Washington heads to Dallas looking to save what’s left of the season.
After suffering a devastating home loss to the New York Giants, the Commanders face off against one of the fiercest defenses in the NFL.
Dallas has been good about beating teams under .500.
Keys for Washington:
Keep Howell Upright: Sam Howell’s sack numbers have been well publicized. The issue is three-pronged: the offensive line, Howell holding onto the ball, and playcalling. With Dallas’s pass rush, Eric Bieniemy’s play-calling might be the most important of the three. Bieniemy will need the running game to be good enough and the screen game to slow down the Cowboys’ pass rush.
Flip Out: The Commanders’ defense needs to have a field-flipping impact. That can come in two ways. Force as many 3-and-outs as possible, especially if Dallas is deep in their own territory. The other is with turnovers that lead directly into a short field for the offense. Either one will work. The offense will need as many short fields as possible.
Job Security: Over the last two weeks, we’ve seen two teams with playoff aspirations fire coordinators. Washington’s defensive coordinator, Jack Del Rio, has been in the crosshairs of fans and media. The criticism isn’t a one-season reaction. Over the last few NFL drafts, Washington has used a lot of draft capital on the defense, and for one reason or another, it hasn’t translated on the field. More than likely, Washington isn’t making the playoffs, but coaches are auditioning for other jobs all the time, so putting their best foot forward is a must.
