Beating the Dallas Cowboys should always be incentive enough for the Washington Commanders, but a win at AT&T Stadium in Week 18 has a greater reward. Namely, it will secure the sixth seed in the NFC playoff bracket, ensuring a potentially easier game in the Wildcard round.
Adding to the Cowboys' considerable misery this season will happen if three under-the-radar Commanders contribute. The on-deck group is headlined by Chris Rodriguez Jr., who has been making a strong case to supplant inconsistent Brian Robinson Jr. as the lead workhorse in the backfield.
Rodriguez is bringing some straight-ahead power to the ground game. It's the same quality the Commanders need for a worryingly generous run defense that threatens to derail their postseason campaign at the first hurdle, regardless of opponent.
Fortunately, a veteran nose tackle can give Washington's front seven a better chance to hold some double teams and clog a few running lanes. This unheralded lineman needs more snaps if he is to be properly playoff-ready.
Being game-ready should also be at the forefront of the mind of a cornerback picked on mercilessly during the postseason-sealing victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17.
Unheralded Commanders players who are key to victory in Week 18
Chris Rodriguez Jr. deserves more work
A touch of brute force can help the Commanders re-establish the running game. Rodriguez brings a smash-mouth style to the offense, something he's been showcasing in recent weeks, but the second-year pro deserves more work.
Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury can justify taking some carries away from Robinson, who has had issues with ball security and moving the pile. An average of 4.6 yards per carry against the Falcons represented a bounce-back of sorts after the former third-round pick tallied 2.4 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles and 3.1 against the New Orleans Saints.
Rodriguez has had a mere 35 carries compared with Robinson's 182, but the smaller sample size has revealed traits the Commanders need. Things like Rodriguez gaining 111 of his 173 yards after contact.
The sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft is running people over. Like he did for the go-ahead touchdown against Atlanta.
Another long @Commanders drive ends with 6️⃣! Rodriguez takes it in for the lead!
— NFL (@NFL) December 30, 2024
📺: #ATLvsWAS on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/HwnfZ9vseF
Rodriguez can beat up on the Cowboys in the same way and restore the hard-nosed edge the Commanders will need to be a problem for their playoff opposition. Those opponents should find their own attempts to run the ball a troubling chore.
Extra snaps for Carl Davis can make a difference
The run defense can't go on in the same way for the Commanders for one simple reason. It's not working. Not even close.
Washington's defensive front is being manhandled, particularly along the interior. That's why there has to be some extra snaps for Carl Davis, a big body who can play over the ball and has useful experience in two-gap defenses.
The experience comes from stints with the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots. Those defenses relied on linemen holding the point of attack and allowing linebackers and safeties to make plays stopping the run.
This defense needs a beefy presence in the middle to absorb blockers and let others swarm to the ball. Even if it means fewer reps for more active defensive tackles like Daron Payne and rookie Johnny Newton, who are struggling to split gaps and get off blocks against the run.
It's time for 6-foot-5, 335-pound Davis to see the field more often. He didn't get into the action last week when the Falcons amassed 126 yards on the deck.
Failure to fix this core weakness will prove fatal for the Commanders come playoff time. Another complication on the back end of Washington's defense also needs a successful resolution as a matter of urgency.
Michael Davis needs a bounce-back game
You could forgive Michael Davis for feeling slightly overworked after the Falcons targeted him relentlessly in Week 17. He hardly fared well, giving up numerous catches, particularly to towering Atlanta wideout Drake London.
The Cowboys don't possess a tall, contested-catch playmaker like London. That won't stop them from challenging Davis with the vertical speed of six-time 1,000-yard receiver Brandin Cooks.
Davis is likely still going to be needed amid the ongoing imperative to proceed with caution where four-time Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore is concerned. The Cowboys will have watched the tape on the veteran from last week, so the former Los Angeles Chargers starter must rebound in a major way.
Playing to his core physical strengths and getting his hands on receivers earlier will make a positive difference for Davis. So will Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. giving some safety help and trusting ex-Cowboys cornerback Noah Igbinoghene and rookie Mike Sainristil to handle one-on-one matchups.