The Washington Commanders secured a 21-6 victory over the New York Giants in Week 1, giving them a 1-0 advantage in the NFC East. Here are five takeaways from the win.

1. The newcomers balled out.

Although the core of the Commanders' roster from last season is intact, there were several new faces on the field thanks to general manager Adam Peters' efforts to upgrade their personnel. He and head coach Dan Quinn spoke at length about what the Commanders could be in the second season of their tenure, and that vision became a reality on Sunday.

Peters and Quinn hoped the newcomers would elevate the team in 2025. Not only did that occur, but they were the stars of the afternoon. Deebo Samuel Sr. was a spark plug for the offense, providing 96 yards and a touchdown on eight touches. Jacory Croskey-Merritt averaged 8.2 yards per carry on Sunday, which ranked third among running backs with at least 10 carries. The Commanders gave up three sacks on Jayden Daniels, but left tackle Laremy Tunsil performed as expected by allowing just one pressure and earning the third highest pass-blocking grade among tackles by Pro Football Focus.

We'll go into the defensive line more extensively later, but Javon Kinlaw set the tone early by stuffing Tyrone Tracy Jr. for a loss on the first play as part of a four-tackle performance. The secondary, which featured several new additions, kept Russell Wilson's pass-catchers in check and limited Malik Nabers to a quiet 71 yards on five catches. Cornerback Trey Amos handled himself well with a pass breakup on Nabers that would have been an explosive play.

It's only Week 1, but the Commanders' new players showed they were a perfect fit for the team's culture and scheme.

2. The defensive line stuffed the Giants' run game.

It was clear that the Giants wanted to try running through the Commanders' defense. Kinlaw threw a wrench in that on the first play, and it set the tone for a stifling performance up front.

The Giants dealt with the Commanders' disruption all afternoon, as players like Kinlaw and Daron Payne were regular visitors in the backfield. They helped hold the Giants' rushing attack to 74 yards -- the 10th lowest total of Week 1 -- and the ninth lowest yards per carry average.

What's more impressive is how the Commanders stonewalled the Giants once they got their hands on the Giants' running backs. The team gained zero yards after contact, which came in handy when the Commanders needed to keep New York out of the end zone on two goal line stands. Wilson ended up leading the Giants with 44 yards, but much of that came from scrambles, rather than designed runs.

The Commanders still have much to prove in how they can perform against the run. The Packers only had 78 rushing yards in their win over the Detroit Lions but had the fifth best ground attack last season. Still, it's an encouraging sign from a group that tied for the third-most yards allowed per rush last season.

3. Both sides of the ball were sloppy at times.

The mood was light, but not overly excited, in the Commanders' locker room after the Giants game. They won, which is always cause for celebration, but the players knew they were sloppy on both sides of the ball at times.

Washington penalty woes from the preseason made a return and cost the team what could have been multiple game-changing plays. There was the roughing the passer call on Bobby Wagner that eliminated an interception from Quan Martin. Holding calls and false starts backed up the offense into less-than-ideal down and distance situations. The Commanders got out of them with standout efforts from Daniels, Samuel and Ekeler, but that isn't an ingredient for success.

There was also the miscommunication at the end of the first half when the offense got deep into Giants territory but got zero points because Daniels committed an intentional grounding penalty rather than spike the ball with three seconds left. At worst, the Commanders could have had a 21-3 lead at halftime. Instead, the score remained 14-3 with the Giants getting the ball to start the third quarter.

The Commanders know the mistakes are correctable, but they must do so quickly with the Packers up next in three days.

4. The offense was good when it needed to be.

Sunday's game wasn't the flashiest outing for the offense, but they had moments where they showed how dangerous they could be once they get more time together.

Washington's three scoring drives looked like they were ripped from last season. The unit was methodical, efficient and explosive when it mattered most. Chris Moore, who was elevated to the active roster on Saturday, opened things up with a 34-yard reception in the first quarter that helped get the unit in position for Zach Ertz's seven-yard touchdown six plays later. In the second quarter, they converted a second-and-16 as well as a second-and-19 to help move them to the Giants' 6-yard line, where Croskey-Merritt scored his first regular-season touchdown.

Then there was the fourth-quarter touchdown that effectively iced the game. Daniels accounted for 37 yards on the ground, while Austin Ekeler evaded several Giants defenders to convert a second-and-15. Samuel took over from there and scored the 19-yard touchdown on his only carry of the afternoon.

The Commanders have plenty to work on for the rest of the season, but they showed that they can still be one of the league's best offenses when they're in a groove.

5. "Enjoy it and sleep fast; tomorrow's Wednesday."

The Commanders can't celebrate their victory too long, because they have a tougher test coming up in just a few days.

The Packers present a bevy of challenges for the Commanders. The final score from their 27-13 win over the Detroit Lions undermines how close the game truly was at times, but they still have several potent weapons on both sides of the ball. Jordan Love tied Daniels for the 10th most passing touchdowns last season; Josh Jacobs is still one of the league's better running backs; and the offense has exciting, young pass-catchers in Romeo Doubs and Matthew Golden. There's also Micah Parsons, who recorded a sack in his debut with Green Bay.

The Commanders view every game as important, but the Packers are considered by many to be one of the top teams in the conference. A win on the road would provide an early statement and help set the tone for the rest of the season. It's a quick turnaround and a difficult venue, but the Commanders have shown they can compete against the NFL's best and win.