They paid him like he's one of the NFL's premier edge-rushers, but $96-million man Odafe Oweh still looks far from elite for the Washington Commanders. That has to change against the New York Giants on Thursday Night Football in Week 10.
Oweh is the key to the Commanders' ability to wreck a deceptive Giants' offense. The unit doesn't always play as advertised, but it's still a dangerous group, something the Commanders found to their cost during the infamous overtime tie at Northwest Stadium in Week 5.
A big part of the reason the Commanders collapsed in that game was their inability to stop the Giants' passing attack. It wasn't the smash-mouth ground game head coach John Harbaugh loves that did the damage, but deep throws between the numbers to wide receiver Malik Nabers and tight end Isaiah Likely.
Commanders need Odafe Oweh to make J.J. McCarthy miserable on prime time
Those are the throws Big Blue quarterback J.J. McCarthy is most comfortable releasing. It's up to Oweh to make the signal-caller decidedly uncomfortable at MetLife Stadium.
So it's a good thing Oweh's playing better than the eye test would indicate.
The Commanders couldn't cover Likely or Nabers five weeks ago, so they need to make sure the ball doesn't even reach this dynamic duo. Enter Oweh, who has two sacks in his last three games.
One of those sacks came against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6. When defensive coordinator Daronte Jones sent rookie inside linebacker Sonny Styles on the blitz to leave Owen unblocked.
Any barely functional pass-rusher will thrive if they're untouched off the line of scrimmage. This is how Jones' defense is meant to work: elaborate blitz designs create free rushers to the quarterback, but the Commanders still need Oweh to step up.
Specifically, the Commanders need their major investment to dominate one-on-one matchups. Particularly on the rare occasions Jones doesn't send extra pressure.
Fortunately, Oweh is physical enough to put offensive tackles on skates when he's at his best. Like when he bulldozed his way to a strip-sack of ex-Giants quarterback Daniel Jones against the Indianapolis Colts at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Odafe Oweh must pick a side against Giants formidable tackle tandem
It won't be easy for Oweh to replicate a play like this against the Giants. Not when the NFC East leaders field a pair of beefy, capable bookend tackles: Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor.
Oweh's first step toward harassing and hitting McCarthy will be to test both Thomas and Eluemunor and find the best side to rush from. Once the Penn State product has chosen his preferred victim, he must lean into the sneakily varied repertoire of pass-rush moves in his skill set.
He's always been a player who's promised more than he's delivered, but Oweh has some nuance to his game. Including a nifty dip underneath, combined with a powerful, over-arm swim move to get loose from his blocker. The 2021 first-round pick can also win from the inside, thanks to a devilish spin move.
These levels of athleticism and technique teased the Baltimore Ravens about Oweh's potential. At least before they traded him to the Los Angeles Chargers last season, and the 27-year-old promptly logged 10.5 sacks in 13 games.
The Commanders are still waiting for this version of Oweh.
If he can unleash the beast this week, the Giants will be forced to double No. 98, letting the Commanders' other skilled pass-rushers feast. Guys like Oweh's fellow edge defender K'Lavon Chaisson, who's proving a bargain, and versatile defensive linemen Charles Omenihu and Dorance Armstrong Jr.
It's a group disruptive and flexible enough to give McCarthy nightmares. Especially if the Minnesota Vikings draft flop reverts to type and shows the hesitation in "stressful moments" identified by ex-NFL QB Dan Orlovsky. Moments when his No. 1 read isn't open.
This game will be closer than the Giants would like if Oweh ratchets up the stress for McCarthy.
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