Marcus Mariota
It’s revenge, Part 2. Last week, Marcus Mariota beat one of his former employers. This week, he faces the Atlanta Falcons on the road. The formula will be the same. Protecting the ball is job number one. Mariota can’t have silly interceptions or fumbles. Then make the simple play.
Test Michael Penix Jr.’s Confidence
Penix Jr. had a dreadful performance against the Carolina Panthers. He finished 18-36 with two interceptions. Kirk Cousins finished the 30-0 loss. The Commanders’ defense needs to ensure that they keep Penix’s confidence low.
Confusing Penix Jr. can be done a couple of different ways. The Commanders’ defense could bring cleverly designed blitzes and hit him every chance they get. Or, they could try to confuse Penix Jr. with designed coverages that lead him to make the wrong read.
Have the Run Help the Pass
Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown will be out. Of course, someone needs to make up for that in the passing game. Deebo Samuel, Luke McCaffrey, and Chris Moore are all candidates. But what could really help the passing game is the running game. Washington’s backfield by committee was successful against the Raiders. Jeremy McNichols, Chris Rodriguez Jr., and Jacoby Croskey-Merritt all made contributions. They combined for 143 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
