It’s 5 o’clock somewhere…
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Washington is 19-10-1 against the Falcons, all-time, in a rivalry that dates back to 1966. Washington has won all four matchups with Atlanta in this decade, and are hoping to make it five-in-a-row this afternoon. History seems to be on the Commanders’ side — they have dominated the Falcons for decades aside from a 5-game losing streak from 2006 to 2018 — but the injury situation seems to favor the home team.
Washington will be without:
- QB Jayden Daniels
- WR Terry McLaurin
- WR Noah Brown
- TE John Bates
- S Percy Butler
Of course, the Commanders have already lost two starters for the season — RB Austin Ekeler and DE Deatrich Wise. They also have CB Jonathan Jones on short-term IR and have been without RG Sam Cosmi since he injured his knee in the playoff win against the Lions in January.
The most significant injury for the Falcons is CB A.J. Terrell.
The Commanders come into Atlanta hot off of a dominating win against the Las Vegas Raiders in which backup QB Marcus Mariota and the Commanders running attack made Jayden Daniels’ absence seem to be of no real consequence. The Falcons, on the other hand, were shut out by division rival, the Carolina Panthers, and starting QB Michael Penix was benched in the 4th quarter for former Redskin and the NFL’s highest-paid backup, Kirk Cousins. Head coach Raheem Morris threw cold water on any potential QB controversy immediately after Sunday’s loss by proclaiming that Penix remains the Falcons’ starter, yet, if you read/listen to Falcons local beat reporters, there seem to be a lot of interpersonal issues swirling just below the surface.
One thing in Washington’s favor could be the makeup of the crowd in the stands. It could be 50/50 between Falcons and Commanders fans, so early momentum could significantly affect the energy in the stadium.
The one positive aspect of the Falcons team that is crystal clear is the play of RB Bijan Robinson. He has been outstanding as both a ball carrier and receiver. He has accounted for 40% of Atlanta’s offensive yardage in the first 3 weeks of the season. Washington’s biggest challenge defensively will be to contain him — no small feat.
The Commanders enter the game with a ton of defensive metrics that indicate that Joe Whitt’s crew is doing its job the right way. For example, the Commanders defense leads the league in limiting opponents’ 3rd down conversion percentage. They are also getting pressure on the passer; per Ben Standig, Washington’s defense ranks 6th in sacks, 3rd in total pressures, and 1st(t) in total pressure rate.
The burgundy & gold defense may have an opportunity to lead Washington to a win by clamping down on an Atlanta offense that has scored only one touchdown in its past two game, and rattling a young quarterback who looked frequently confused last week against the Panthers.
Washington’s wounded offense may struggle against a solid Falcons defense that is ranked 2nd in the NFL in total yards per game surrendered, and 13th (right behind Washington) in points allowed per game.
The Commanders advantage could come down to special teams, which are at or near the top of the NFL rankings in a host of special teams metrics.
The 2-1 Commanders are looking to close out the month of September with a win that will keep them in the hunt for the NFC East division crown and among the shrinking pool of NFL teams with a winning record. The 1-2 Falcons are fighting to avoid a loss that would bury them in 3rd place in a relatively non-competitive NFC South division and possibly seeing their season begin to unravel. It feels like the keys to the game will be the Commanders ability to pressure and harass Michael Penix on defense, and to find a way to move the ball against an extremely stingy Falcons defense. More explosive plays from Washington’s special teams unit could be what’s needed to tip the balance in favor of the visitors in what shapes up to be a fight between two tough defensive teams.
Category: General Sports
