Now that is how you enter a week off!
The 42-19 triumph over Tennessee was what this team needed to do the week before against Dallas: Score quickly and often to create a cushion and squelch any serious hope by halftime.
Reaching the end zone on your first four possessions of the day will do that, and the first drive saw Brian Robinson Jr. scamper for a 40-yard score to put the Burgundy & Gold ahead for good.
First Down: Robinson’s run set the tone as the Commanders gained a season-high 267 yards on the ground and had possession of the ball for a season-high 40:13. Jayden Daniels also bounced back by completing 25 of 30 passes with three touchdown passes (he would also run for a score).
One key: Getting the ball to Terry McLaurin early (he caught a pass on their first offensive play) and often (four of his eight catches came in the first quarter). And the offense also took advantage of a pair of Tennessee fumbles (one on special teams) in the first half, turning both into touchdowns.
Special teams? A pair of missed field goal attempts by Zane Gonzalez could result in a few new candidates brought into Ashburn. But like eating leftovers five days after Thanksgiving, you’re not getting great kickers on the open market in December.
Second Down: Washington’s 8-5 mark is good enough for the third Wild Card in the NFC, and they currently lead Arizona, Tampa Bay and the Los Angeles Rams by a game and a half entering the bye week (The Buccaneers are tied with Atlanta for the NFC South lead, while the Cardinals and Rams are one game behind Seattle in the West).
Their NFC East hopes continue to dwindle as Philadelphia (10-2) has won eight in a row to take a two and a half-game lead (Eagles come to Landover in Week 17).
Tis the season to be clinching, as Kansas City has wrapped up its 10th straight playoff berth and Buffalo secured its fifth consecutive AFC East title.
On the other end of the spectrum, the New York Giants were the first team eliminated when they fell on Thanksgiving Day and they were joined on the outside (looking out) by Las Vegas and New England.
Third Down: Washington moved the chains on 9-14 attempts with one of their misses pushed along by a roughing the passer call tacked on to the short gain (and they would convert two other first downs thanks to Titans penalties).
Jayden Daniels completed all seven of his passes, with four resulting in first downs while getting sacked once. He also had a scramble that failed to result in a first down. Terry McLaurin was his top target, turning all four balls thrown his way into conversions.
The running game moved the marker on four of five attempts, with a draw play on 3rd & 20 being the outlier.
Yardage breakdown: 9-11 on short-yardage, zero attempts when needing four through six yards, 0-3 on long-yardage. Anytime you need fewer than four yards on 79% of your third downs, you’re doing a lot of things right. Defensively, they held the Titans to 5-12 on third down and 2-6 in the second half.
Flying Flags: Seven accepted penalties on nine flags (a hold on Cornelius Lucas was off-setting and a hold on Nick Allegretti was declined) for 65 yards.
Three were on offense (ineligible downfield pass on Lucas, false start on Sam Cosmi, illegal blindside block on Zach Ertz), two on defense (pass interference calls on Jeremy Chinn and Bobby Wagner, and two were on special teams (unnecessary roughness on Sam Cosmi and Michael Davis).
For the season, false starts (15) remain ahead of defensive pass interference (13) while Cosmi’s two penalties against the Titans give him a team-high seven.
Fourth Down: The CBS No. 4 crew of Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber and Jason McCourty called Sunday’s game with Tennessee, their first broadcast of the Burgundy & Gold this year.
For comparison, FOX’s No. 4 team of Kevin Kugler and Darryl Johnston have announced one Washington game (the opener). And while Tom Brady, the broadcaster, has yet to announce a Commanders game this fall, the CBS No. 1 and No. 2 teams (Jim Nantz/Tony Romo & Ian Eagle/Charles Davis) have each called two Washington games.
But the leader in Commanders games called at this time remains Chris Myers at FOX (two with regular partner Mark Schlereth and one with Marc Sanchez).
Sunday’s observation: Can we have the host (or a non-analyst) voice the highlight cut-ins? I’ll never doubt Bill Cowher or Matt Ryan’s knowledge of the game, but their vocals lack that necessary oomph you want when your game is being interrupted so you can see/hear another score.
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