The Washington Commanders left Week 1 with plenty to sort through, and the defense was right in the middle of it. The loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on the road was hardly a shock, but it did expose some of the early-season growing pains that come with offseason change. There were moments when things started to settle down before the end of the game, and that at least gives Washington something to carry into Week 2.
Now comes another road test, this time against the Dallas Cowboys. And if the Commanders could pluck one player from Dallas to make that trip a little easier, the answer points to nickelback Caleb Downs.
It’s an appealing fit because Washington has obvious needs in the secondary. Nick Cross was one of the bright spots in his Commanders debut, and the safeties actually led the team in tackles.
But the cornerback play was uneven. Mike Sainristil, in his third season as a starter, looked lost at times in the opener - unsure of his assignment, his coverage, and the adjustments he needed to make.
Rasul Douglas was mostly solid, and Amik Robertson played well, but the unit still left room for improvement.
Downs, meanwhile, made a strong first impression in his own debut. Against the New York Giants, he looked nothing like a rookie making his first NFL appearance in a division matchup on the road.
He finished with eight tackles, including four solo stops, along with a sack and a forced fumble. That was the fourth-most tackles on the team, and it came in a loss at MetLife Stadium, where he still managed to make his presence felt.
That kind of impact is exactly what Washington could use. The Commanders need more production, more urgency around the ball, and more players who arrive in the right spot at the right time. Downs checks all of those boxes.
Of course, this remains a fantasy exercise. Washington can’t actually borrow Caleb Downs for one game, even if it’s easy to picture how he’d look alongside Nick Cross and Jeremy Reaves.
With Sainristil and Douglas already in the mix, Downs would give the secondary another steady cleanup presence. And if you want to stretch the imagination a little further, there’s also the idea of seeing Downs back on the field with former college teammate Sonny Styles, who also had a strong NFL debut last week.
In Other News...
Commanders Suddenly Have A Mike Sainristil Question They Cant Ignore
Mike Sainristil is already facing an early test of how the Commanders handle accountability under Dan Quinn. After Washingtons season-opening loss, Quinn publicly called out the young cornerbacks performance, and Sainristil responded by owning the mistakes and saying his focus is on getting better. For a defense that wants to establish a sharper edge, the issue is not just one rough outing, but how quickly the rookie can steady himself as the spotlight gets brighter.
Isaac Yiadoms arrival from the practice squad adds another layer to the conversation, because Washington now has more veteran depth in the secondary heading into its game against the Dallas Cowboys. The move does not settle the cornerback picture, but it does put a little more pressure on Sainristil to respond the right way. How Quinn and his staff sort out those snaps will be worth watching, especially this early in the season when every adjustment carries a little extra weight. [Read more 🡒]
Dorance Armstrong Gives Commanders A Personal Edge Against Dallas
Dorance Armstrong Jr. is back in the Commanders lineup after serving a one-week suspension, and his return comes with a built-in layer of familiarity. After six seasons with the Cowboys, Armstrong now finds himself on the other side of one of the NFC Easts most familiar rivalries, joining Washington as it prepares for an upcoming meeting with Dallas. He is working his way back from an ACL injury and sliding into a reserve hybrid linebacker role in the Commanders' 3-4 defense.
Even with a limited workload possible as he adjusts to the scheme and the roster around him, Armstrong still carries obvious value in a game like this. Washington did not bring him in just for depth, and his presence against his former team adds a little more edge to a matchup that already has plenty of it. The Commanders will be watching how much he can handle, but they also know the timing of his return is hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders May Need These Lineup Tweaks To Handle Dallas Better
The Commanders came out of their regular-season opener with enough encouraging moments to believe the roster can settle in quickly, but the 24-22 loss also exposed a few lineup spots that could use a closer look before the next meeting with Dallas. Washington has already spent time sorting through what worked, what didnt, and where injuries may force the coaching staff to look for more snaps from players who were on the fringe in Week 1.
Rasul Douglas, Antonio Williams, Ben Sinnott and Quan Martin all surfaced as possible beneficiaries if Washington decides to tweak roles heading into the Cowboys game. Those are the kinds of adjustments that can make a difference in a divisional matchup, especially when the margin for error is thin, but for now they remain ideas rather than confirmed changes as the Commanders weigh performance and availability against a Dallas opponent that will demand cleaner execution. [Read more 🡒]