Instant reactions to the Commanders preseason loss to the Chiefs

The Defense

Positives

• Kendall Fuller was the standout for the defense despite giving up a touchdown, to a much taller Jody Fortson. Fuller had multiple pass breakups, while nearly everyone else in the secondary fell victim to Patrick Mahomes’ pinpoint accuracy, Fuller made Mahomes work a tad harder.

• The Commanders first-team defense was effective at stopping the run. Notably, Jamin Davis had multiple plays where he filled the right gap in helping stop the Chiefs run. That is a positive sign for Davis to trend towards being an every-down player.
• Shaka Toney showed why the Commanders staff still like his potential. In the third quarter, he burst off the line, beating the Chiefs’ left tackle off the snap, as he bent around the edge for the sack.

Negatives 

• Overall, the first-team defense was putrid against the Chiefs. Excuses can be made in regards to playing Mahomes, the questionable pass interference call on William Jackson that kept the Chiefs’ first drive alive, and the sheer wizardry Mahomes showed throughout Saturday’s contest. Yet, the defense has to be better, notably in these areas.
• Third-down defense. After the Commanders were historically bad at getting off the field on third downs in 2021, the trend continuing in the preseason is concerning. At one point, the Chiefs were 6-for-6 on third downs. The Commanders were fairly effective at getting the Cheifs into third-and-longs, yet every single time the Chiefs converted.
• The starting defensive line for the Commanders struggled to generate pressure, and the few times they did they allowed Patrick Mahomes to break contain before he made a play out of the structure. Ron Rivera was very animated in his frustrations with this at halftime, according to sideline reporter Logan Paulsen for the preseason broadcast.
• The Commanders had seven penalties on the day for 75 yards. Many of those came on the defense, in the ways of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties for late hits that extended drives.

Special Teams: 

• Tress Way is still the consistent punter you remember him as.
• The kickoff return team remains a concern, with multiple kicks being stopped before the returner passed the 20.