Bears are looking to shut down a specific part of the Commanders' offense regardless of who's playing quarterback
As the Chicago Bears get set to face the Washington Commanders in Week 8, one major question still remains.The Commanders have still yet to make a decision at the quarterback position after rookie starter Jayden Daniels injured his ribs in Week 8.Daniels did not practice during the first two days this week but has not […]
As the Chicago Bears get set to face the Washington Commanders in Week 8, one major question still remains.
The Commanders have still yet to make a decision at the quarterback position after rookie starter Jayden Daniels injured his ribs in Week 8.
Daniels did not practice during the first two days this week but has not yet been ruled out in favor of veteran Marcus Mariota getting the nod on Sunday. Regardless of who's at quarterback, the Bears' defense is more worried about another part of the Commanders' offense.
Through the first seven weeks of the season, the Commanders' offense under coordinator Kliff Kingsbury ranks third in the league with 165.4 rushing yards per game. The unit has relied on an impressive two-back rotation along with getting a boost from both quarterbacks on the ground.
Whether it's Daniels or Mariota getting the start, the key to neutralizing this offense is going to be by stopping the run.
"They have a broad menu of run concepts," defensive coordinator Eric Washington explained. "Quarterback designed runs, reverses, runs designed to get the receivers the football, to get the tight end the football, they can come out with two tail backs. And so, we have to make sure that when the dust is settled we trust our keys or where we're supposed to be relative to the call and that we execute."
The biggest threat out of the Commanders' backfield this season has been running back Brian Robinson Jr. Despite missing one game in Week 6, Robinson is tied for third in rushing touchdowns and has topped 70+ yards in three games this season.
"Very physical," Washington added about Robinson. "First of all, they pave the way for him. They do an excellent job of blocking your configuration. He's a downhill player, he protects the football and he's a tough out. Very very tough, leans forward, and so he's going to hit the hole with authority and he's going to challenge your ability to tackle him."
Listening to how Washington described Robinson's style of game is similar to how he described Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard, who rushed for 97 yards with a 38-yard score against the Bears in Week 5.
Overall, the Bears have given up a lot of yards to opposing running backs this season, allowing 112.0 yards per game on the ground. It's definitely something that holding back an otherwise top defense in the league.
"There's a lot of determination in that room to make sure that we move that particular part of our defense into the Top-5 the way that we are with some of the others," Washington added.
The two players who need to step up in order to get that part of the defense where they want to be is the interior duo of Gervon Dexter Sr. and Andrew Billings. According to PFF, Dexter (57.2) and Billings (49.8) each have sub-60 run defense grades this season.
A big game against the run from those two players can help shut down the Commanders' run game and force the team to beat the defense through the air, which is exactly what the Bears are hoping for on Sunday.
