Antonio Gibson has been hampered by a stress fracture in his shin for much of the season. However, on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, the Washington Football Team running back was sidelined for another reason.
Gibson was benched following his third fumble lost of the season.
On their second offensive possession, Washington drove into the red zone. But Gibson had the ball punched out of his hands by Panthers defensive end Morgan Fox. The Panthers recovered at the 10-yard line, killing a potential scoring drive.
Gibson stood on the sideline for the remainder of the first half. He looked on as JD McKissic and undrafted rookie Jaret Patterson divided the snaps.
Washington’s offense got back on track, scoring two touchdowns to tie the game at 14-14 going into halftime.
Gibson was given a second chance at the start of the second half. He did not disappoint. Gibson picked up 76 of his season-high 95 yards in the second half.
On the opening drive in the third quarter, Gibson rushed for 42 yards, including a 20-yard run down to the Panthers’ six-yard line.
Three plays later, Washington took their first lead of the game with a Taylor Heinicke touchdown pass to wide receiver DeAndre Carter.
Gibson ran with power, bowling through the Panthers defense. His resurgence helped Washington knock off the Panthers 27-21. It was much like last week, when he powered through 64 yards and two touchdowns in Washington’s upset win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
His strong runs helped balance Washington’s offense. His only other hiccup was running out of bounds with just over a minute remaining in the game that allowed the Panthers get a chance to erase to win the game.
Still, it was a sign Gibson learned his lesson. He wasn’t going to swindle his second chance from head coach Ron Rivera.
Gibson is still learning the running back position. Remember he was a wide receiver in college. Sunday showed Gibson’s success is integral to Washington steering the ship to their season.
Washington is 4-6 but they’ve won two straight and are peeking their eyes at the playoffs. Against the Panthers, Washington ran for 190 yards and 4.8 yards per carry. Gibson led that charge.
Washington’s effectiveness running the football alleviates a lot of pressure from Heinicke, as he tries to manage the game. Sunday was another step in the maturation of Gibson. Moving forward as he gets healthier from his shin injury, he must protect the football while running hard.
