Game story
In Week 1 of the 2018 NFL season on 2018-09-09, the Washington Commanders took care of business against the Arizona Cardinals, pulling away with a 24–6 final that controlled the game from start to finish.
The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 21 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
A. Smith (Washington Commanders) paced the passing game, with +11.88 total EPA, and +1.4% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, A. Smith (Washington Commanders) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +11.88 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-9.6% win probability) landed in the opening quarter when Washington Commanders changed the game: (10:29) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass incomplete short left [20-D.Bucannon]. PENALTY on WAS-11-A.Smith, Intentional Grounding, 12 yards, enforced at ARI 29.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q2 | Q4 | — | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Commanders | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 A. Smith · Washington Commanders · Passing · +11.88 total EPA · 39 snaps · +0.30 EPA/play
- 2 C. Thompson · Washington Commanders · Receiving · +6.18 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.88 EPA/play
- 3 J. Reed · Washington Commanders · Receiving · +5.91 total EPA · 5 snaps · +1.18 EPA/play
- 4 C. Thompson · Washington Commanders · Rushing · +3.89 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.78 EPA/play
- 5 J. Crowder · Washington Commanders · Receiving · +3.87 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.97 EPA/play
- 6 L. Fitzgerald · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +2.10 total EPA · 10 snaps · +0.21 EPA/play
- 7 D. Johnson · Arizona Cardinals · Rushing · +1.46 total EPA · 9 snaps · +0.16 EPA/play
- 8 V. Davis · Washington Commanders · Receiving · +1.27 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.27 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
A. Smith — WAS · Passing
A. Smith posted the highest total EPA (+11.88) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Washington Commanders's efficiency. Across 39 counted snaps, they averaged +0.30 EPA per play.
The signature play (-3.26 EPA) came from Washington Commanders: (10:29) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass incomplete short left [20-D.Bucannon]. PENALTY on WAS-11-A.Smith, Intentional Grounding, 12 yards, enforced at ARI 29.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Washington Commanders — C. Thompson (A. Smith pass)
- Washington Commanders — A. Peterson
- Washington Commanders — J. Reed (A. Smith pass)
- Arizona Cardinals — D. Johnson
Field goals
- Washington Commanders — D. Hopkins
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The second quarter: Washington Commanders won the period 21–0. Washington Commanders found the end zone from the ARI 13 (Q2 45:00) — (15:00) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short left to 25-C.Thompson for 13 yards, TOUCHDOWN [90-R.Nkemdiche].; Washington Commanders added 1 points from the ARI 15 (Q2 44:54) — 3-D.Hopkins extra point is GOOD, Center-57-N.Sundberg, Holder-5-T.Way.; Washington Commanders found the end zone from the ARI 1 (Q2 34:12) — (4:12) 79-T.Nsekhe and 52-R.Anderson reported in as eligible. 26-A.Peterson up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Washington Commanders added 1 points from the ARI 15 (Q2 34:10) — 3-D.Hopkins extra point is GOOD, Center-57-N.Sundberg, Holder-5-T.Way.; Washington Commanders found the end zone from the ARI 4 (Q2 30:12) — (:12) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short right to 86-J.Reed for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Washington Commanders added 1 points from the ARI 15 (Q2 30:08) — 3-D.Hopkins extra point is GOOD, Center-57-N.Sundberg, Holder-5-T.Way..
The fourth quarter: Arizona Cardinals won the period 6–3. Washington Commanders connected on a field goal from the ARI 13 (Q4 12:16) — (12:16) 3-D.Hopkins 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-57-N.Sundberg, Holder-5-T.Way.; Arizona Cardinals found the end zone from the WAS 2 (Q4 5:51) — (5:51) 31-D.Johnson up the middle for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Washington Commanders (Q1 55:29) — (10:29) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass incomplete short left [20-D.Bucannon]. PENALTY on WAS-11-A.Smith, Intentional Grounding, 12 yards, enforced at ARI 29.
- Washington Commanders (Q1 59:19) — (14:19) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short right to 86-J.Reed to WAS 44 for 16 yards (36-B.Baker). PENALTY on ARI-33-T.Boston, Unnecessary Roughness, 15 yards, enforced at WAS 44.
- Washington Commanders (Q2 45:00) — (15:00) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short left to 25-C.Thompson for 13 yards, TOUCHDOWN [90-R.Nkemdiche].
- Washington Commanders (Q2 41:59) — (11:59) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short middle to 25-C.Thompson to WAS 41 for 11 yards (43-H.Reddick).
- Washington Commanders (Q1 48:08) — (3:08) 26-A.Peterson right tackle to ARI 30 for 13 yards (41-A.Bethea).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Washington Commanders (Q1 55:29) — (10:29) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass incomplete short left [20-D.Bucannon]. PENALTY on WAS-11-A.Smith, Intentional Grounding, 12 yards, enforced at ARI 29.
