3 problems Commanders must solve before Week 7 vs. the Panthers

This was always bound to happen. The Washington Commanders were destined to come back to earth, and they did against a very good Baltimore Ravens team in Week 6.

That should not diminish their strong performance in the four weeks leading up to the Ravens’ game. Washington thoroughly outclassed the Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals. Their win over the Cincinnati Bengals was not achieved with smoke and mirrors.

The only game they may have been lucky to win came in Week 2 against the New York Giants, but the NFC East rival always plays the Commanders well. And any division win is a good win, regardless of style points.

The Commanders’ weaknesses were on display at the Ravens. Without Brian Robinson Jr., they had trouble running against an elite rushing defense. Roquan Smith showed how a great linebacker can limit the damage Jayden Daniels can do with his legs. Kliff Kingsbury had to abandon it quickly when Washington fell behind.

Most disturbingly, the Ravens' balanced offense exposed Washington’s very porous pass defense. The Commanders have not had legitimate cover cornerbacks since 2020 when Kendall Fuller, Ronald Darby, and Jimmy Moreland were in the secondary. None are still with the team, and no replacements have emerged as yet to fill their shoes.

The fact that Washington was in a position to tie the Ravens late in the fourth quarter should be encouraging to fans. This team still has a long way to go to contend for championships, but it has already made good strides from last season when they finished with the second-worst record in the entire league.

They have an excellent opportunity to get back on the winning track this weekend when they host the struggling Carolina Panthers in a late afternoon contest. To improve to 5-2 and maintain at least a share of the NFC East lead, here are three problems the Commanders must solve entering Week 7.

Problems the Commanders must solve entering Week 7 vs. Panthers

Guarding against complacency

This is job No. 1 for Dan Quinn and his staff.

On paper, this game should not be close. Not only is Carolina 1-5, they are the only team in the entire league to have surrendered more than 200 points through six games. They have the third-lowest point total in the NFC. Consequently, they are the only team in the NFL to have a negative point differential in triple figures.

They are losing games by an average of 17 points this season. There is almost no aspect of the game in which the Panthers are even middle-of-the-road, much less in which they excel.

The Washington Commanders are looking ahead to a highly touted showdown between the top two rookie quarterbacks in the league when they take on the Chicago Bears the following week. Therefore, this has all the markings of a trap game.

The Panthers are not completely bereft of talent. When Andy Dalton replaced ineffective second-year quarterback Bryce Young, Carolina responded with its only win of the season, a shellacking of the Las Vegas Raiders on the road.

They held a 33-7 lead early in the fourth quarter. Dalton and running back Chuba Hubbard have proven dangerous at times. Their secondary is not too bad. If Jadeveon Clowney returns from injury, he might add some spark to their pass rush.

Washington needs to prepare for this game with the same intensity that has gone into previous weeks. They need to come out fast, get on top, and not let Carolina gain confidence.