4 Commanders on the hot seat entering Week 6 at Falcons
By Dean Jones
Jack Del Rio - Commanders DC
Ron Rivera is a loyal man. It comes as no surprise to see the head coach keep faith with Jack Del Rio, but any further failings could see changes implemented given his own job prospects are also hanging in the balance.
The offseason concerns were centered around the offensive side of things. Nobody spent much time worrying about the defense, which looked strong at all three levels and capable of emerging into one of the league's most dominant forces if everyone stayed clear of injuries.
Sadly, that couldn't be further from the truth right now. This unit has underperformed aside from a couple of positives, with Del Rio's predictable schematic concepts also coming in for severe criticism through five weeks.
Everything looks a little outdated and not in keeping with the modern-day NFL. The game seems to be passing Del Rio by, so significant adjustments are needed moving forward to keep the proverbial wolves from the door.
It wouldn't be the biggest shock in the world to see Rivera become more involved with the defensive game-planning given his background and how things are unfolding. The Atlanta Falcons might have issues at the quarterback position, but their offensive line is decent and their skill position weapons can do real damage if afforded enough space, so this represents another big test for Del Rio to overcome.
All eyes will be on Del Rio and the Washington Commanders' defense in this one. Nothing but major improvements will do.