The Washington Commanders generated playoff buzz after their thrilling comeback victory over Jacksonville in Week 1. Fast forward to Week 2 and the Commanders looked like a team in contention for a top 10 pick in next year’s draft … for the first half, anyway.
The Commanders deserve credit for making things interesting in the second half. The offense did its part and then some, but the defense started off strong before falling on its face, culminating in allowing D’Andre Swift to score a touchdown on 3rd and 15 after he fell over and missed several chances to bring him down.
While the second-half comeback was inspiring, Washington gave fans several reasons to be concerned moving forward. Whether it be from fans or the media, performances like the one you saw Sunday often lead to rash overreactions.
These don’t fall into the rash department, but we have our own batch of overreactions after Washington’s first loss of the year.
3 overreactions from Commanders loss to the Lions.
3. William Jackson III is a bust signing
Again, this is an overreaction. It’s not how we actually feel. But man, is Jackson trending dangerously close to bust territory. A solid man corner for the Bengals, Jackson was adamant that he’d rebound in his second season in Washington’s zone scheme. That’s … been anything but the case through two games.
In Week 1, Jackson allowed six catches on seven targets and Trevor Lawrence boasted a 100.6 passer rating when targeting him.
In Week 2, Jackson was involved in a miscommunication with Benjamin St-Just that allowed Amon-Ra St. Brown to break free for a huge gain. On the ensuing possession, St-Brown beat Jackson for a touchdown. It was a risky throw from Jared Goff, but St. Brown won the shoving match with Jackson, who lost this footing as the ball arrived.
It might be an organizational failure that Washington signed a man corner to play a zone defense, but Jackson hasn’t done his part adjusting. Plenty of season left, but Sunday was another lackluster showing from the $40.5 million corner.
Don’t fault any Commanders fans who think he’s a bust signing.
2. Commanders have a top-7 receiving corps
I’m not normally in the business of pointing out moral victories following losses, but Commanders fans have to feel giddy about the team’s WR trio. Through two games, it’s not hyperbole to peg them a top-seven receiving corps in the NFL.
Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel did nothing in the first half as Washington’s offense was stuck in neutral (and reverse, at times), and they still combined for 212 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 15 catches.
McLaurin is arguably a top-10 talent already, Samuel’s versatility and shiftiness in open space in reminiscent of Deebo Samuel and Jahan Dotson’s composure and route-running is indicative of a multi-year veteran.
How many receiver rooms are definitively more talented than Washington’s? The Bengals, Buccaneers, Chargers and Vikings are the only ones that come to mind with arguments to be made for Philly, Buffalo, the Rams and Dolphins.
Rank them wherever you please, but the national media is starting to take notice, which speaks volumes, and they’ll keep climbing the ranks with each week that passes given how feeble Washington’s defense looks so far.
Speaking of which …
1. Jack Del Rio should be fired
Look, the defense can only underperform so much before heads must roll and Washington’s defense underachieving under Del Rio’s tutelage is nothing new. The Week 1 performance against Jacksonville was a worrying sign for things to come and Week 2’s defeat against the Lions confirmed those concerns.
Big plays once again victimized the Commanders defense Sunday after the Jaguars compiled eight explosive plays in Week 1. A hobbled D’Andre Swift logged a 50-yard run and Amon-Ra St. Brown, whom Del Rio will surely have nightmares about for the rest of the season, breaking free for a monster gain on a simple crossing pattern. Those are just two examples.
The bottom line is Del Rio’s unit made zero adjustments after the opener.
In 2021, Washington finished 25th in points per game, 31st in opponent third-down conversion rate and 22nd in total yards per game. The only improvement we’ve seen has been on third down, but two games is a really small sample size.
We hate to call for someone’s job, but Del Rio entered 2022 on the hot seat and Washington’s defense has looked just as bad as last year. Yes, the unit rebound in the second half, but only initially as St-Brown ripped a 58-yard run on an end-around before Swift converted a 3rd and 15 for a touchdown after falling down. When all was said and done, the Lions hung 36 points and 425 total yards on Del Rio’s group.
How many more sloppy defensive performances do we have to watch before Del Rio is held accountable?
Asking for every disgruntled Commanders fan.