A roundup of snaps, position alignments, and key stats
In Week 6 the Commanders headed up I-95 to face their biggest test since the season opener. The Commanders have made huge strides in all three phases of the game since losing 20-37 to Baker Mayfield’s Buccaneers. But it wasn’t clear just how good they have become until Sunday’s game against the 3-2 Baltimore Ravens, featuring one of the league’s top ranked offenses and arguably the top rushing defense.
The final result may have fallen short of some fans’ expectations, but was far better than anyone could have reasonably expected as recently as five weeks ago. While the loss of DT Jonathan Allen for the season was a painful blow, and despite the final score, there was still plenty to like in the Commanders’ 23-30 road loss to the Ravens.
Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
OFFENSE
Jayden Daniels is having his first slump. He has completed fewer than 85% of his passes for two weeks in a row.
Against the Ravens, he completed 24 of 35 attempts (68.6%) for 269 yds and 2 TDs, while taking 3 sacks for 16 yds. He did get lucky when a Ravens DB dropped an easy interception. Daniels also ran for 22 yards on 6 attempts (3.7 Y/A), including 4 scrambles to escape pressure.
To remind you of how far the Commanders have come in a short time, in last season’s Week 6 win over the Falcons, QB Sam Howell completed 60.9% of passes for 151 yds and 3 TDs, while taking 5 sacks for 30 yards and rushing 4 times for 3 yds.
The running backs got a light workout as Kliff Kingsbury leaned on the play action pass as his primary weapon against the Ravens’ top-ranked rushing defense (#1 in rushing yards, #1 in Y/A). Kliff was not alone in his assessment, as the Ravens have faced the second fewest rushing attempts through 6 games.
A week after rushing for 11.2 YPA against the Browns, Austin Ekeler led the RBs with a paltry 21 yards on 9 attempts (2.3 YPA), with an average of 2.0 yards per attempt coming after contact. He was more effective as a receiver, catching 4/5 targets for 47 yds.
Jeremy McNichols rushed twice for 9 yds and was not targeted as a receiver.
Noah Brown led the WR group in yardage production, catching 4/8 targets for 58 yards and 3 first downs. He also led all Commanders receivers in productivity, at 2.15 Yards/Route Run.
However, Terry McLaurin was the most impactful receiver, catching 6/7 targets for 53 yards and 2 TDs with 5 first downs. He was just 4th on the team in receiving productivity, at a respectable 1.56 Y/RR, because he is utilized the most.
Olamide Zaccheaus caught 4/6 targets for 27 yds, with 1 dropped pass.
Dyami Brown and Luke McCaffrey each caught their lone targets for 11 and 5 yds respectively.
After a slow week against the Browns, Zach Ertz was back to being Jayden Daniels’ most reliable chain mover, catching 4/4 targets for 68 yds and 4 first downs. He was the second most productive receiver at 2.06 Y/RR. Ertz was the only TE targeted as a receiver.
Pass Protection
The OL had their worst game of the season in pass protection, allowing pressures on 31.1% of dropbacks. The next highest was 22.0% in Week 2 against the Giants. This was the first game in which rookie OT Brandon Coleman did not lead the OL in rate of pressures allowed in pass protection. He was overtaken by LG Nick Allegretti, who allowed 6 pressures, including 1 sack in 45 pass block snaps. This is how they shaped up:
- LG Nick Allegretti: 6 pressures (1 sack)/45 snaps = 13.3%
- LT Brandon Coleman: 3 pressures (1 sack)/24 snaps = 12.5%
- RT Andrew Wylie: 3 pressures/45 snaps = 6.7%
- C Tyler Biadasz: 1 pressure/45 snaps = 2.2%
- RG Sam Cosmi: 1 pressure/45 snaps = 2.2%
- LT Cornelius Lucas: 0 pressures/21 snaps = 0%
That was a fairly typical performance for Coleman, by the way, except for the sack.
Run Blocking
Pro Football Focus’ army of analysts graded the OL’s run blocking as follows:
- RT Andrew Wylie 73.7
- LT Cornelius Lucas 68.8
- C Tyler Biadasz 63.4
- LT Brandon Coleman 57.3
- RG Sam Cosmi 55.1
- LG Nick Allegretti 47.8
Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
DEFENSE
Dorance Armstrong left the game early with a rib injury. He was replaced at Left DE by a platoon of Efe Obada and Dante Fowler.
Fowler had his biggest day as a Commander to date, racking up 2 sacks, 3 total pressures, 4 tackles, with 3 TFL, for a total of 5 defensive stops (team lead). He generated pressure on 15% of pass rush attempts.
Clelin Ferrell had 3 QB pressures, with 3 tackles and 1 assist, 1 TFL and a total of 2 defensive stops. He generated pressure on 16.7% of pass rush attempts.
Javontae Jean-Baptiste generated 1 pressure and made 1 tackle with 1 assist and 1 defensive stop. He generated pressure on just 8.3% of pass rush attempts.
Armstrong was only on the field for 7 pass rush snaps, but still generated 2 QB hurries, for a team-leading pressure rate of 28.6% of pass rush attempts.
Efe Obada made 1 tackle.
Daron Payne generated 3 QB hurries on 22 pass rush snaps, and led the DTs with a pressure rate of 13.6%. He recorded no other defensive stats.
Jonathan Allen injured a pec and was lost for the season. Before going out, he recorded 2 tackles with 1 defensive stop and generated 1 pressure (5% pressure rate).
Johnny Newton made 1 tackle for a stop and 2 assists. He generated 1 pressure on 14 pass rush snaps (7.1% pressure rate).
Phidarian Mathis had 2 tackles, 1 of which was behind the line, and both were defensive stops. He did not pressure the QB.
