There has been a collective mantra echoed among Washington Commanders lovers this week. Everyone begged for no emotional letdown. You notice it all of the time in the NFL. A team coming off a large win — or a team that has a huge contention game the subsequent week — overlooks its current opponent’s handiest to lose the game.
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The Commanders didn’t permit that to occur. A Kendall Fuller select-six sincerely helped the cause, however, Washington didn’t take its foot off the gas. The defense held Dameon Pierce to much less than 10 rushing yards, and Davis mills found little achievement through the air earlier than scoring a garbage-time TD inside the fourth area.
The offense wasn’t prolific and struggled on third down, however, it sustained long drives to exhaust Houston’s defense. In truth, their 3 scoring drives inside the first half went for a blended 28 performances and fed on nearly thirteen minutes of clock.
By means of the end of the first half, the Commanders unfolded a 2-zero lead, their largest considering Ron Rivera was hired as head coach in 2020. Washington is now 6-five at the year and must be taken severely in the crowded NFC playoff image.
Here’s why.
Three motives the Commanders must be taken seriously in NFC playoff photographs
- No crippling accidents
Allow’s placed it this manner. The Commanders had been in the NFC playoff photograph for a period of last season despite being one of the NFL’s most injured groups.
Between, Curtis Samuel, Chase young, Montez Sweat, Brandon Scherff, Logan Thomas, Chase Roullier, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Benjamin St-Juste, and Sam Cosmi, (we’re likely missing some), the then-football group performed a big chunk of their time table without some of their maximum crucial players.
After Week 11, Washington has a noticeably easy invoice of health. The most effective exceptional inactive for Sunday covered Cole Holcomb and J.D. McKissic.Is absolutely everyone losing sleep over David Mayo and Armani Rogers being shelved? Didn’t think so.
We already knew Carson Wentz was injured, however, he’ll like be lively next week, and the crew is playing higher with Taylor Heinicke besides. Chase younger nonetheless being sidelined is disappointing, but all symptoms point to him returning in Week 12, and the protective line (more on them in a minute) is playing out of his mind.
Never underestimate the significance of fitness in a playoff race, and Washington’s injury success has progressed dramatically after 2021.
Don’t fear, I knocked on the wooden.
