The Washington Commanders are getting a familiar kind of quarterback test this week, and it comes with all the usual Jameis Winston baggage. The New York Football Giants are headed to Northwest Stadium on Sunday, and Winston arrives with the kind of profile that can make a defense feel brilliant one series and foolish the next.
Washington’s defense is in a much better place than it was a year ago, and that matters here. Winston already saw a tough afternoon in Arizona during Week 4, when the Cardinals picked him off twice and sacked him four times.
Even so, he still managed 250 yards and three touchdown passes in New York’s 36-24 win. That’s the Winston experience in a nutshell: mistakes, yes, but also the ability to flip a game in a hurry.
“Well, that same guy is also prone to making big plays,” Commanders defensive coordinator Daronte Jones said. He added, “He can also put four or five touchdowns on you in a heartbeat.”
That push-and-pull has defined Winston for a long time, and it showed again last weekend. Against Arizona, he finished 18-of-29 for 250 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, a line that brought back memories of his 30/30 season of 2019 in Tampa Bay.
The Tennessee game offered less to work with on film because the matchup was played during a nor’easter, but one thing held steady across both starts: teams got to him. Winston was sacked seven times in those two games.
The pressure numbers tell the story. Washington blitzes 44% of the time, the second-most in the NFL, and Winston has not handled that look well this season.
When blitzed, he owns a 36.8 passer rating, has completed 9 of 18 passes for a 50% rate, and is averaging 3.9 yards per attempt. Under pressure overall, he’s 8 of 24 with two interceptions.
The Giants have leaned on the tight end in Winston’s starts, and that’s where Washington has to be especially sharp. Isaiah Likely has been Winston’s most frequent target, drawing 17 looks.
Against Arizona, he caught seven passes for 66 yards and led the Giants in receptions. With opposing tight ends causing problems for Washington for what seems like forever, Likely is the matchup to circle on Sunday, especially if Malik Nabers doesn’t play.
Nabers was limited Thursday. He has been productive with Winston, catching 11 passes on 13 targets for 138 yards and a touchdown.
Winston is still willing to push the ball downfield, and he found some chunk gains against Arizona. He connected on a 40-yard pass to Malachi Fields and had two plays of 25-plus yards to Nabers, who finished with six catches for 112 yards and a touchdown. Afterward, Winston pointed the focus back on the offense’s best playmakers: “I've got to do a better job of making sure our best players are touching the ball consistently,” Winston said.
Jones said the Commanders are zeroed in on Likely and the red zone. “Continue to point it out to the players, make the corrections, show the awareness of where certain players are, certain looks, and got to be dialed in,” Jones said.
“You got to understand the situation of the game and how they’re going to attack and what we’ve put on tape. And so, you know, it’s a copycat league, and so once you put something on tape, you got to take it off.
And so, that’s been the focus.”
Washington’s best path is obvious enough: get after Winston and force him to process faster than he wants to. If the Commanders can generate pressure without sending the house, they can keep a safety helping on Nabers and avoid leaving a corner isolated. The goal is to change the picture after the snap and make Winston hesitate long enough for the rush to get home.
The Commanders also can’t fall into the trap of thinking one takeaway solves the problem. Winston will take the next shot without blinking.
That’s why Washington has to keep the pressure on him while staying disciplined behind it. If not, the quarterback they just picked off can turn right around and put points on the board in a hurry.
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