Washington Football Team studs and duds from Week 5 loss to Rams

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LANDOVER, MARYLAND – OCTOBER 11: Robert Woods #17 of the Los Angeles Rams scores a touchdown against Landon Collins #26 of the Washington Football Team in the second quarter at FedExField on October 11, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /

Dud No. 2 – The rest of the secondary

Remember when we thought that Ron Rivera, Jack Del Rio, and defensive backs coach Chris Harris would fix all the communication issues on the back end of the defense? Yeah, me neither.

The Washington Football Team’s secondary was a mess against the Rams. Communication snags routinely led to big plays for the Rams, tackling was inconsistent again, and on third down, the unit simply refused to put down the clamps and get off the field.

It’s becoming more and more clear that the Washington Football Team might need a total reset in the secondary, or at least something close to it. Troy Apke and Landon Collins are far too tentative and indecisive in coverage, and it’s not only hurting the cornerbacks, but also preventing the linebackers from getting the help they need against tight ends.

Some of the credit goes to Sean McVay, who was very creative in his use of route combinations. But it’s the secondary’s job to be ready for anything, and they simply weren’t on Sunday.

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