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Antonio Gibson Key to Washington Football Team Playoff Hopes

By Andrew Fischer

Dec 5, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Washington Football Team running back Antonio Gibson (24) carries the ball against the Las Vegas Raiders in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Washington Football Team running back Antonio Gibson (24) carries the ball against the Las Vegas Raiders in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Antonio Gibson, Washington Football Team. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Antonio Gibson, Washington Football Team. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Making a Mark in Washington

Last year in 2020, Antonio Gibson was a pleasant surprise for the Football Team and their fans. He gained over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and scored 11 touchdowns in only 14 games played. The highlight of his rookie season was his performance against Dallas on Thanksgiving where Gibson ran for 115 yards and three scores in a blowout 41-16 Washington win.

This season it’s been more of the same for Antonio Gibson as he’s become a focal point of the team’s offense, especially in the passing game. His best play of the 2021 season came on a screen pass against Buffalo that he took 73 yards for a touchdown. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, it was the fifth best run after the catch this season as Gibson gained 60 more yards after the catch than was expected.

It’s worth watching the Dallas-Washington game this weekend simply for a glimpse of Antonio Gibson at work. We already touched on his pass-catching prowess, but his running style is what truly captures his essence as a player.

Gibson is a big back at 6’2” 220, but he’s light on his feet when approaching the line of scrimmage and making cuts. He’s slippery too, as he can pick his way through the defense and squirt through small gaps for extra yardage. Antonio Gibson is at his best when he puts his foot in the ground and cuts up field decisively, where he can use his excellent straight-line speed.

With his wide receiver background, you might not picture him as a tough runner between the tackles, but he is. Gibson is tied for second in the NFL with 19 broken tackles on rushing plays this year. He’s also averaging 1.9 yards after contact per rush this season. For context, Derrick Henry is averaging 2.2 yards after contact per rush this year.

There are a few things that Antonio Gibson could improve upon. The first and biggest issue he has is fumbling. He has seven career fumbles in less than two full seasons, including five this year. He needs to get that cleaned up if he’s going to be toting the ball 20 times per game. Gibson is only averaging 3.9 yards per carry this season, and his longest run is only 27 yards. He could trim down or work more on his speed this offseason to enable him to be more dynamic.

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