4 Washington Commanders on the hot seat entering Week 5 vs. Bears

Emmanuel Forbes - Commanders CB

First of all, Emmanuel Forbes wouldn't be on the proverbial hot seat as such. He is a talented kid learning on the job and being tasked with some significant responsibilities by the Washington Commanders right of the gate, so some growing pains were obviously expected.

However, there's been closer scrutiny on the first-round selection in recent days. This stems from a less-than-stellar showing at the Philadelphia Eagles, where Forbes was given a torrid time by stud wide receiver A.J. Brown during the overtime reverse.

Granted, Brown is one of the league's most physically dominant wideouts. Forbes couldn't cope effectively with his strength and ability to stretch the field, which resulted in conceding some big plays and scores that the Commanders could have done without.

Ron Rivera affirmed his belief in Forbes throughout the week, something I also have in abundance despite such an indifferent outing. But all eyes will be on how the cornerback bounces back versus the Chicago Bears, who could also target him heavily based on the success Philadelphia generated going in this direction.

The former Mississippi State star has all the athletic intangibles needed to be a tremendous asset for Washington in the short and long term. It might be worth those in power handing over No. 1 weapon responsibilities to Kendall Fuller given his exceptional start to the campaign, but Forbes must be ready to perform far better when the football comes his way with the national audience watching intently.