3 Things We Learned From the Washington Commanders After Week 5

After a strong 2-0 start to the regular season, the Washington Commanders have now lost three straight games.

SportsGrid looks at Washington through five weeks.

Make sure to utilize SportsGrid’s NFL game picks.

Have all the intel you need? Free actionable info is one click away! Sign up for our daily newsletter, SportsGrid Daily.

1. The Defense is a Major Issue

There was a lot of chatter about the Commanders being a solid defense entering the regular season, but that hasn’t transpired through five weeks. This group has specifically had issues against top wide receivers, and ample light was shone on that in Week 5 against the Chicago Bears. The Commanders secondary allowed Bears wideout DJ Moore to have a historic day, hauling in eight catches for 230 yards and three touchdowns. This defense was expected to keep them in many football games as the young offense figured things out this season, but things have been the opposite. If you take away the Commanders’ opening win against the Arizona Cardinals, they’ve allowed a whopping 36 points per game in the following four games. Think about it like this: the Bears offense has been inconsistent at best early on, and if Chicago can light up the Commanders offensively, that doesn’t inspire confidence in them moving forward.

2. Howell has Talent, Commanders Can’t Protect him

Although Commanders quarterback Sam Howell only started one game during his rookie year in 2022, you could see the potential was there. Through five starts in 2023, it’s been a mixed bag for Howell, who’s thrown six touchdown passes and six interceptions. Although there have been some questionable decision-making at times, a lot more of the blame should be going toward the offensive line and the lack of protection he’s receiving in the pocket. It’s not uncommon for a young quarterback who wasn’t a high draft pick to have decision-making issues, but the protection hasn’t been there for him to feel comfortable. We’re bullish on Howell continuing to improve as the year progresses, but for that to transpire, the Commander’s offensive line needs to improve quickly.

3. Is Ron Rivera the man for the job?

Heading into Week 5 on Thursday Night Football, there wasn’t a lot of chatter surrounding Ron Rivera and his job security. The majority of the focus was being placed on Bears head coach Matt Eberflus, who had yet to pick up a victory and was reportedly on the hot seat. With the Commanders suffering a blowout loss to the Bears in Week 5, the focus has shifted to Rivera and his job status. If you can’t get your group ready for a Bears squad that’s coming in having lost 14 straight games, that shouldn’t exactly inspire confidence in what Rivera is bringing to the table as the bench boss in Washington. The Commanders have continued searching for a quarterback and appear to have found one in Sam Howell. Now, the focus is shifting to Rivera, and he can’t exactly feel comfortable with his rank in the organization after suffering a humiliating loss at home to Chicago.

Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.