Lost in all of Washington quarterback Sam Howell’s struggles in last week’s loss to the Buffalo Bills was another Antonio Gibson fumble.
It was the 10th career fumble for Gibson — and the eighth lost — for the fourth-year running back. And while the final score indicated a blowout, the Commanders were still down only two scores early in the fourth quarter when Gibson fumbled.
Gibson’s fumbling problems have plagued him since his second NFL season in 2021. Gibson fumbled six times in 2021, and Washington used a third-round pick on running Brian Robinson Jr. in the 2022 NFL draft.
While the selection of Robinson wasn’t due to Gibson’s fumbles, it was a clear message to the former college wide receiver. Robinson took over as Washington’s lead back last season, leading Gibson to be more of a third-down back.
Gibson had just one fumble last season, and this season has really been more of a 1b to Robinson’s 1a in the Commanders’ backfield.
Sunday’s fumble was already Gibson’s second of this season. And while there is never a good time or place to turn the ball over, Gibson’s fumbles always hurt the Commanders. His fumble on Sunday came at Washington’s 37-yard line.
Six plays later, the Bills scored again, and suddenly, the game was out of reach.
Sam Fortier of The Washington Post had an alarming stat in his latest column. Check this out from Fortier:
Since 2020, when Washington drafted Gibson, he has lost eight fumbles — seven of which have come in the red zone or inside his team’s 37-yard line. In that span, of all qualified skill players, Gibson has cost his team the fourth-most expected points added, an advanced metric that gives yards context. The only three who have cost their teams more are running backs Melvin Gordon, Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott.
Those fumbles are killers. In the Week 1 win over Arizona, Gibson’s fumble took three points off the board as Washington was comfortable in field goal range.
Head coach Ron Rivera was asked about Gibson Monday and said he was sticking with him.
“Well, I think in this case, more than anything else, you go right back to him,” Rivera said.
“That I mean, if people say, ‘Oh, you know, that had something to do with the way he carries the ball.’ Well, you can’t fault a guy for trying, either. You know, he spun, tried to get back inside, and tried to spin again, and that’s when he got hit. At that point, you also gotta say discretion is a better part of value. Just take it and go to the ground, and you know, we will live with another play. But he was trying, and that to me, you know, I’m not gonna fault a guy for trying hard.”
Everything Rivera said is true. Gibson is also a valuable part of the offense, as he possesses a unique skill set. But reliability is more important than any trait a player can provide. If Washington can’t count on Gibson to take care of the football, then the Commanders can’t rely on him in critical situations.