Tim Settle Jr. faces a defining Commanders test with Daron Payne gone

As one of the last credible defensive linemen left standing for the Washington Commanders, returning veteran Tim Settle Jr. is his team's most important player against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8.

Hulking nose tackle Settle will have to stop running back Saquon Barkley (if healthy) from enjoying his annual rushing bonanza against the Commanders.

Barkley's probably as lonely as Settle is on the depth chart, since the former 2,000-yard rusher is the lone remaining Eagles skill player who can take advantage of the Commanders' sieve-like defense.

Tim Settle Jr. must step up after Commanders lose Daron Payne to injury

That's been Barkley's familiar pattern against Washington, but Settle can help these Commanders buck the trend. The 29-year-old has led an increasingly stout run defense, but recent games have shown signs of frailty.

Those frailties could widen after Daron Payne was ruled out for the season. Payne's foot fracture compounds a problem that includes Javon Kinlaw already being on the shelf.

Settle must fill in the gaps and take away the one thing a depleted Eagles' offense can still do well at Northwest Stadium.

It's a good thing clogging running lanes is what Settle does best. He can draw and occupy double teams, keeping blockers off the more explosive, downhill types like rookie linebacker Sonny Styles.

The latter went viral for putting Barkley on skates when these NFC East rivals met in Week 1. The Eagles edged that game, but the Commanders will flip the script if Styles has more free pursuit lanes to attack No. 26.

Tim Settle Jr. must clog Commanders' rushing lanes if Saquon Barkley plays

Settle can open those lanes by dominating overmatched center, second-year pro Drew Kendall. Controlling Kendall will draw more attention to Settle and leave some one-on-one opportunities for the other linemen trying to fill in for Payne and Kinlaw.

Including two position-movers who could finally give the Commanders an equalizer against Barkley.

Barkley has owned the Commanders in recent years. He's averaged 5.6 yards per carry and 127.8 yards rushing across four regular-season games against Washington for the Eagles, per StatMuse.

Settle and company did a decent job containing Barkley in this year's season opener. He rushed for 83 yards, but gained 42 of those on one play.

A way to eliminate Barkley's big-play threat is to get to him quickly. Settle may not do that, but he can make it easier for two converted defensive ends to swiftly meet him in the backfield.

Veteran duo Deatrich Wise Jr. and Charles Omenihu are both adept at sliding inside on passing downs, but they could spend more time along the interior this week to cover injuries.

Omenihu plays bigger than his size at 6-foot-5 and 280 pounds, while Wise has ample experience stuffing the run from his days playing two-gap football for Bill Belichick's New England Patriots.

Both Wise and Omenihu can help Settle turn an undermanned Commanders' defensive front into a barrier for Barkley.

Stopping him and putting the game on the throwing arm of backup quarterback Tanner McKee will decide a must-win game in favor of the Commanders.

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