The Commanders spent heavily and boldly on defense, betting on younger talent they believed was ready to rise. Odafe Oweh arrived with a huge price tag.
Nick Cross was expected to steady the secondary. Leo Chenal was brought in to help the linebacker group alongside No. 7 overall NFL draft pick Sonny Styles.
Amik Robertson was added to strengthen a cornerback room that was supposed to look much better. K’Lavon Chaisson and Charles Omenihu were also part of the push to make a once-old, slow unit faster and a better match for Daronte Jones’ attacking scheme.
At the bye, though, the results still aren’t lining up with the investment.
Washington has allowed at least 23 points in every game this season and 30 or more in three straight. That’s a rough landing spot for a defense that was supposed to carry real hope into the year. The Commanders are still searching for consistency, and while the personnel story has offered some promise, the overall picture remains shaky.
The numbers show the gap between expectation and production. Washington ranks 26th in total defense at 354.5 yards allowed per game and 29th in scoring defense at 28.7 points per game.
The run defense has actually held up fairly well, sitting 11th at 100.5 rushing yards allowed per game, but the pass defense has been a problem, ranking 29th at 254 yards allowed per game. The team is also 25th in third-down defense at 44.4 percent, dead last in red zone defense at 81.8 percent, and has produced eight takeaways overall - three interceptions and five fumble recoveries - which ranks 13th.
The biggest issue has been the back end. The secondary was already viewed as a concern, and injuries made it worse.
Trey Amos never got his ankle right after a fractured fibula, and that issue pushed him to injured reserve before the season began. Mike Sainristil has not been trusted and has essentially been benched.
That left Rasul Douglas, signed as a smart veteran addition, taking on far more snaps than expected.
Nick Cross also missed significant time because of an undisclosed issue tied to a Week 2 hospitalization, thinning out a safety group that Jones needs to do a lot more than it can currently handle. The result has been a defense that is vulnerable when the pressure doesn’t reach the quarterback.
There is at least a little reason for optimism now. Cross and Amos are back, and Amik Robertson has been playing like a No. 1 cover corner. That gives Washington a chance to look better as the season goes on, even if the early returns have been uneven.
The strongest part of the defense has been up front. Washington is giving up about 100 rushing yards a game, which is easily its best statistical area.
The defensive line has been sturdy and deep enough to hold up the middle of the defense. Charles Omenihu has been a welcome addition, and Deatrich Wise has brought more size after coming off the physically unable to perform list.
Daron Payne is no longer the pass rusher he once was, but he remains difficult to move in the run game. That front has helped steer runners toward Sonny Styles and Frankie Luvu, and both have done a solid job cleaning things up.
The bigger problem is the one that keeps showing up on pressure downs. Jones has mixed in creative blitzes and pressure looks to stress opposing quarterbacks, but Washington isn’t getting home often enough. That leaves openings for explosive plays, and those have been costly.
Outside of the Week 6 loss to the 49ers, the Commanders have also been worse after halftime as opponents adjust. As Portis points out, Washington seems to get into trouble when it is not set or still shifting its strategy at the snap.
The scheme may be sound, but the Commanders still don’t look fully comfortable running it. They need to get there fast.
In Other News...
K'Lavon Chaisson Is Giving Commanders A Defensive Spark They Needed
K'Lavon Chaisson has been one of the more noticeable defensive additions in Washington lately, and the edge rushers recent run of play is starting to show up on the stat sheet. Over the last two games, he forced two fumbles, matching his career high and giving the Commanders a timely jolt from a position group that needs disruption off the edge. Both loose balls turned into recoveries by teammates Tim Settle and Frankie Luvu, the kind of hidden-impact plays that can swing a game even when they do not dominate the highlight reel.
For Washington, the bigger takeaway is that Chaissons production has come in a relatively short sample, with 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles through six games. The Commanders have been looking for more consistent splash from their pass rush, and Chaissons recent stretch at least gives them a player who is finding ways to affect the ball as well as the quarterback. Whether he can keep that pressure coming is the next question, especially with the defense still trying to establish a steadier identity. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Quinns Bye Week Reset Could Hit One Commanders Starter Hard
The bye week has given Dan Quinn a chance to take a hard look at a defense that has not been close to the standard Washington expected, and the reset could extend beyond game-planning. Quinn has brought in Steve Wilks to help with defensive planning, a sign the Commanders are not treating this as a routine midseason tune-up but as an opportunity to rethink how the front is deployed after a rough stretch.
One of the clearest questions centers on the interior of the defensive line, where Tim Settle Jr. has not delivered the kind of start Washington needed. The Commanders have already been searching for better answers at nose tackle, and the next step may involve a more fluid rotation there as the staff looks for more impact and steadiness in the middle. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Still Has One Costly Issue Commanders Can't Ignore
Jayden Daniels has given the Commanders plenty to like early in his NFL career, but the last two games also offered a reminder that even the most promising young quarterbacks get tested by the details. Against the Giants, Washington had a late-game mistake that left points on the field, and against the 49ers there was a play call that drew plenty of second-guessing. Dan Quinn has been open about those moments, treating them as part of the learning curve while making it clear the conversation with his quarterback has already started.
For Washington, the bigger concern is not Daniels talent but how quickly the operation around him cleans up the situational stuff that can swing tight games. Quinn has stressed development and communication, and Daniels overall play still points to a franchise quarterback in the making. Even so, the Commanders are watching closely because the margin for error shrinks fast when a team is trying to turn promise into wins. [Read more 🡒]