
Wise played a solid game, but two penalties likely hurt him. He sacked Joe Burrow, but it was nullified when he was called for a horse-collar tackle. It was very close and certainly not egregious. Luvu had a critical fourth-down penalty, which impacted his grade. Price struggled badly in coverage against former Commanders wideout Mitchell Tinsley.
Commanders PFF grades: Other notables
- RB Chris Rodriguez Jr: 69.8
- RT Josh Conerly Jr: 67.9
- WR Deebo Samuel: 67.4
- RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt: 66.8
- DE Dorance Armstrong: 66.7
- DT Daron Payne: 55.8
- LB Kain Medrano: 63.1
- DT Jer’Zhan Newton: 48.6
Conerly had another solid performance, particularly in the run game. His growth from the start of training camp to now is exactly what you seek from young players. Croskey-Merritt busted loose on a 27-yard touchdown run. Samuel touched the ball one time, and it was a perfectly executed 19-yard run. It was another impressive performance from Medrano, the sixth-round rookie.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders PFF grades from NFL Week 2 preseason vs. Bengals
