Sunday’s 14-7 loss to the New York Giants wasn’t the worst loss this year by a points-differential margin (we can thank Buffalo in Week 3 for that). It wasn’t the most surprising (Chicago in Week 5 takes that honor) or the most frustrating (Philadelphia was there FOR THE TAKING in Week 4) either.
But perhaps, it’s the most important loss in the grand scheme of things.
Because this was a lesson the Commanders should have learned from the Thursday night debacle just a couple of weeks ago. Call this team “Jekyll & Hyde” if you want, but I’m calling this club the ultimate “thermometer team”: they reflect their environment more than affect it, and — with the exception of the Bills game — they’ve played to the level of their opponent.
As I’ll list, there are “micro” issues with this team. But there’s a “macro” issue when you can’t put together an effective plan or execution on either side of the ball to beat the last place team in your division.
The Giants entered Sunday ranking 28th in scoring defense and held Washington 25 yards on 26 first half plays on their way to seven points. They were also the lowest-scoring team in the NFL but tallied a pair of touchdowns in the first half. The 10 penalties after being fairly flag-free all season. And the Giants also sported a much cooler uniform than the Maroon & Black & White.
Howell About That: Quarterback Sam Howell completed 22 of 42 passes for 249 yards and an interception while running the ball twice for 15 yards. He was sacked six times, bringing his total to 40 for the season. More on that in a bit. Unfortunately in a game where the team needed to be carried by their quarterback, it didn’t happen.
Robinson Running Aground: Brian carried the ball eight times for 23 yards, putting his yards-per-game numbers about 30% below what they were when he was a rookie recovering from a gunshot wound. Chris Rodriguez provided a change of pace by gaining 31 yards on seven carries and Antonio Gibson got a pair of carries. The trio finished the day with 17 rushes for 61 yards.
Pass Catch Fever: Terry McLaurin caught six passes for 90 yards, but was targeted just once in the first half. I thought Scott Turner was no longer the offensive coordinator? One week after not catching a pass in Atlanta, Jahan Dotson made five grabs for 43 yards but was unable to corral the fourth down pass at the end of the fourth quarter in the shadow of the end zone.
Curtis Samuel made four catches for 25 yards, meaning 15 of the 22 completions went to the power trio for 158 yards and zero touchdowns.
Sacks of You Know What: Washington suffered six sacks Sunday from a pass rush that had five on the season entering the game, meaning they’re responsible for 55% of the Giants’ total after seven games.
They’re also responsible for 50% of Chicago’s total this year (five of 10), 38% of Atlanta’s total (5-13), and 36% of Buffalo’s total (9 of 25). Seven games into the season that should not be the case for so many teams, even if you have a bad day. Is it the line, the quarterback or the play-caller?
Like any recipe with multiple ingredients, a little of all three. But regardless of which ingredient is at fault more, the soup does not taste good.
Third and Beyond Abysmal: The Giants defense entered the week allowing 43.7% third down conversions, bad enough for 26th in the NFL. Washington moved the chains just once in 15 attempts, with Howell completing 6-11 passes while getting sacked three times (he also had an intentional grounding).
Chris Rodriguez had the lone carry, getting stopped for no gain on a third and one (they converted the fourth down). The top option: Terry McLaurin made two catches with one conversion on his three targets. Yardage breakdown: 0-2 on third and short, 0-4 when needing 4-6 yards and 1-9 on third and long.
For the season: 7-15, 7-18, 10-53. When over 60% of your third downs need seven or more yards, you’ve got issues.
D Earns One: One doesn’t hang a banner for shutting out a team in the second half when that opponent averages under 12 points per game and you cough up a pair of first half touchdowns. Tyrod Taylor completed 18-29 passes for 279 yards and two scores in just his second start of the season, finding Darren Waller seven times for 98 yards and a TD.
Saquon Barkley may have been held in check on the ground (77 yards on 21 carries), but his 32-yard touchdown catch helped dig one huge crater the Commanders couldn’t climb out of. On the bright side, they did post four sacks, with Chase Young tallying a pair while Montez Sweat had one in his seven tackles. David Mayo led the team with 11 stops on the day.
Special Situations: Tress Way averaged 51.3 yards on 10 punts — 10 PUNTS! Joey Slye made his extra point, but had a 27-yard field goal blocked while delivering a pair of touchbacks on his two kickoffs. Jamison Crowder had six punt returns ranging from -3 yards on a muff to a 17-yarder. Punt coverage recovered a muff that led to the team’s lone touchdown.
Flying Flags: 10 PENALTIES! Washington was whistled 12 times (one declined and one offsetting), with 10 being accepted for 75 yards.
Nine were on offense (four false starts, two holds, a delay of game, one intentional grounding and one unnecessary roughness on an interception return), two came on special teams (holding, player running out of bounds) and one was on the defense (illegal contact that wiped out a sack).
Charles Leno heard his name three times (two false starts and a hold) Sunday, while Anthony Wylie’s false start and unnecessary roughness give him the team lead with four flags this fall. Offensive/special teams holding is the most whistled penalty with nine, one more than the eight false starts.
Most costly penalty: An illegal contact on Jamin Davis on a third down sack moved the chains for the Giants and they’d have the ball four more minutes in the fourth quarter on that possession in a one-score game.
Digesting the Division: Philadelphia leads the NFC East at 6-1 and sported their Randall Cunningham-era jerseys in a Sunday Night win over Miami. (How in today’s age of concussion protocol the Dolphin does not wear a helmet, I’ll never know?)
The Eagles own the No. 1 seed in the NFC after San Francisco’s loss on Monday Night Football. Second place Dallas at 4-2 takes the second Wild Card (and No. 6 seed), because Seattle has a better conference record.
Washington at 3-4 is in a four-way tie for eighth in the NFC, losing conference tiebreakers with Minnesota (you like that?) and the Los Angeles Rams, while owning said tiebreaker over New Orleans. The New York Giants at 2-5 are in 13th place of the conference, taking the NFC record tiebreaker with Chicago.
Comparing the Quartets: Break up the AFC North! A second straight 3-0 week improves that group to 16-9 on the season, well ahead of the 15-12 NFC East. The NFC South finally got a win, but still stands at the bottom with a 10-16 composite mark. The AFC owns a 20-13 advantage over the NFC in the famed interconference contest.
In the Booth: Do you think the trio of Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber and Matt Ryan have had enough of this team after announcing three of their games over the last five weeks? Washington’s back on FOX this upcoming weekend — and that might mean their No. 3 team because Rams-Dallas is also in the 1 p.m. window of a non-doubleheader week.
Sometimes the network puts its No. 2 team on the 4:05 p.m. game because of the potential audience regardless of the matchup and this week it’s a sneaky good showdown between Cleveland and Seattle.
