What big problems must the Washington Commanders fix heading into their Thursday Night Football game against the Chicago Bears in Week 5?
Morale is pretty good across the Washington Commanders despite suffering two straight losses. While their thumping against the Buffalo Bills raised concerns, these were largely alleviated after pushing the Philadelphia Eagles to overtime in a defeat that could legitimately have gone either way.
This is a solid platform from which to build with some winnable games upcoming on the schedule. The Chicago Bears are first up on this stretch, which comes with an added incentive attached on primetime in front of yet another sold-out crowd at FedEx Field.
Complacency cannot become an issue going up against a winless team seemingly going nowhere fast. The Commanders are also not without certain areas that are in dire need of improvement before taking the field tomorrow night.
With this in mind, here are four big problems the Commanders must fix entering Week 5 versus the Bears.
Commanders punting issues
This is one of the biggest surprises of the campaign. Tress Way set an extremely high standard for the best part of a decade with the Washington Commanders, but these haven't been met so far and another poor punt in overtime at the Philadelphia Eagles gave quarterback Jalen Hurts the field position needed to get his team into field goal range.
While it hasn't been the best opening to the campaign for Way, he's experienced and talented enough to turn things around. Just how much the Commanders' coaching staff can help is debatable, but it might be worth altering special teams' coverage accordingly unless things improve.
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…
Commanders must make changes at LB
Ron Rivera was a prolific linebacker during his time in the NFL on the famous 1985 Chicago Bears squad. Jack Del Rio earned one Pro Bowl honor and secured more than 1,000 tackles - as a linebacker.
Therefore, for the Washington Commanders to have constant failings in the position is a complete mystery. Something that must change as a matter of extreme urgency entering Week 5 against the Bears on primetime.
This is a mixture of Del Rio's defensive scheme and the personnel at Washington's disposal. Jamin Davis is doing okay in difficult circumstances, but Cody Barton's production hasn't been up to the required standard and now is the time for alterations.
We've spoken previously about getting Khaleke Hudson involved after his strong preseason. The Commanders also brought Jabril Cox into the fold after final cuts, although he's yet to be activated from the practice squad despite a clear need for second-level reinforcements.
Not having the right formula at linebacker is having an impact elsewhere. The safety duo of Darrick Forrest and Kamren Curl is more focused on assisting closer to the line of scrimmage rather than the backend, which is causing complications in coverage and leading to the opposition making big plays downfield, which we've already touched upon.
Washington needs an injection of life behind their defensive front. Otherwise, it will continue to be a weak link and jeopardize their chances of progress - especially against one of the league's most mobile signal-callers in Justin Fields.
Commanders pass-rush invention
The Washington Commanders have some elite-level talent on the defensive front. Four first-round selections occupy starting positions and considering the way Chase Young's begun the campaign, there are no weak links whatsoever.
However, rushing four men constantly is a recipe for disaster. How the Commanders generate pressure is becoming all too predictable. Opposing protection schemes are sticking tight ends to assist on the edge and making things more difficult, with very few stunts or shifts being used to generate momentum through four weeks.
It cannot be that difficult to find alternative ways to get after the quarterback. Bringing Jamin Davis more frequently is a good place to start, with the former Kentucky star boasting the frame and explosiveness well suited to bring the heat from Washington's defensive second-level.
Perhaps a corner or safety blitz once in a while? It wouldn't hurt especially considering the physicality and aggressiveness in which Kamren Curl and Darrick Forrest go about their business.
The Chicago Bears have a porous offensive line. They are giving up 4.3 sacks per game on average, so this represents an outstanding opportunity for the Commanders to cause havoc in a disciplined manner given the need to keep Justin Fields contained in the pocket.
Is Jack Del Rio capable of making such progressive changes to the pass-rushing scheme? Time will tell on that front.
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