Chig Okonkwo Can’t Be a Second-Half Afterthought for Washington — Commanders Daily

Oct 11, 2026; Landover, Maryland, USA; New York Giants safety Tyler Nubin (27) tackles Washington Commanders tight end Chig Okonkwo (85) during the first quarter at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectChig Okonkwo had 60 yards before halftime against the Giants, then one official target afterward. David Blough needs to keep him involved in the offense. | Philip Hughes | HTTR4LIFE LLCThe Washington Commanders entered Week 5 knowing they needed to get their tight ends more involved in the offense, especially Chig Okonkwo, who returned in Week 4. Okonkwo caught four passes for 21 yards in two appearances before Sunday, then caught four passes for 60 yards against the New York Giants.On the opening drive, Okonkwo made catches of 11 and 23 yards as the offense moved downfield for a 69-yard drive that ended with a touchdown from Jacory "Bill" Croskey-Merritt. His 25-yard reception in the second quarter was part of the drive that ended in Drew Stevens' 28-yard field goal. Clearly, the offense does better when they build it around the play-action, but that's not always an option or isn't always utilized correctly. Now that both Daniels and Okonkwo are back, the Commanders need to make the Chig-Jayden connection a top priority, especially when their top receivers are dinged up.Chig Okonkwo missed Weeks 2 and 3 with a hamstring injury he suffered during Week 1's game in Philadelphia. In London last week, several factors clouded Chig's return to action, leaving him with only two catches for five yards despite being open multiple times on the game film.So, needing to build on that connection, Chig was targeted five times in the first half against New York and caught four of those passes for 60 yards. The problem is, Washington targeted him only once in the second half, on an incompletion late in the fourth quarter, and none in overtime.

The Washington Commanders entered Week 5 knowing they needed to get their tight ends more involved in the offense, especially Chig Okonkwo, who returned in Week 4. Okonkwo caught four passes for 21 yards in two appearances before Sunday, then caught four passes for 60 yards against the New York Giants.On the opening drive, Okonkwo made catches of 11 and 23 yards as the offense moved downfield for a 69-yard drive that ended with a touchdown from Jacory "Bill" Croskey-Merritt. His 25-yard reception in the second quarter was part of the drive that ended in Drew Stevens' 28-yard field goal. Clearly, the offense does better when they build it around the play-action, but that's not always an option or isn't always utilized correctly. Now that both Daniels and Okonkwo are back, the Commanders need to make the Chig-Jayden connection a top priority, especially when their top receivers are dinged up.Chig Okonkwo missed Weeks 2 and 3 with a hamstring injury he suffered during Week 1's game in Philadelphia. In London last week, several factors clouded Chig's return to action, leaving him with only two catches for five yards despite being open multiple times on the game film.So, needing to build on that connection, Chig was targeted five times in the first half against New York and caught four of those passes for 60 yards. The problem is, Washington targeted him only once in the second half, on an incompletion late in the fourth quarter, and none in overtime.

Chig Okonkwo breakout game? He's got 3 catches for 59 yards so far and it's early in the 2nd quarter.#RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/c3MxBe8kMk

Published 1 hour ago | Modified 1 hour agoPHILIP HUGHESPhilip Hughes covers the Washington Commanders with a focus on daily news, film analysis, roster construction, player development, and the fan culture surrounding one of the NFL’s most scrutinized teams. A longtime sports writer and content creator, Hughes has spent more than 20 years building football audiences across the interwebs and following the daily beat of the NFC East. email: hailbng+si@gmail.com