No sooner did the Washington Commanders get stud cornerback Marshon Lattimore back into the mix, than the player could be set for another spell on the sidelines.
Lattimore went out of Washington's memorable Week 16 success against the Philadelphia Eagles. He aggravated the hamstring injury that's kept him out since joining the Commanders via trade from the New Orleans Saints. His physical tussle with wide receiver A.J. Brown took its toll in only the second appearance for his new club.
Dan Quinn revealed that it's the same hamstring that Lattimore spent so long rehabilitating. The head coach confirmed that it's unlikely the former first-round pick will feature on Sunday Night Football versus the Atlanta Falcons, which is a devastating blow to the team's chances of securing one more win to reach the postseason.
The Commanders were anticipating Lattimore to feature prominently over the stretch run and potentially the playoffs if they made it that far. This was a long-term investment from the franchise, but it's clear something isn't quite right.
There's probably nobody more disappointed than Lattimore. He's highly competitive and wants to reestablish himself as a legitimate force. The talent is undeniable — his first two outings in a Washington uniform were a testament to that — but this injury complication is bothering him more than initially anticipated.
Commanders must pivot effectively without Marshon Lattimore
This forces the Commanders into a pivot. Quinn stated that Benjamin St-Juste and Michael Davis will share responsibilities at Lattimore's spot. Considering how both have struggled this season, it's not hard to see where complications could emerge.
Just win and worry about the rest later. The Commanders have the luxury of resting Lattimore and other veterans in their regular-season finale at the Dallas Cowboys if they can beat the Falcons this weekend. That's an extra fortnight of recuperation before a potential reunion matching up with Brown in the postseason.
Getting in is trickier without Lattimore. The Falcons have some dangerous weapons in the passing game who'll be relishing the prospect of going up against either St-Juste or Davis. Drake London, Darnell Mooney, and tight end Kyle Pitts will fancy their chances of a big evening without having to worry about one of the league's best boundary corners.
The Commanders will roll with the punches as they have all season. Joe Whitt Jr. has his defense much more competitive than earlier in the campaign. Lattimore's return had a lot to do with it, so adjusting the game plan slightly is essential.
That should revolve around preventing Atlanta's dynamic running back Bijan Robinson from dictating proceedings. Putting the game in first-round pick Michael Penix Jr.'s hands is the best way to go during his first NFL experience with the national spotlight glaring. Generating pressure and disguising coverages could be enough to offset Lattimore's loss to a certain extent.
Any team is going to miss a player of Lattimore's caliber. But it's not like the Commanders haven't had experience coping without the Ohio State product this season.
Hopefully, they can do the same again and seal their spot in the knockout stages.