Grading Commanders Season - Missed Opportunities?
The Washington Commanders will be watching this season's playoffs from the couch...but they had every chance to punch their ticket into the tournament.
The time for self-evaluation and reflection has now come for Washington and its coaching staff, but how will they see a season that saw them finish 8-8-1?
Let's have a look ...
After acquiring Carson Wentz from the Indianapolis Colts, expectations were that the Commanders would be competitive.
In Wentz's first six games, Washington had a 2-4 record before a hand injury stopped Wentz in his tracks.
That thrust Taylor Heinicke into the starting lineup, and Washington's form took off. Ron Rivera's team then rattled off six wins out of their next seven games to catapult themselves into the playoff picture.
Sitting at 8-5 with back-to-back games against the New York Giants, Washington had a genuine chance to not only enhance its playoff seeding but rubber stamp it.
They didn't.
A tie and a loss pulled them back into the chasing pack. But their playoff destiny was still in their hands.
Then back-to-back losses to the San Francisco 49ers and the Cleveland Browns (with Wentz reinstated as the starting quarterback) all but ended the Commanders' playoff dream.
So, here we sit at season's end and reflecting on what we saw. Was this season a success? That depends on how you measure it.
Jack Del Rio's defense was a bright spark, finishing the season as the seventh-best in the NFL (only allowing 20.2 points per game).
Daron Payne had yet another superb season, leading the team in sacks with 11.5, while Montez Sweat (eight) and Jonathan Allen (7.5) also pulled their weight. Safety Darrick Forrest led the team in interceptions with four (the team ranked 28th in interceptions with just nine).
Washington also had the sixth-worst turnover differential (-5) and ranked 25th in third-down conversions (35.22%), but they were the league's best in stopping opponents on third downs, only allowing a conversion on 31.90% of the time.
On offense, Brian Robinson Jr. showed he could be the future at running back, totaling 797 yards from his 12 games with his brutal physicality a feature.
Receiver Terry McLaurin continued to do his thing, notching his third 1,000+ receiving yard season (his third consecutive season in doing so). Other receivers in Curtis Samuel and rookie Jahan Dotson, showed good progress, having over 500 receiving yards each and combining for 11 touchdowns.
The offensive line was seventh in sacks allowed, so there is room for improvement, while the defense ranked 12th for sacks with 43—despite star Chase Young missing most of the season.
So, there are positives, but also some negatives. In the overall scheme of things, having a chance to be in the playoffs is progress, but the fact that it slipped through their fingers will leave a sour taste in their mouth. Just ask offensive coordinator Scott Turner who was relieved of his duties this week.
In closing, the season has an immense "what if" feel and a sense of a missed opportunity for Rivera's men.
And the grade? Let's go with a C.
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