Key numbers from Week 5 as Commanders’ late-game heroics fail

The Bad: Offensive line issues and penalties continue to hold the Commanders back

19: The team had a 1st and goal from the two-yard line with 19 seconds left. 19 SECONDS. Three straight incompletions with an interception as the cherry on top to end the game. With a chance to show the team was progressing and potentially turn the season around. With almost identical play calls on second and third down, is it any surprise the ball was intercepted?

1-11: After having the sixth-best third-down conversion rate in the NFL over the first four games, Washington was all but guaranteed to fail on third-down against the Titans, finishing 1-for-11 on third downs, with the first successful third down conversion coming with 28 seconds left in the game.

71: The lack of discipline continued as Washington had nine penalties for 71 yards. But to really see the consequences, you have to look at the penalties.

• A holding penalty on Brian Robinson’s first run of 8 yards made a potential 2nd and 2 into a 1st and 19. Washington went three and out on the drive.
• Offensive holding wiped out a 29-yard Dax Milne punt return.
• Roughing the passer penalty on 3rd-and-8 gave the Titans a free first down. Montez Sweat had also run offsides so there would have been a penalty either way. The Titans would go on to score on that drive to go up 14-10 at halftime.
• Offensive holding on Andrew Norwell, followed by a sack allowed by Norwell two plays later. Washington punts on the drive.
• False start by Andrew Norwell, followed by a sack given up by Norwell. Washington punts on the drive.

3: Washington allowed Wentz to be sacked three times (two directly the fault of Andrew Norwell) and hit seven times. Washington game into the game giving up the most sacks per game and you wonder why Wentz tends to panic in the backfield.

Speaking of Norwell, his last name auto-corrects to not well on iPhone and if that doesn’t epitomize how he has been playing on the field, I don’t know what does.

24-3: The Titans are 24-3 when Derrick Henry rushes for over 100 yards. He had 28 rushes for 102 yards against Washington.

100%: The Titans came into the game with the best red-zone offense and continued that trend against Washington going 3-for-3 (100%) in the red zone, scoring a touchdown on each trip. The Commanders were tied for 10th best red-zone defense coming into this game.

6: Carson Wentz has six fumbles this season and has lost one. He had eight fumbles all of last season, but has struggled with holding on to the football previously. He has three seasons where he fumbled 10+ times.

$40.5M: In the latest high-signing failure, William Jackson was benched for Benjamin St-Juste. Jackson signed a three-year $40.5M contract and would have a dead-cap charge of $9M if Washington moves on after the season.

With a short week and a game coming against the team Rivera not only used to play for but started his coaching career with, what better time than now to change the trajectory of the season around?