The Washington Commanders are losers of each of their last four games, six of their last seven games, and nine of their last eleven games. They’ve allowed 45 points in back-to-back weeks and are in the midst of a dangerous spiral. With the season falling apart, the bye week is a welcome reprieve for players, coaches, and fans alike. It is a time for rest, re-focus, and self-reflection, and it is probably two weeks too late. Washington has fallen to 4-9 overall and appears to be headed for another slog to the finish line.
Commanders Limp Into Bye Week
Speed Kills
The Miami Dolphins boast the most explosive offense in the NFL this season. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa ranks third in the NFL in passing yards, wide receiver Tyreek Hill leads the league in receiving yards (by a mile) and running back Raheem Mostert is third in rushing yards. Hill (4.34s forty-yard dash time) and Jaylen Waddle (4.43s) form the NFL’s fastest receiver duo and Mostert (4.43s) and Devon Achane (4.34s) the fastest running back duo.
Despite this knowledge, Ron Rivera’s defensive scheme relied heavily on man-to-man concepts against Miami in Week 13. Rivera took defensive play-calling duties from ousted coordinator Jack Del Rio this week, with similar results. The Dolphins produced 406 yards of total offense and scored points on six of their nine drives, including four of their five first-half possessions. With a 31-7 deficit, the game was over at halftime. Tyreek made sure to thank the Commanders for disrespecting him with man coverage.
Lack of Pressure
Additionally, Washington continues its inability to generate quarterback pressure. Over the course of the season, the Commanders defense ranks 24th in the NFL in pressure rate (19.4%) and 27th in quarterback knockdowns (6.5%). Tagovailoa had all day to throw the ball downfield, averaging 11.3 yards per pass on Sunday without a single sack. For comparison, Sam Howell and the Washington offense generated 4.1 yards per pass, and Howell was sacked three times.
Tua is excellent at moving within the pocket despite being a modest threat to scramble. He’s a quick decision-maker and has one of the fastest releases of any quarterback. But if he’s given time to launch go-routes to Tyreek, the Miami offense is nearly unstoppable. The Dolphins went 9-for-15 on third and fourth down conversions against the Commanders. They alternated between methodically moving the chains and taking deep shots, leaving Washington without an answer.
Post-Bye Week Outlook
After the much-needed bye week, Washington travels to the West Coast to face the 6-6 Los Angeles Rams in Week 15. The Rams have won three straight games and repositioned themselves as playoff hopefuls. Led by a healthy Matthew Stafford, they sit in eighth place in the NFC and 14th overall in ESPN’s most recent Power Rankings. This game will matter significantly more to the Rams than it will to the Commanders. Los Angeles has scored at least 36 points in two straight contests.
In Week 16, Washington will fly back east for a road matchup with the 4-8 New York Jets on Christmas Eve. Could Aaron Rodgers be playing by then? Can Robert Saleh convince Zach Wilson to give it another go? Will Tim Boyle or Trevor Siemian ruin the holidays for everyone? Stay tuned. Regardless, there are likely to be draft-order implications for two teams with top-six picks. More than anything, the final four games after the bye week will serve as Sam Howell’s audition for the 2024 starting quarterback job.
Main Photo Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
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