Packed house: New Commanders era begins with sellout crowd, win

LANDOVER — The cheers at FedEx Field were deafening Sunday when Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey was honored during a television timeout. And the crowd ate it up when Robert Griffin III appeared on the field, prompting chants of “RG3.” Things were even rowdier when legendary running back John Riggins showed off his Redskins-embroidered suit for the cameras.

But the biggest eruption of an afternoon filled with old-fashioned, straightforward rooting for the home team came when Washington Commanders rookie Emmanuel Forbes broke up a fourth-down pass — sealing the deal on Washington’s 20-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

The Commanders are officially undefeated in the Josh Harris era. And, as much glitz and glamour as the first game featuring Washington’s new ownership provided, the result was still about football. That’s the reason for the investment by the sold-out crowd of 64,693 and the collective sigh of relief when Washington came from behind to beat the team widely expected to be the worst in the NFL this season.

A loss would have cast an untimely shadow over a day of bright beginnings.

Instead, safety Darrick Forrest did a backflip out of excitement right before yelling, “We home, baby!” to rows of cheering fans. An enthusiastic Mr. Harris roamed the field and gave high-fives before heading back to the tunnel. NBA superstar Kevin Durant, decked out in a No. 99 Chase Young jersey, left his suite with a smile.

A new era begins with a win.

“I haven’t seen the fans like that in my seven years here,” Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen said.

Arriving early

The day started with so much promise. At 7 a.m., Franco Zegarra felt he was running late but had to review his wardrobe one last time. The 32-year-old was set to wear a Santana Moss jersey but remembered that the Commanders planned to honor Mr. Bailey at the game — the Hall of Famer’s first return to the stadium since he was traded in 2004. Mr. Zegarra said he had no choice but to break out his Bailey jersey.

An hour later, Mr. Zegarra arrived with his friends to tailgate. They were far from alone.

“We thought we were going to be one of the first [people here],” Mr. Zegarra said. “But nah, it was a packed house early, early.”

The parking lots weren’t quite as full as Mr. Zegarra suggested, but there appeared to be a notable difference from past years.

Gabriella Taylor and Mary Picciriili said they arrived hours earlier than usual for a 1 p.m. kickoff in part because they anticipated long lines. Others remarked that they showed up early because they wanted to see how different a sold-out crowd would be in terms of atmosphere.

Ms. Piccirilli, whose family has been season ticket holders dating back to the days of RFK Stadium, couldn’t help but notice the number of fans decked out in burgundy and gold on her drive to the stadium. “Normally, you see so many other fans,” she said.

Ms. Taylor also observed how many cars sported team memorabilia. “There’s a new aura,” she said.

The buzz of excitement was palpable in and around the stadium. Lines to the team merchandise store zigged and zagged around the concourse. At Legends Plaza, fans gathered for the discounted $6.75 beers and free pregame concert. They also cheered in delight when they saw franchise icons such as Bailey and Griffin.

For Mr. Harris’ first game, the Commanders made a priority of luring those players back to the stadium. That gesture was more than appreciated. Bailey told reporters that “the timing was never right” until the franchise was sold. Griffin said he was glad to see the resurgence of the team’s fan base.

“I think there’s a reason that a lot of alumni stayed away, and we don’t have to talk about that anymore,” Griffin said. “But now it’s a fresh start.”

The excitement around Week 1 was building for months. When the Commanders announced that now-former owner Dan Snyder hired an investment bank to explore a sale, Ryan Morrison said, he spent $1,000 to buy eight tickets for the opener. It didn’t matter that Mr. Snyder had yet to officially sell the team, nor did he even ask seven other people to go with him before purchasing the tickets, Mr. Morrison said. The 35-year-old knew he had to be there for a new era. He would figure out the rest later.

Others returned to the stadium after a long hiatus. Vincent Lane, 28, said it was 12 years since he had been to a Commanders game, partially because he had a “vendetta” against Mr. Snyder.

Stan Moore, a season ticket holder from 2010 to 2013, said he hadn’t come to a game in 2½ years. Mr. Moore, 51, pledged back then that he was finished with the “mediocrity” of the franchise. When Mr. Harris bought the team for $6.05 billion, that changed. Mr. Moore bought tickets last month, joining a group of 40 friends and family to attend Sunday’s contest.

“I wanted to get the full experience,” Mr. Moore said.

The full experience

As much as Sunday marked the start of a new era, the on-field product was eerily familiar. That’s why, after another ugly offensive series stalled in the third quarter, fans showered the home team with boos as players went to the sideline.

The Cardinals, at that point, led 16-10.

“I really appreciate [the fans] coming out,” coach Ron Rivera said. “We have to be a better football team for them.”

The fallout from an opening day loss would have been ugly. A fired-up Mr. Harris asked fans days earlier at a downtown rally whether they were ready to “kick some Cardinal a—.” The new owner, who owns the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, told reporters that he was as excited for the opener as he would be for a playoff game.

The Commanders didn’t fold under the pressure. The defense, the strength of last year’s team, again put Washington in a position to rally. Edge rusher Montez Sweat drew the crowd back to Washington’s side late in the third when he forced a strip-sack fumble on Cardinals quarterback Joshua Dobbs.

With the ball recovered at Arizona’s 29-yard line, Washington took advantage of the short field and capped off the series with a 7-yard touchdown run from quarterback Sam Howell. Sweat forced another fumble in the fourth, paving the way for a 33-yard field goal from kicker Joey Slye.

Each score prompted celebration and a familiar tune. This year, the team’s marching band appeared to play the original tempo of “Hail to the Redskins” — Washington’s fight song that officials altered last year to introduce new Commanders-themed lyrics. Gone are those changes. The crowd belted out the former lyrics with only the instrumental playing.

Howell, meanwhile, finished with 202 yards on 19 of 31 passing in his second career start. The 2022 fifth-rounder accounted for two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing), but he also was responsible for two (an interception and a fumble that was returned for a touchdown) of Washington’s three turnovers. The 22-year-old was also sacked six times. “I had some mistakes, for sure,” he said.

Still, to the crowd’s credit, those at FedEx Field rarely seemed to disengage with Sunday’s game. A little after halftime, rain started pouring from the sky and showering fans in the stands. Although some bolted for the concourse, plenty of others stood in their place. They were more than fine staying focused on the action in front of them.

This year, they had more of a reason to stick around.

“It feels like a cloud has been lifted,” Mr. Morrison said before the game, referring to the ownership change. “I know that’s ironic considering the rain.”