Sheldon Day and 2 unheralded Commanders who must step up in Week 17 vs. Falcons

Sheldon Day leads the three under-the-radar Washington Commanders key to a win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17.

Sheldon Day
Sheldon Day | Timothy Nwachukwu/GettyImages

Win and they're in.

The Washington Commanders need to maximize their chances of beating the Atlanta Falcons at Northwest Stadium in Week 17. Doing so will require stuffing the strength of the visiting offense, namely its running game.

Fortunately, the Commanders appear well-equipped to do just that after a strong second-half effort to corral NFL rushing leader Saquon Barkley during Week 16's dramatic 36-33 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

That effort was inspired by winning up front. Victories were made possible by marauding defensive tackle Sheldon Day.

The veteran signed off the practice squad during the season. He is one of a few no-name journeymen helping Washington's defense in clutch moments. Day is joined by another former practice squad lineman who can set the edge against dangerous Falcons running back Bijan Robinson.

Unheralded Commanders players who are key to victory in Week 17

Sheldon Day must play downhill

Day made good use of almost every one of his 33 snaps against the Eagles because the 30-year-old played downhill. He got a strong push and kept blockers on skates, going backward, and letting others run to the ball.

The well-traveled veteran of six teams has brought unfashionable but invaluable qualities to the Commanders' front seven. Day has the natural leverage to get underneath the pads of offensive linemen, and a powerful enough base to hold the point of attack and shift the line of scrimmage.

While he did the dirty work so others could chase Barkley and some glory, Day also got in on five tackles of his own, including a pair of solo stops. He'll need to be just as active to help subdue Robinson and his bruising running mate Tyler Allgeier.

Fortunately, Day will have plenty of help. Particularly from a fellow defensive lineman.

Jalyn Holmes needs to set the edge

Crashing the edges will be vital since Robinson loves to bounce runs off tackle. Taking that away will need another solid game from Jalyn Holmes.

The versatile defensive end was name-dropped by ESPN's John Keim as a key factor behind the Commanders dropping Barkley for a loss five times last week.

Holmes made an impact by crashing inside and condensing the edges Barkley tried to attack. That meant the Commanders were able to get to the ball carrier before he turned upfield.

Having Holmes set the edge against the Falcons makes sense, but so does letting him slide inside. Quick penetration from the interior is how the Commanders stuff running plays at source and leave the game in the hands of rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

Olamide Zaccheaus can make clutch catches

Jamison Crowder was the two-touchdown hero against the Eagles, but Olamide Zaccheaus was the busier wide receiver. He made five clutch catches for 70 receiving yards and a pair of scores.

Zaccheaus should see plenty of reps again. The Falcons love to play a ton of zone on the watch of head coach Raheem Morris, so there will be spaces to exploit underneath.

There'll be more room still if the Falcons opt to put a crowd around Commanders' go-to receiver Terry McLaurin. Zaccheaus has the sudden moves and multi-layered breaks to win on option routes against man coverage.

Having Zaccheaus work the middle against his former team can give Jayden Daniels the intermediate safety valve he'll need for another productive and efficient outing. One that will punch the Commanders' ticket to the playoffs.

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