What lingering observations remain as the Washington Commanders turn the page on their Week 5 loss against the Chicago Bears?
With Week 5 almost in the books, an extra period of rest for the Washington Commanders will soon come to an end. Attention is turning quickly to the next challenge, which sees Ron Rivera's squad make the trip south to take on the Atlanta Falcons in pursuit of ending a three-game losing skid.
Big characters are needed, that's for sure. The Commanders have no more margin for error despite such a promising start, so the onus is on Rivera and his staff to make the adjustments needed to avoid further complications.
With that being said, here are four burning questions lingering around the Commanders as the page turns on their Week 5 primetime embarrassment.
Why are the Commanders underperforming on defense?
There were a lot of expectations surrounding the Washington Commanders' defense coming into this season. However, that's not the case anymore.
Washington's unit has given up 31.4 points per game to date. The secondary is getting torched, giving up big play after big play.
Emmanuel Forbes is enduring some severe rookie complications. He had another lousy game and was benched in the fourth quarter for Danny Johnson, which one could argue should have been done sooner.
This was supposed to be the year where the defense took another step forward in creating turnovers, but they've managed just one in the last three contests. They have been a doormat for opposing offensives - from the Buffalo Bills to the Chicago Bears.
On Thursday night, D.J. Moore carved up the Commanders' secondary with eight catches for a blistering 230 yards and three touchdowns. The defense is too talented to play so poorly.
Head coach Ron Rivera said he isn't making any coaching changes now, but he might not have much time if this defense continues to play at the same standard over the next couple of weeks. Magic Johnson called out the team after such a woeful display, so the two defensive figureheads - including coordinator Jack Del Rio - need to get their act together.
Has Ron Rivera lost the Commanders' locker room?
There is a growing concern in the Washington Commanders' fanbase regarding Ron Rivera after Thursday night's loss to the Chicago Bears. Something that led them to make their feelings known far and wide across social media in its immediate aftermath.
Many in the media believe it's time for the Commanders to potentially move on. Some feel that Rivera has checked out, but a coach who has only one winning season in the last nine years should know how to manage a team with so much talent better than this.
Rivera is in his fourth season with the Commanders and has not had a winning record - even the year they won the division. His comments during half-time left many scratching their heads about what was unfolding in front of them.
Some view Rivera as a leader of men, but his football mentality seems to have left him. The former linebacker for the Bears isn't saying what the fans want to hear. The excuses are getting old, and patience is running thin.
Rivera needs to get back to winning ways and quickly. He said in his press conference that it started with him - we have seen this and heard it before - so how can we believe or trust anything he is saying?
Next Sunday will be a must-win for the Commanders traveling to Atlanta to play the Falcons. It doesn't appear as if Rivera has lost the locker room just yet, but patience with the fans is wearing extremely thin.
Why is Commanders QB Sam Howell taking too many hits?
The up-and-down season from Sam Howell has shown some good and bad, but there are a lot of concerns. The Washington Commanders quarterback is projected to have 99 sacks during a 17-game span, and that would be the most in NFL history set by David Carr - 76 for the Houston Texans in 2002.
On Thursday night, he was sacked five more times. This brings the total to 29 so far, which leads the league.
Plus, Howell is also losing yardage from being sacked so many times. Randall Cunningham set the record in 1986 with 489 yards lost, but the former fifth-round selection is also on pace to eclipse that.
Howell is taking too many hits, which is another concern. If he doesn't break the record, perhaps he won't make it through the season.
Left Tackle Charles Leno Jr. is worried about the amount of hits that Howell is taking. A reporter asked the signal-caller after the game if he felt that the hits were taking a toll on him and it was clear that the North Carolina product didn't want to throw anyone under the bus.
The Commanders should know this is an issue that needs to be corrected. Undoubtedly, it's a combination of many things.
Washington's offensive line is bad - not only this year but also going back to last season. Howell has held on to the ball too much at times, which leads to taking unnecessary sacks, and play calling could be another issue that may have contributed to the sacks as well.
With nine days to put this right before Week 6's showdown in Atlanta, changes need to be made if this team wants to have any type of playoff chances.
Do the Commanders have the right personnel?
The coaching for the Washington Commanders has been a question mark so far this season, even with the acquisition of Eric Biemieny replacing Scott Turner. This begs the question of whether the team has the right personnel in positions of power.
The offense still has slow starts and is not running the ball as much in the process. Washington's best wide receiver, Terry McLaurin, doesn't get involved until late in the game, which is another cause for concern.
Brian Robinson Jr. is running the ball effectively, but the ground game seems to disappear for the pass. Bieniemy needs to keep things balanced - this isn't the Kansas City Chiefs, after all.
Washington can't just pass up and down the field when their offensive line is terrible. And on the other side of the ball, the defense hasn't played very well, not generating enough pressure.
With six first-round picks, you would think this team would be very dominant defensively. There's a lot that needs to be fixed in a short period and quickly. Everyone needs to be on the same page.
This front four has been together long enough to play above expectations. The Commanders' scheme could be a problem, but the players have far too much talent to be performing without the consistency needed.
For now, fans might want to take a wait-and-see approach with the Commanders. If the coaches and playing personnel don't rise to the challenge, landmark changes once the campaign concludes won't be too far behind.