After an impressive 2024 campaign, resulting in a deep NFC playoff run, the Washington Commanders were on the hunt for playmakers to take their roster to the next level. They added quite a bit of talent over the 2025 offseason, and one name that stood out in the preseason was seventh-round running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt.
After scoring in Week 1 of the NFL season, the rookie has been quiet in the Commanders’ Week 2 Thursday Night Football matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Is the running back hurt?
Is Jacory Croskey-Merritt Playing Tonight?
Yes, Croskey-Merritt is playing tonight, and he isn’t injured. He was not on the injury report heading into Thursday Night Football’s contest against the Packers. However, like much of the Commanders’ offense, he has struggled mightily against Green Bay’s suffocating defense.
Through two quarters, he has two carries for nine yards and one target, a far cry from the impressive Week 1 debut he had against the New York Giants. A week ago, he turned 10 carries into 82 yards, along with his first regular-season touchdown. That included a long of 42 yards as he found countless lanes to run through against the Giants.
Commanders running back Croskey-Merritt named NFL Rookie of the Weekhttps://t.co/N0ksjZp2Xb pic.twitter.com/d6AVSph1HU
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) September 11, 2025
His luck has not been as great against the Packers in Week 2. The Commanders have combined for 34 yards on nine carries while Jayden Daniels and the passing game have struggled, completing nine of 15 passes for 49 yards. Outside of two drives at the end of the second quarter, Green Bay has stifled the Commanders’ offense entirely.
Two late drives, one resulting in their only points of the first half, a 51-yard Matt Gay field goal, and a missed 58-yard field goal gave some promise that the offense could pick things up in the second half. Washington also benefited from Green Bay missing a field goal before the end of the first half, which helped keep a somewhat standard game script as they started the second half, only facing an 11-point deficit.
Getting the ball in the hands of their playmakers will be a must, as both the passing and rushing games are struggling. Washington hopes Croskey-Merritt can bring back some of that Week 1 magic in the second half that helped propel him to winning NFL Rookie of the Week honors.
If not, the Commanders will likely be heading back home looking for a pick-me-up against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3.
