GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The beauty of Alex Smith, and what the Washington Redskins hoped to have in their new quarterback, was evident Sunday. He avoided bad plays and made good ones with his smarts, his legs, as well as with his arm.

Smith was far from the only reason Washington beat Arizona 24-6 on Sunday. But he orchestrated the offense in a performance the Redskins would like to see duplicated. Of course, it helps when a team can run the ball the way Washington did Sunday, finishing with 182 yards. Then again, part of the reason Washington ran well was because of Smith’s ability to handle a heavy dose of run-pass option plays. It's what they hoped for when making the trade for him, moving on from Kirk Cousins.

For a first game with a new quarterback, the Redskins were able to dig deep into their playbook. Why? Because they overloaded Smith at the start of camp with a heavier-than-normal installation of their offense and he showed he could handle it all. The key now will be to continue building on what they showed Sunday. The Week 1 output is even more impressive considering Washington’s offense had several key players either limited or out for much of camp because of lingering injuries and an abundance of caution.

On Sunday, Smith completed 21-of-30 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran the ball eight times for 14 more yards and used his legs several other times to avoid danger, either throwing the ball away or running.

“I thought he was sensational,” Redskins coach Jay Gruden said.

Smith made strong decisions, which is one reason why they turned the ball over only one time -- on a late fumble by Adrian Peterson. In Gruden’s first four openers, the Redskins had lost the turnover battle each time, thanks to 10 combined giveaways. Gruden mentioned the turnover stat leading into the game whenever he was asked about being 0-4 in openers.

Smith also avoided a safety when, with Robert Nkemdiche bursting clean through the middle, he flipped an underhand pass to receiver Josh Doctson. It was a pass that had no chance of being complete, but it saved the Redskins two points.

“That’s what he’s done his whole career,” Gruden said. “He does a great job not making a bad play worse and living to fight another day and moving on to the next play. That’s what he’s always done.”

The Redskins used a variety of packages on offense, including seven different formations on the first drive alone. The run-pass options rely on Smith reading a defender on the go and then quickly deciding his next move.

The first RPO resulted in a 13-yard Chris Thompson run. Another time, on a third-and-12 in the fourth quarter, Smith saw that the Cardinals were going to blitz a defensive back from the slot. So Smith changed the play, giving slot receiver Jamison Crowder a shot down the seam. He caught a pass that gained 18 yards.

“He’s a great game manager and he gets us in the right calls,” Redskins tackle Morgan Moses said of Smith. “He doesn’t make mistakes and he doesn’t get flustered. He knows he’ll get hit sometimes and he bounces back up and keeps the ball moving.”

But again, it was more than that. His accuracy has been on display throughout his career as well as this summer. It was there again Sunday, notably on a two-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jordan Reed, who stretched out for the pass against man coverage before lunging into the end zone.

There was also a 22-yard completion that resulted from Smith spinning out of the pocket, rolling to his left and throwing to Reed.

“He’s fun to watch in that regard,” Gruden said. “You always feel he’s going to make the right decision most of the time.”