He's back in the starting lineup, to the dismay of many, but Nick Allegretti's return will go a long way toward the Washington Commanders' chances of beating the New York Giants in Week 10.
The NFC East leaders hold all the cards for Thursday Night Football at MetLife Stadium. They include a fearsome front seven that's been wrecking opponents for fun along the line of scrimmage in recent weeks.
It's a group headlined by star attractions like edge-rusher Abdul Carter and roving rookie linebacker Arvell Reese, but veteran nose tackle D.J. Reader is the glue up front.
Nick Allegretti must change his Commanders' narrative against the Giants
He's the force Allegretti must tame if the Commanders are going to control the clock and keep quarterback Jayden Daniels clean in the pocket.
Handling Reader won't be easy for Allegretti, especially when the latter hasn't started since Week 3. It's not even like the Illinois product was mauling defensive linemen off the ball before he was benched.
Allegretti's sudden return to the first-choice offensive line has more than a few observers confused. Including film analyst and Substack writer Mark Bullock, who called his elevation "ridiculous" and "baffling."
Those words are aimed more at general manager Adam Peters' suspect roster construction skills. Not to mention head coach Dan Quinn's management of the admittedly suspect talent at his disposal.
Fortunately, there's a silver lining.
It's worth remembering that while Allegretti struggled mightily after moving from guard in the offseason, he's a proven Super Bowl winner. The 30-year-old former Kansas City Chiefs interior lineman has a solid pedigree and isn't without skills.
Nick Allegretti must win his matchup against D.J. Reader to justify Commanders' faith
Allegretti will need all of those skills against Big Blue because Reader is still tough to move at the point of attack. The 32-year-old remains a double-team magnet who's rarely happier than when he's clogging running lanes.
Reader is doing his favorite job well, but he's also putting a credible amount of heat on the pass-pocket. He's actually "the only player at the position with an 80.0-plus PFF run-defense and pass-rush grade," according to Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus.
If Reader is allowed to collapse the pocket from the inside, Daniels will be forced to escape outside. Right into the waiting arms of Carter and Reese.
What the Commanders and under-fire offensive coordinator David Blough need is for Daniels to pick his shots through the air selectively. That won't happen unless Washington's offense establishes a meaningful running game.
Getting the Giants to respect veteran duo Austin Ekeler and Rachaad White will be hard enough. Especially after the pair combined for a paltry 44 rushing yards on 11 carries against the Los Angeles Rams.
Perhaps Allegretti's reinstatement, along with blocking tight end John Bates being full go at practice, can give the Commanders an edge. It'll only happen if Allegretti controls the Giants' big man in the middle.
If Allegretti can handle Reader without too much help, the Commanders can get blockers up to the second level to absorb Reese and fellow inside linebacker Micah McFadden.
It's a big if, but Allegretti still has the faith of Quinn and his coaches, so now's the perfect time to show us why.
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