Commanders veteran continues the march toward his first career Pro Bowl nod during tough loss to Steelers
The Washington Commanders (7-3) dropped a heartbreaker to the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2) in Week 10, but there were plenty of bright spots and positive takeaways to be had.One such bright spot, as he's been all year, is veteran pass rusher Dante Fowler Jr. The 11th-year player continued the torrid pace he's been on the last […]
The Washington Commanders (7-3) dropped a heartbreaker to the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2) in Week 10, but there were plenty of bright spots and positive takeaways to be had.
One such bright spot, as he's been all year, is veteran pass rusher Dante Fowler Jr. The 11th-year player continued the torrid pace he's been on the last couple of months, notching 2.0 of the team's 3.0 sacks against the Steelers. He also added five total tackles, two tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits. Those figures now give Fowler Jr. 8.0 sacks over the last six games, which leads the NFL.
For the year, he has 8.5 sacks, which is currently third-most in the NFL. It's more than names like Myles Garrett (7.0), T.J. Watt (6.5), Maxx Crosby (6.0), Nick Bosa (5.5), and many others.
To add even more context: Fowler Jr.'s numbers have him as the NFC's top pass rusher on the outside. New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has 9.0 sacks, but he obviously plays on the interior defensive line. He's easily on his way toward surpassing his career-high mark of 11.0 sacks back in 2019 with the Los Angeles Rams.
In other words: If Pro Bowl voting started today, Fowler Jr. should be one of the names at the top of the list in terms of votes. It's that simple.
It's not just the sacks, either. Fowler Jr. also has a pick-six on the year and his 17.4% pressure rate is seventh-best among all pass rushers with at least 29 pressures on the year. He's consistently getting to opposing quarterbacks and it's leading to big numbers in areas that matter most.
Fowler Jr.'s individual success, along with the Commanders' success as a whole, has him hurdling toward his first-ever Pro Bowl nod, as it should. And as long as he keeps pace, it should be a lock by the time things are all said and done.
And if he somehow misses out on the accolade, it'll easily be a major disappointment that robs him of one of the NFL's top honors.
