LANDOVER, Md. -- The Washington Commanders started the season strong, winning their first two games and providing optimism for a fan base craving hope.
Since that point? Two losses by a combined 54 points at home and one crushing defeat on the road. And now a team that appeared on the verge of building momentum is now tasked with trying to make sure their season doesn’t get even worse.
“This could be a long year or we could figure out how to fix things,” Washington receiver Terry McLaurin said. “We’ve got to figure it out quick.”
Washington could, once more, build momentum with wins in its next two games -- at the Atlanta Falcons (3-2) and the New York Giants (1-4). However, the same was said before losing to the Chicago Bears on Thursday.
The Commanders entered the season knowing their offense would endure growing pains, with an inexperienced starting quarterback in Sam Howell and a new coordinator in Eric Bieniemy. But they anticipated their defense would repeat last year’s success when it ranked third in yards and seventh in points. Instead, they’re on pace to allow 544 points, which would be an NFL record.
So why are the Commanders in this place?
Big plays allowed
Washington's defense has allowed 16 plays of 25 yards or more from scrimmage, the most in the league. Chicago managed five Thursday night.
The problem is, Washington’s defense has not created enough plays on its own. The Commanders have forced one turnover in the past three games combined. They rank 27th in pass rush win rate, and end Chase Young is the highest-ranked Commander in the category at 33rd. However, the Commanders are tied for first in the league with 16 sacks. The numbers add up to inconsistent pressure.
The reasons for the big plays allowed are varied, but Thursday provided plenty of examples of what’s gone wrong. On a 34-yard run up the middle, two players were in the same gap and others were widened -- leaving a gaping hole on the right side of the defense.
Other times, it’s safety Percy Butler with his eyes in the wrong place. Or its one of the corners -- Kendall Fuller, Benjamin St-Juste or Emmanuel Forbes -- biting on a double move. Double moves have led to multiple explosive plays the past two weeks, sometimes because the Commanders’ corners are too aggressive.
“When you're trying to jump routes, when you're trying to make plays, you're trying to do more than you need to, those unfortunate things are going to happen,” Washington coach Ron Rivera said.
It’s technique. It’s execution. It’s troubling. Rivera said the coaches need to look at how they’re using players. He also said there are certain techniques that “just have to be done, there’s no ands or buts about it.”
“We have to play with a little bit more discipline,” Rivera said. “We're taking a look at some of the things that we're doing with them. Are we truly putting them in the best position to make plays?”
Bears quarterback Justin Fields liked the position Washington put him in Thursday. It allowed him to connect with receiver DJ Moore for one big play after another. Moore caught eight passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns.
“They left him one-on-one for more times than I thought they would,” Fields said. “So, when you always have him one-on-one, he's going to win 95% of the time.”
Rookie woes
Forbes, the 19th overall pick in the draft, has struggled this season. He was beat for a 60-yard touchdown against the Denver Broncos in Week 2. He was part of four explosive pass plays against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4, and he allowed two more Thursday before being benched in the second half.
His issues are not limited to one aspect. Sometimes his eyes are looking in the wrong places, other times his footwork might be off, Rivera said.
Thursday, Moore used his strength against the 166-pound Forbes to separate at the top of his routes. On the first, a likely 8-yard gain if Forbes makes the initial tackle, it led to a 39-yard pickup. On the other, a likely 7-yard gain -- if Forbes makes the tackle -- instead turned into a 32-yard play.
“He’s got to be more disciplined and use the techniques we’re teaching,” Rivera said. “The young man has a tremendous skill set, [but is a] little all over the place with his technique.”
Problem is, no other rookie contributes from scrimmage. The other six members of the draft class have combined for 10 snaps. Second-round pick Quan Martin, who can play slot corner and safety, has played 77 special teams snaps and none from scrimmage. It's too soon to fully assess a rookie class, but none have yet made an impact.
Washington selected Forbes because of his production in the SEC while at Mississippi State. He intercepted 14 passes, returning six for touchdowns, an FBS record.
“I just have to go out there and make plays,” Forbes said, “and be myself.”
Too many hits
Howell is on pace to get sacked 95 times this season -- more than current NFL single-season record holder David Carr (76). Howell has been pressured on 34% of his dropbacks, according to ESPN Stats & Information -- a higher rate than all but six other quarterbacks.
He has also run the ball 15 times for 101 yards and hasn’t been shy about lowering his shoulder. Part of the reasons for the sacks and pressures lie with Howell and his inexperience, as he’ll sometimes hold the ball longer than he should.
“It is a little bit of a concern,” Rivera said, “but part of it is on Sam just getting rid of the ball sometimes instead of trying to prolong the play and make a play downfield, which is one of his strengths, but at the same time it could be a detriment.”
Other times it’s simply pass blocking breakdowns -- not always leading to sacks, but hits. Regardless of the fault, the hits keep coming. It didn’t help that, as Pro Football Focus’s Nathan Jahnke pointed out on X, the Commanders dropped back to pass on 55 consecutive plays Thursday -- from 8:49 of the second quarter to the end of the game.
Against the Buffalo Bills in a 34-point loss and again Thursday, the coaches left Howell in to finish the game. He was sacked twice against the Bills in the final minute and twice versus the Bears in the final four minutes trailing by 17.
“I am worried [about the hits],” Washington left tackle Charles Leno Jr., said, “especially late in the game. When the game’s out of hand, I feel like that shouldn’t happen, we should take a different route. But that’s what the coaches want. They want to show fight, we want to show fight and put points on the board and show we’re not quitting for anybody. But there does need to be smarts involved. We need him for the whole season, not just for a game that’s out of hand already.”
Howell -- who played some linebacker in high school -- said his body “feels good.” He plays with that linebacker mentality, cutting upfield to try to get first downs in key spots.
“That's kind of how I've always been,” he said. “I don't really worry about getting hurt or anything like that. I try to do whatever I can.”