Commanders defense rightfully called out by analyst

The Washington Commanders defense is picking up the pieces after their worst performance of the season.

In Week 4, the Commanders surrendered 34 points as they lost to the Atlanta Falcons on the road. Bleacher Report writer Brent Sobleski listed the Commanders defense as one of the losers of Week 4.

"The Commanders entered Sunday's tilt in Atlanta with numerous injuries om offense—Washington was without quarterback Jayden Daniels and No. 1 wide receiver Terry McLaurin," Sobleski wrote.

"However, those absences don't explain why the Commanders defense was cooked.

"An Atlanta team that was shut out a week ago by the lowly Panthers racked up 435 yards of offense and scored 34 points Sunday. Washington's secondary was atrocious, allowing big games from running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts and giving up well over 15 yards per catch."

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London runs after a catch against Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Commanders defense needs big adjustment

The Commanders are dealing with some injuries, but that shouldn't excuse their performance against the Falcons.

In Week 3, the Falcons scored zero points, so the Commanders giving up 34 is a bit of a surprise. They struggled to stop the ball against Penix, Robinson, London and Pitts, the four Falcons offensive first-round picks since 2021.

“We have to do our own job when we’re asked to do something right. And situationally, we’ve just got to understand where the weakness of certain coverages are and where they're going to attack it. That's all part of film study and game planning and everything. So, we've got to do our part. That's the biggest part of it, is when we have the opportunity to make those plays, we’re making one," Commanders defensive back Jeremy Reaves said.

The Commanders will hope to get back on track in Week 5 when they travel to the west coast to face off against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET.

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