A week after his biggest day as a Commander last week, Frankie Luvu kept a low profile against the Ravens, recording just 1 tackle and 1 assist with 1 missed tackle. He generated 1 pressure in 10 pass rush snaps (10% pressure rate). He had 1 target against WR Nelson Agholor in 23 coverage snaps (4.3%) and allowed a 25 yard reception (1.1 Y/Cov Snap).
Meanwhile, Bobby Wagner was working overtime, recording 6 tackles and 6 assists, resulting in 5 defensive stops. He generated 1 QB hit in 3 pass rush attempts (33.3% pressure rate). He was targeted 2 times in 30 coverage snaps (6.7%), allowing 1 reception by WR Rashod Bateman for 33 yds (1.1 Y/Cov Snap).
Mykal Walker had 5 tackle assists. PFF credits him with 1 tackle for a stop. He was targeted once in 2 coverage snaps (50%) and allowed an 18 yard reception by TE Isaiah Likely (9 Y/Cov Snap).
The Commanders’ CBs and other defenders were outmatched by Ravens WRs Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. Each had perfect outings. Flowers caught 9/9 targets for 132 yds and 7 first downs. Bateman caught 4/4 targets for 71 yds and 4 first downs.
Benjamin St-Juste was targeted on 18.2% of coverage snaps. He conceded 5/5 targets to Flowers and Bateman, while breaking up 1 pass intended for Nelson Agholor. The receivers in his coverage totalled 63 yards in 33 coverage snaps, for a receiving productivity of 1.9 Yards/Coverage Snap. He made 3 tackles and 2 assists, with 1 defensive stop and 2 missed tackles.
Mike Sainristil played the opposite boundary to St-Juste and made his first NFL interception off of a tipped pass, as well as 1 pass breakup. In 30 coverge snaps, he was targeted 4 times (13.3% target rate), allowing 4 receptions by Zay Flowers (3) and Justice Hill (1) for 33 yds (1.1 Y/Cov Snap). Sainristil made 4 tackles and 2 assists, with 2 defensive stops and no missed tackles.
Noah Igbinoghene manned the slot once again. In 25 coverage snaps, he was targeted 5 times (20% target rate) and gave up 3 receptions for 42 yards to Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman (1.68 Y/Cov Snap). He had 1 pass breakup against Nelson Agholor. He made 2 tackles, with no stops.
Jeremy Chinn played almost exclusively in the box and covering TEs in the slot. He led the team with 7 tackles and 1 assist, with 1 defensive stop. In 21 coverage snaps, he was targeted once, allowing a 15 yd reception by TE Mark Andrews.
Quan Martin played a lot of single high free safety. He was targeted twice in coverage and allowed a 44 yard reception by Zay Flowers and a 38 yard reception by Mark Andrews for a total of 82 yards. He made 4 tackles and 1 assist with 1 stop.
Percy Butler also played mainly in the box and covering tight ends in the slot. He was the Commanders’ third most prolific tackler, after Bobby Wagner and Jeremy Chinn, with 5 tackles, 2 assists and 3 defensive stops. In 20 coverage snaps, he was targeted 3 times, allowing a 13 yd TD reception by Mark Andrews and a 9 yd reception by TE Isaiah Likely.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Austin Seibert’s perfect streak finally came to an end when a 50 yard field goal attempt was blocked to end the second quarter. He made 3 of 4 field goal attempts, with scores from 42, 49 and 55 yards. He was 2/2 on extra points to extend the lesser part of his perfect streak to a fifth game.
Tress Way was back in form, with 3 punts for 123 yards, and an average net yardage of 40.0 yds/punt. He landed 2/3 punts well inside the 20 yard line.
Olamide Zaccheaus had just 1 punt return for 10 years. For the season, he has returned 5 punts for 83 yards, and is averaging 16.6 yds/punt, with no muffs or turnovers. His average return of 16.6 yds is the 3rd highest in the league (min 5 returns).
Austin Ekeler returned 1 kickoff for 32 yds. His average return of 31.9 yds ranks 5th among NFL kick returners (min 5 returns).
Nick Bellore made 2 tackles against the Ravens. He currently leads the team and the NFL with 8 tackles and 2 assists in special teams coverage. Deducting his 2 missed tackles from the total puts him in a tie for first place with the Saints’ Anferee Orji.
Jeremy Chinn also made 2 tackles in teams coverage to keep him in third place on the Commanders, and xth in the league, with a season total of 4 tackles and 1 assist.
The Commanders’ second place teams tackler, Jeremy McNichols did not make any tackles this week and had 1 missed tackle. Even so, he is tied for 5th most special teams tackles in the league, with 5 tackles, 2 assists and 3 missed tackles for the season.
John Bates got on the board with coverage tackle, his first of the season.
Michael Davis also had a missed tackle. There were no penalties on teams this week, for the third time this season.
Week 5 Poll Quiz Answer
Last week I changed the poll question to ask which Commander would have their breakout game against the Ravens. I was confident that at least 1 new or underrated Commander would have their biggest day in Burgundy and Gold, because that has been the case pretty much every week this season. The Ravens did a good job of keeping most everyone below their season best performances.
One young Commander, however, had his most productive day in Washington. CB Mike Sainristil, playing outside his natural position notched his first NFL interception, along with 1 PBU, 6 combined tackles, and 2 defensive stops, while limiting the receivers in his coverage to just 1.1 Yards per Coverage Snap. At the risk of stretching the definition of a breakout performance, if anyone on the team had one, it was Mike Sainristil.
While the majority of poll respondents (54%) went with rookie WR Luke McCaffrey, who seemed on the verge of breaking out against the Browns, Sainristil was the second most popular choice with 12% of the vote, just ahead of TE Ben Sinnott at 10%.