Chris Paul may end up being the hinge point for the Commanders in London.
Washington’s offensive line has quietly become one of the steadier parts of the team, and that’s made possible by a secret star inside. But Week 4 brings a brutal assignment: a matchup with Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Buckner is the kind of interior force who can distort an entire game plan. At 6-foot-7 and 295 pounds, he combines size, strength and quickness in a way that makes him a problem on both run and pass downs. Through three games this season, he already has three tackles for loss and two run stuffs, according to Player Profiler.
That puts extra pressure on Washington’s run-first approach. Offensive coordinator David Blough leaned on that style to help catch the Seattle Seahawks and their usually strong defense off guard last week, but Buckner has the ability to blow up that sort of plan before it gets going. He can also make life miserable for Jacory Croskey-Merritt as Washington tries to keep a ground game moving without dual-threat Rachaad White.
The Commanders can’t afford to let Buckner dominate one-on-one matchups when the Colts are in pass-rush mode, either. And that challenge starts with figuring out exactly where he’s lined up.
Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo likes to move Buckner around on third downs, and Buckner has shown he can wreck protection plans even when offenses throw extra bodies at him. The Kansas City Chiefs tried to meet him with three blockers two weeks ago, and it still didn’t stop him from getting to Patrick Mahomes.
Buckner would not be denied for the 3rd down sack 💪
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For Paul, the job will be tough, even if he’s coming off one of his best outings. He didn’t allow a sack and gave up only one pressure against Seattle, which stands out considering the Seahawks had Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy II and Jarran Reed inside.
Still, Buckner belongs in that same tier, and Paul won’t be expected to handle him alone. Nick Allegretti and Lucas Patrick should be part of the answer again at center, with both needing to help free up doubles wherever Buckner lines up.
Allegretti entered the season as the projected weak link up front, but he held up against Seattle. Patrick was solid as well in what looks like it will remain the surprise win of the season.
The Commanders will also need help from Brandon Coleman, Tunsil’s struggling replacement, if they want those double teams to work consistently. If Coleman can survive his own matchup, Washington can spend more of the afternoon focusing on Buckner.
In Other News...
Commanders Quarterback Crisis May Force A Familiar Fix
Marcus Mariotas MCL injury in Week 4 has pushed Washington deeper into quarterback uncertainty, with Dan Quinn still waiting on further tests before the team gets a clearer picture of the recovery timeline. The Commanders were already managing Jayden Daniels return from a dislocated elbow, and the latest setback leaves the staff sorting through a situation that has quickly become one of the teams most pressing concerns.
Jeff Driskel is now among the familiar names in the conversation, and his previous time with the Commanders makes him an obvious temporary option as the club weighs its next move. With the quarterback room thinned out and the injuries piling up, Washington may need a short-term answer sooner rather than later, even as the broader plan at the position remains unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Coleman Calls Out A Commanders Problem Fans Can't Ignore
The Commanders Week 4 loss to the Colts was a mess from start to finish, and not just because of the 30-13 scoreline. Washington piled up mistakes, absorbed injuries, and never found much rhythm, with 10 penalties undercutting whatever chance it had to settle in and compete. Starting left tackle Brandon Coleman didnt hide his frustration after the game, sounding like a player who knows the margin for error in the NFL gets awfully thin when a team keeps shooting itself in the foot.
The quarterback situation only added to the chaos. Marcus Mariota left early because of an injury, forcing rookie Athan Kaliakmanis into his regular-season debut, and he finished with 186 yards and a touchdown in a tough spot. Even with that unexpected backup plan, the Commanders could not make enough clean plays to stay in the game, which leaves Colemans complaint hanging over the bigger issue in Washington: the errors are piling up fast enough that theyre becoming impossible to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Have A Quarterback Question They Didn't Expect
A week after Marcus Mariota went down with a knee injury, the Commanders are suddenly sorting through a quarterback picture they did not expect to face this early. Athan Kaliakmanis got the call in relief and showed enough in his debut to at least give Washington a workable short-term answer, including a touchdown pass before the loss. The broader NFL backdrop only adds to the sense of how quickly these situations can change, with rookies around the league being thrust into action because of injuries and having to learn on the fly.
For Washington, the more complicated part is that Jayden Daniels is also in line to return despite working through an elbow injury, which gives the team more talent but less clarity. Mariota is expected to miss time, so the Commanders now have to balance immediate results with the health and timing of two quarterbacks whose availability could shape the rest of the month. The next move at the position may say as much about caution as it does about confidence. [Read more 🡒]