Photo via Yahoo Sports

Washington Commanders Whiteboard: Notes and observations from Week 5

The Washington Commanders' defense continued its troubling trend of second-half collapses in a 27-27 tie against the New York Giants, surrendering 141 passing yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter after holding Jameis Winston to just 72 yards in the first half. The unit struggled to contain Winston’s deep passes, particularly in Cover 0, where he completed 6 of 10 attempts for two touchdowns despite the Commanders blitzing on 39% of dropbacks—a tactic that yielded only two sacks and a 33.9% pressure rate.

Tight end Isaiah Likely was a major factor, hauling in 11 receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns, while defensive coordinator Daronte Jones faced criticism for questionable coverage assignments, including a controversial play where defensive tackle Daron Payne dropped into the middle of the field, leaving the secondary exposed in the red zone. The Commanders’ inability to stop offenses in the second half persists, as they rank last in the league in both red zone defense and preventing late-game scoring, despite winning the turnover battle against Winston’s backup-led Giants.

Up nextNFL· 1d ago

Washington Commanders vs New York Giants: NFL Week 5 game chat and live discussion