4 big problems the Commanders must fix entering Week 5 vs. Bears
By Dean Jones
Commanders' big-play concession
There wasn't much to pick apart from an offensive standpoint in Week 4. Eric Bieniemy schemed up a more balanced attack, made things easier for Sam Howell, and trusted his signal-caller to make big plays in key moments when the time came for dynamic gains.
The same cannot be said of the Washington Commanders' defense, which is concerning given the talent at their disposal. One of the biggest complications stems from giving up too many big plays downfield, which is a result of no consistent pass rush on occasions and coverage failings within the secondary.
Just why the Commanders kept Emmanuel Forbes on A.J. Brown throughout Sunday's game is a mystery. The rookie was clearly finding life tough versus one of the league's most physically imposing pass-catchers, so why he wasn't switched in favor of Benjamin St-Juste or Kendall Fuller represented a grave error in judgment.
The Chicago Bears don't have many weapons capable of doing damage. Ron Rivera will know plenty about D.J. Moore after picking him in the first round as head coach of the Carolina Panthers, but Chase Claypool is in the doghouse, and aside from tight end Cole Kmet, it's slim pickings for quarterback Justin Fields.
That said, the Commanders and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio have to do a better job of getting help over the top in certain situations. The safeties are too focused on assisting the suspect second-level, which brings me to my next point nicely…