Who are the Real Washington Commanders?
Who are the real Washington Commanders? In 2020 their defense was elite, and it got them all the way to the playoffs. They ranked 2nd in the NFL in allowing just over 300 yards per game. Now, it was just a 7-9 record, but they won the NFC East. 2021 was another 7 win season, but saw regression on the defense, allowing almost 360 yards per game. Will the real Washington defense please stand up. The offense has not been good in our nations Capital. They haven’t averaged more than 21 points per game since 2017! That needs to be fixed, and maybe they can catch lightning in a bottle with Carson Wentz coming over from Indy this offseason.
Adding Talent in the Draft
The Commanders added some high upside talent in the draft this year. Jahan Dotson from Penn State, who is a nice complement of their current wide receiver corps, was taken 16th overall. They also took QB Sam Howell out of UNC. going into the 2021 season, Howell was in the running to be the #1 overall pick. Needless to say, Howell’s final season in Chapel Hill was not great. But, that season needs context. The Tar Heels lost their top 2 running backs after 202, along with their top 3 pass catchers. The Heels lost something like 90% of their output from the season prior. The talent is still there, and if Carson Wentz struggles, the Commanders need to find out what they have with Sam Howell.
Conference and Division Question Marks
The NFC is very top heavy, and apart from the Buccaneers, Rams, and Packers there are question marks with every other team. The landscape in the NFC East is just as muddy as the conference. Dallas lost 2 of their top 3 wide receivers, Philly brought in talents but Jalen Hurts needs to show he can get it done, and the Giants were just 1-5 in the division last year. Because of the weak NFC, 9 wins could get you in the playoffs.