Three Takeaways From Sunday’s 25-10 Loss To Dallas
The Washington Commanders lost their third consecutive game Sunday afternoon in Dallas. Let’s take a look at some of the takeaways from the second defeat in as many games to an NFC East opponent.
While the 2022 NFL season is only four weeks old, the Commanders are already in a position where more than just the hopes of the fans may be slipping away.
Three Takeaways From Dallas
The first ever Commanders versus Cowboys game was a complete stinker in all phases of the game for Washington. While they were able to see some success running the ball (5.3 yards per carry), the offense couldn’t find a way to take full advantage of it.
Defensively Jonathan Allen had a standout game with eight combined tackles, four for losses including a sack, and a deflected pass. While the defense was not perfect as a unit, they only gave up 279 yards despite the lackluster play in the secondary, and questionable coaching.
The O-Line Can’t Protect The QB
When you’re the Washington Commanders and your quarterback is Carson Wentz, you need to be able to give him time in the pocket to find his open receivers. Without it, he’ll never succeed…it’s been proven in past seasons already. There is absolutely no way Commanders Head Coach Ron Rivera didn’t already know that Carson Wentz needs good protection to be successful before he traded for him.
Not having the depth on the interior of the offensive line to fill in when injury strikes (as it always does in the NFL) is proving to be the fatal flaw of this young season. As of right now, the passing game that employs three of their best weapons on the field is dead in the water. While Dallas only had two sacks Sunday, they also had 15 hits on the quarterback and countless pressures.
William Jackson III Should Not Be Starting
Commanders cornerback William Jackson III has been a guy that many have viewed as a bad free agent signing by Rivera and company ever since the franchise signed him to a three-year deal worth $40 million with $26 million of it guaranteed. While the team can opt-out of that deal this offseason (nine million in dead cap), that won’t help them in the meantime.
Jackson has not played well enough this season for anyone, including the Commanders coaching staff, to defend him. He clearly doesn’t fit the overall scheme of the defense and gets burnt repeatedly in coverage.
CeeDee Lamb scored 30-yard TD on post. Commanders CB William Jackson III: “I was thinking I had a guy in the middle of the field, and I just was going to play it outside in. But they did a good job of creating a 2×2, which took the safety out.” Attention on Dalton Schultz up seam pic.twitter.com/op1nk6wmKh — Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) October 3, 2022
At this point, it’s an understatement to say Jackson hasn’t lived up to his contract, but Sunday in Dallas he was especially bad. Another former Cincinnati Bengals cornerback took to Twitter to give his thoughts on Jackson’s afternoon in Dallas.
Lmao @WilliamJackson3 are you in there lol they cook that ass today !!! pic.twitter.com/8t0ZBIkfW0 — ADAm Pacman Jones (@REALPACMAN24) October 2, 2022
Penalties
Washington had 11 penalties for 136 yards Sunday afternoon in Dallas. That number should stand out to everyone. Not just in the sense of ‘wow, that’s a lot of yards,’ but something even odder when you see Dallas only had four total penalties the entire day for 20 yards, including none on their offensive line or secondary for holding.
That’s not even mentioning anything on special teams, like this blatant running into the kicker call that was originally called, then waived off by officials.
How is this not running into the kicker? #HTTC pic.twitter.com/UY5mNUobrh — Darren M. Haynes (@DarrenMHaynes) October 2, 2022
While that running into the kicker no-call may not have changed the outcome of the game itself, the collection of no-calls along with the amount called against Washington at the very least shows some unexplained bias. It’s hard to understand but also seen enough in the league to make some turn a cold shoulder to.
While it is obvious to say bad calls were not the only reason Washington lost Sunday in Dallas, it’s officiating like this that has everyone wondering why the NFL can’t train these guys better.
There was no flag for DPI on this play. There should have been.#HTTC pic.twitter.com/kkCSDtq1iH — Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) October 2, 2022