The Commanders’ weakest link is very obvious after loss to the Falcons, and drastic changes need to happen to save the season
Another disappointing showing by the Commanders’ defense should lead to changes.
The Washington Commanders lost an ugly road matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, and injuries aren’t even a valid excuse.
The offense did everything it could, even though it wasn’t pretty for four quarters, but it didn’t get any help. This was supposed to be an easy week for the defense against a struggling young quarterback in Michael Penix Jr, but it turned out to be a nightmare, and changes need to be made to save the season.
Career day for Michael Penix Jr.
The sky was falling in Atlanta all week after the Falcons got shut out by the Carolina Panthers the week before, and Penix Jr. was even benched late in the game after throwing two interceptions. It was the complete opposite against the Commanders’ defense, and Penix Jr. had a career high of 313 passing yards.
This was the worst deep-throwing offense in the NFL coming into the game, but Atlanta finished with an average of 15.7 yards per catch and had three players have deep catches. Drake London had a 43-yard catch, Bijan Robinson had a 69-yard catch and run play, and Kyle Pitts had a 26-yard catch as well. Just inexcusable all around.
Commanders’ defensive blueprint is out
Offenses learned from the Green Bay Packers on how to dice up the Commanders’ defense, and now every team is doing it. Teams are using pre-snap motion to force defensive backs and linebackers to run across the field and fight through coverage to get into coverage, and it’s leaving players wide open.
We saw it over and over today, and the worst was when linebacker Bobby Wagner had to run out in space to cover Robinson on a wheel route, and he never stood a chance.
Teams will continue to exploit the Commanders’ man coverage with pre-snap motion and mesh routes, and they’ve shown that even the corner can’t keep up with it. So they go into zone coverage, and it’s the same results. Corners and linebackers aren’t adjusting to routes and going towards receivers and tight ends in their zones, leaving wide-open windows.
The pass rush disappeared
The Commanders have been one of the best pressure teams in the league, and it disappeared when they were needed the most. The defense finished with only eight pressures and one sack against the Falcons. The secondary was a liability, and Penix Jr. had all day to find his desired target.
This was just an embarrassing showing by the defense, and something needs to happen. We’re seeing players like Quan Martin and Mike Sainristil regress to start the season, even though Sainristil had the first turnover for the defense. This is on the players, coaching, and scheme.
Is it too early in the season to make coaching changes, or will more offenses have to keep repeating the same thing on the Commanders’ defense until things get even worse? It has consistently shown that it has no answer to the motion and mesh route concepts that offenses are attacking it with. Age and skill differences are starting to be exposed right now.
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