No matter what struggles the Washington Commanders face, fans can always rely on the Dallas Cowboys for a few laughs. And their disastrous Thursday Night Football loss to the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers was another hilarious example.
It also showed that the Cowboys are quickly learning what the Commanders already knew about veteran edge rusher Von Miller.
The future Pro Football Hall of Famer signed in Dallas just before the season. Miller was expected to make his presence felt as a rotational threat, and he was confident he still had good football left to give in his career twilight.
Von Miller is proving the Commanders right with disastrous start in Dallas
Things have not gone well so far.
Miller has yet to register a sack. He has two tackles and one pressure in five games. The Cowboys defense looks worse than it did last year — if that's possible. And the veteran's inability to hold contain on the edge was a weak link the Buccaneers exploited with alarming frequency.
This is already drawing severe criticism.
Former Washington safety turned ESPN analyst Donte Whittner highlighted Miller's frailties on morning debate show Get Up, claiming it was time for the eight-time Pro Bowler to step aside. It's hard to argue, but the Cowboys aren't exactly blessed with legitimate options on the front seven.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have signed Miller in the first place.
The Commanders saw that last season.
Miller flashed as a pass-rusher. He even led the team in sacks, though injuries to others played a role in that distinction. However, he is much older and much slower than in his prime, and teams attack him with off-tackle runs that expose his run-stopping regression.
Von Miller is coming to the end, and the Commanders saw it coming
The former Texas A&M game-wrecker wanted to come back to Washington this offseason. Miller thought he had more to give the Commanders after a lost campaign, but general manager Adam Peters had other ideas.
Peters wanted to get younger and more explosive. He wanted more youthful urgency and not to rely on aging veterans chasing a ring or another payday. That made Miller surplus to requirements, and he's now Dallas' problem.
The Commanders might not be getting better results, but their defense is improving. They are creating pressure, causing havoc consistently in the backfield, and defensive coordinator Daronte Jones' switch to a 3-4 front seems to be having the desired effect.
Miller just wasn't a good fit. And it's starting to look like this will be the final season of his glittering career.
Dallas' shocking prime-time loss further opened things up in the NFC East. The Commanders may be propping up the division at 1-3, but they are not out of the fight just yet. And with quarterback Jayden Daniels returning in Week 5 against the New York Giants, all hope is not lost just yet.
As for Miller? Father Time has caught up to him. He fought it off for longer than most, but a player that teams had to actively focus their scheme against has now become a complete liability.
That's just how it goes, but the Commanders' decision not to bring him back was the correct one.
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