4 bold changes the Commanders must consider in Week 4 at Eagles

Commanders should adopt man coverage on Eagles WR duo

One of the biggest failings during the Washington Commanders' blowout loss against the Buffalo Bills was their inability to successfully counteract the exceptional weapons on offense. Quarterback Josh Allen gave Jack Del Rio's unit nightmares from start to finish, finding soft holes in the team's Cover 2 coverage scheme en route to big gains and significant points.

While completely abandoning Cover 2 seems unlikely given Del Rio's preference for the scheme, changing it up at the Philadelphia Eagles is something that should be considered when the situation dictates. Specifically, they go man-to-man against their two prominent wideouts in pursuit of limiting influence.

At least from the outside looking in, the Commanders appear to have the personnel for such a task. Kendall Fuller's begun the campaign in exceptional form and although A.J. Brown's physicality could be a problem, there's nothing to suggest the veteran cannot more than hold his own based on this season's production.

If Fuller struggles, perhaps the bigger Benjamin St-Juste might be an option to consider versus Brown, who is one of the league's most prolific threats for a reason.

There's also the small matter of DeVonta Smith to consider. Even though he's been blended in gradually so far, this looks like the sort of challenge that might bring the best out of Emmanuel Forbes looking at the pair's well-matched physiques and explosiveness.

That's a lot to ask of a rookie in such a hostile environment. But it's exactly why the Commanders identified Forbes as their top priority at No. 16 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.