Washington’s defense played pretty well last week—for about seven-eighths of the game. Late in the contest, though, they started to get gashed as the Giants found ways to break through. Granted, the offense didn’t do its job either, allowing the Giants to stay on schedule offensively by failing to put up more points in the red zone. That said, the defense still leaves a lot to be desired.
The Good: They played well enough to beat the Giants, which hasn’t happened often for Washington in the last five seasons. They managed to limit the damage from Daniel Jones and kept key players, like Nabers, in check for most of the game.
The Bad: The defense has shown that they cannot put away teams without solid support from the offense. When the offense isn’t firing, the defense has a hard time stepping up. This may not be the most forgiving take, but the team’s recent moves at the trade deadline suggest that even the organization senses something is off.
Two Up 👍👍
Jeremy Chinn (PFF Grade - 74.6)
Chinn has made the departure of Kam Curl to the Rams almost forgettable. When Washington signed Chinn this offseason, it seemed like a smart move, and his performance against the Giants has been called his best of the season.
Dante Fowler Jr. (PFF Grade - 52.5)
An argument could be made that Fowler saved the game for Washington early on with his strip sack of Daniel Jones. The former top-five pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars continues to be a disruption for the Commanders this season.
Season Progressive Grade:
• Week 9 Grade: B-
• Season Grade: C+
Defensive Rankings:
• Total YPG: 326.3 (14th, Last Week: 13th)
• Pass YPG: 185.0 (5th, Last Week: 6th)
• Run YPG: 142.3 (28th, Last Week: 25th)
• 3rd Down Conversion Rate: 41.84% (22nd, Last Week: 23rd)
The addition of Marshon Lattimore should eventually pay huge dividends for Washington, but not immediately. They’ll have to grind it out for at least one more game without him, as they prepare to face a suddenly competent Steelers offense.
Photo credits: Commanders.com
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