- Arizona Cardinals (Q3 17:03) — (2:03) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-S.Bradford pass deep left intended for 86-R.Seals-Jones INTERCEPTED by 23-Q.Dunbar [96-P.McPhee] at WAS 27. 23-Q.Dunbar to WAS 24 for -3 yards (86-R.Seals-Jones).
- Washington Commanders (Q4 14:09) — (14:09) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short middle to 80-J.Crowder to ARI 17 for 17 yards (33-T.Boston).
- Washington Commanders (Q2 30:12) — (:12) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short right to 86-J.Reed for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Quarterback report card
A.Smith led all passers in efficiency for Washington Commanders, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- A.Smith (Washington Commanders) · 39 dropbacks · 53.8% completion · +1.4% CPOE · +0.30 EPA/play · +11.88 total EPA
- S.Bradford (Arizona Cardinals) · 39 dropbacks · 51.3% completion · -12.8% CPOE · -0.34 EPA/play · -13.36 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Washington Commanders | Arizona Cardinals |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | +0.113 | -0.172 |
| Offensive success rate | 52.6% | 37.5% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.305 | -0.343 |
| Rush EPA/play | +0.056 | +0.177 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.172 | -0.113 |
| Defensive success rate | 62.5% | 47.4% |
By the numbers
Despite the final score, Washington Commanders generated the better offensive EPA per play (+0.11 vs -0.17), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.
- Arizona Cardinals: 10 drives, -10.98 total EPA, 1 scoring drives
- Washington Commanders: 10 drives, +10.75 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Washington Commanders leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- A. Smith (Washington Commanders) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- S. Bradford (ARI) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Washington Commanders TD (+6) — Q2 45:00 · ARI 13 · Score 6-0
(15:00) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short left to 25-C.Thompson for 13 yards, TOUCHDOWN [90-R.Nkemdiche]. - Washington Commanders XP (+1) — Q2 44:54 · ARI 15 · Score 7-0
3-D.Hopkins extra point is GOOD, Center-57-N.Sundberg, Holder-5-T.Way. - Washington Commanders TD (+6) — Q2 34:12 · ARI 1 · Score 13-0
(4:12) 79-T.Nsekhe and 52-R.Anderson reported in as eligible. 26-A.Peterson up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Washington Commanders XP (+1) — Q2 34:10 · ARI 15 · Score 14-0
3-D.Hopkins extra point is GOOD, Center-57-N.Sundberg, Holder-5-T.Way. - Washington Commanders TD (+6) — Q2 30:12 · ARI 4 · Score 20-0
(:12) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short right to 86-J.Reed for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Washington Commanders XP (+1) — Q2 30:08 · ARI 15 · Score 21-0
3-D.Hopkins extra point is GOOD, Center-57-N.Sundberg, Holder-5-T.Way. - Washington Commanders FG (+3) — Q4 12:16 · ARI 13 · Score 24-0
(12:16) 3-D.Hopkins 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-57-N.Sundberg, Holder-5-T.Way. - Arizona Cardinals TD (+6) — Q4 5:51 · WAS 2 · Score 24-6
(5:51) 31-D.Johnson up the middle for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Washington Commanders vs Arizona Cardinals?
The Washington Commanders beat the Arizona Cardinals 24-6 in Week 1, 2018 on 2018-09-09.
What was the final score of Washington Commanders vs Arizona Cardinals?
The final score was Washington Commanders 24, Arizona Cardinals 6 (WAS 24-6 ARI) in Week 1, 2018 on 2018-09-09.
What was the score by quarter in Washington Commanders vs Arizona Cardinals?
Q2: Washington Commanders 21, Arizona Cardinals 0; Q4: Washington Commanders 3, Arizona Cardinals 6; Final: Washington Commanders 24, Arizona Cardinals 6.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Washington Commanders vs Arizona Cardinals?
Washington Commanders touchdown — C. Thompson (A. Smith pass) (Q2 45:00) Washington Commanders touchdown — A. Peterson (Q2 34:12) Washington Commanders touchdown — J. Reed (A. Smith pass) (Q2 30:12) Arizona Cardinals touchdown — D. Johnson (Q4 5:51) Washington Commanders field goal — D. Hopkins (Q4 12:16, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Washington Commanders vs Arizona Cardinals?
A. Smith (Washington Commanders), 53.8% completion, +1.4% CPOE, +0.30 EPA per dropback, +11.88 total passing EPA. S. Bradford (Arizona Cardinals), 51.3% completion, -12.8% CPOE, -0.34 EPA per dropback, -13.36 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Washington Commanders vs Arizona Cardinals?
A. Smith (Washington Commanders) led the game in total EPA with +11.88 on passing plays. across 39 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-3.26 EPA): (10:29) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass incomplete short left [20-D.Bucannon]. PENALTY on WAS-11-A.Smith, Intentional Grounding, 12 yards, enforced at ARI 29.. The biggest win-probability swing was -9.6%.
Season records after this game
Washington Commanders
Now 1-0 W
Arizona Cardinals
Now 0-1 L
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