5 bold Washington Commanders predictions vs. the Panthers in Week 7
By Dean Jones
Commanders gain 200+ rushing yards
The Washington Commanders remain one of the league's most prolific rushing teams despite failing to generate any momentum on the ground in Week 6 at the Baltimore Ravens. That was always a possibility given their defensive front and the fact Brian Robinson Jr. was missing from the contest. Normal service should be resumed this weekend.
Robinson is back at practice and confident he can suit up against the Carolina Panthers. This is a team missing stud defensive lineman Derrick Brown and veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson through season-ending injuries. They also shipped 198 rushing yards to the Atlanta Falcons last time out to further raise optimism.
Much will depend on how much Robinson can handle. The Commanders have Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols to pick up the slack. It helps that Jayden Daniels has the dual-threat capabilities to keep Evero's unit honest. This is a stiff challenge the under-strength Carolina defense might not have enough to withstand.
If the Commanders can gain around or over the 200-rushing yard mark, that should be enough to keep Washington in complete control throughout.
Jeremy Chinn secures an interception
There won't be many more motivated players in Week 7 than Jeremy Chinn. The versatile defensive weapon was cast aside by the Carolina Panthers last season after becoming an afterthought within Ejiro Evero's 3-4 scheme. He was looking forward to a fresh start from a long way out, eventually signing a one-year deal with the Commanders in free agency.
Chinn's made a decent start to life in Washington. He's flashed genuine quality on occasion, but the coverage deficiencies have reared their ugly head at some stages of the campaign. This is a chance to get back on track and gain revenge on his old employers for good measure.
The former second-round selection looked like a superstar during his rookie campaign in 2020. Unfortunately for Chinn, switching him from outside linebacker to the backend led to a steady decline in influence when the NFL world was at his feet once upon a time.
Chinn's last interception came in Week 14 of the 2021 season against the Buffalo Bills. If he can create a takeaway in this one, it'll be a ball to savor.
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