Which Washington Commanders news stories are hitting the headlines as attention quickly turns towards Week 7 against the New York Giants?
The Washington Commanders might have steadied the ship with victory over the Atlanta Falcons, but there is a lot of hard work ahead if this team wants to become wild-card contenders. Ron Rivera knows that better than anyone, so basking in the glory of one win is not an option with speculation continuing about his future beyond the current campaign.
For now, building on their newfound positivity is critical. Until then, the stories causing conversation include Jahan Dotson's struggles, Emmanuel Forbes' reset, Rivera on some important defensive changes bearing fruit, and Sam Howell on his rollercoaster ride so far.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Commanders CB Emmanuel Forbes' reset
One player conspicuous by their absence in Week 6 at the Atlanta Falcons was Emmanuel Forbes. The rookie cornerback didn't see the field for a single snap after going through some significant complications of late, which represented Ron Rivera taking his first-round pick out of the firing line in favor of more experience in Danny Johnson.
When discussing Forbes' lack of involvement on Sunday, Rivera stated via Sports Illustrated this was something of a reset for the player. Something that allowed him to learn from the sideline and react accordingly in the hope he could force himself back into the Washington Commanders' secondary rotation.
"Looking at it, it’s probably an opportunity for him to get a little reset. I kind of want to see how things happen, see how things go. Hopefully, it’s something that he’ll learn from, he’ll take as a positive and grow from it."Ron Rvera via Sports Illustrated
Writing Forbes off so early into his NFL journey would be foolish. This is a steep learning curve, but one he must take on board en route to showing people what he's truly capable of as the campaign progresses.
Ron Rivera on Commanders' defensive changes
For arguably only the second time this season and the first occasion since Week 1, the Washington Commanders defense showed up at the Atlanta Falcons. They were ruthless from the outset, swarming over the rushing attack and forcing quarterback Desmond Ridder into multiple important turnovers that ultimately decided the clash.
This was exactly the response everyone was looking for after such an inept showing against the Chicago Bears. When discussing the improvements, Ron Rivera stated via Washington's website that opportunities for others further down the pecking order coupled with specific opportunities to create mismatches were implemented with high efficiency.
"Well, I think some of it was a little bit of both. I think it was some things that we wanted to do, some things necessitated by the injuries that have happened, and I think some of it was necessitated by the opponent. They did some personnel things that we wanted to try and create some matchups that we thought would be beneficial for us. I thought Jack [Del Rio] and the staff had it well mapped out, well-prepared. And like I said, there's some things that we got to get fixed in all three phases, and that's our defense."Ron Rivera via Commanders.com
This is a solid foundation from which to build. The Commanders' defense has now set the standard and even though it wasn't perfect, turnovers change the tide and that has to be the mindset moving forward.
If the New York Giants don't have quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Saquon Barkley available in Week 7, it's another chance for Jack Del Rio's defense to dominate on the road.
Commanders WR Jahan Dotson's struggles
Even though the Washington Commanders offense continues to make encouraging strides under Eric Bieniemy, there are a few players not pulling their weight. One of these is wide receiver Jahan Dotson, who came into the campaign as a potential breakout candidate but has flattered to deceive so far.
Dotson's unacceptable drop on what turned out to be his only target at the Atlanta Falcons was a microcosm of how things are unfolding for the former first-round pick through six weeks. But head coach Ron Rivera is confident that the dynamic presence can get going sooner rather than later based on comments via the team's website.
"As we continue to work and try to distribute the ball to all the players, it'll happen. It's just one of those things that sometimes, guys will be targeted more … When a guy's not getting the ball right now, it's just a matter of time. I think that's the thing that we all have to be patient with. This is a group of receivers…and we're gonna distribute the ball based on gameplans and who our opponents are."Ron Rivera via Commanders.com
The one-time Penn State stud is far too talented to be a non-factor in the passing attack. Dotson did draw a crucial holding call as the game wore on, but the lack of targets indicates there is work to do in pursuit of earning the trust of Bieniemy and quarterback Sam Howell in regards to becoming a feature option.
Commanders QB Sam Howell's rollercoaster ride
The past few weeks have no doubt been a whirlwind for Sam Howell. From a performance perspective, it's been hugely encouraging for the quarterback, but one could have forgiven the former fifth-round selection for being overwhelmed on occasion given the significant demands placed on his shoulders.
Thankfully, Howell finally got help from the defense and running game in Week 6. He also gave a good account of himself, but finding the right balance is the primary key to any future success for the Commanders over their next 11 contests.
When discussing his rollercoaster ride so far, Howell stated via Washington's website that it's a different challenge every week. But the North Carolina product made time to give the coaching staff special praise for giving him the best possible preparation in which to thrive.
"Every single game is different, and you never know how each game is going to go. There are going to be some ups and downs throughout the season, and I think the main thing is that you have to find little things to really try and work on and focus on every week to make sure that you are continuing to grow. I feel like we've done a good job of that so far. Our coaches have done a really good job of pointing out what the focus is each week. I think everyone has something that they can do a better job of, and our coaches do a great job of putting that out there."Sam Howell via Commanders.com
Another road test awaits the Commanders and Howell this weekend - a divisional battle versus a New York Giants team going through significant hardship. If the signal-caller can drive his team to their fourth triumph, confidence will only grow about his chances of becoming Washington's long-term option under center.
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