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Commanders 4-Game Win Streak Snapped by Ravens

The Washington Commanders had their 4-game winning streak snapped on Sunday by Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and the Baltimore Ravens. Despite the 30-23 loss, there were plenty of bright spots for Washington. There are no moral victories but after today’s performance, the arrow is for sure pointing up in Washington.

Here are my top takeaways from Sunday’s game.

Nell’s Super Six Pack:

  • The Commanders can compete with any team in the NFL– Heading into Sunday’s game vs Baltimore the vibes were sky high around the Washington Commanders. Winners of 4 straight, Washington was receiving PLENTY of national love, leaving folks to wonder, what if? What if Washington upset one the powerhouses of the AFC? How would they be viewed? Are they a Super Bowl contender? Unfortunately we’ll never know how they would be perceived if they won, because they didn’t. We did learn alot about this Commanders team on Sunday. My main takeaway, this Commanders team is LEGIT and can compete with any team in the NFL. Anybody. Anywhere. Anytime. The fight the team showed in the face of adversity is the stuff of champions. Major credit should be dished out to the players and coaching staff for creating an environment where EVERYONE has bought in, allowing this team to compete ahead of schedule. Losses stink. This team doesn’t.

  • Jayden Daniels is an MVP candidate– Leading up to Sunday’s game, the main story was the epic QB battle that was about to take place between 2x MVP Lamar Jackson and Offensive Rookie Of The Year frontrunner Jayden Daniels. Both QB’s lived up to the hype making big time play after big time play, in the end it was Lamar who came out on top, but it may have been Daniels who gained the most. The rookie finished 24/35 for 269 yards, 2 TD’s and a QB rating of 110.3. Washington had to play without their leading rusher Brian Robinson Jr who missed the game due to injury. That meant Jayden Daniels had to step up big time, and he did. Sunday, Daniels showed the poise, maturity and intangibles of a 15-year vet. Daniels did a great job manipulating the Ravens defense with his eyes, creating throwing windows for himself. Daniels also threw the ball with tremendous touch, anticipation and accuracy.  The nuances in Jayden Daniels’ game are spectacular. Ability to manipulate with his eyes, throwing with anticipation, touch and zip, it’s all been outstanding & continues to improve. He went into Baltimore and traded haymakers with a two-time MVP and a roster in a Super Bowl window. Daniels is not only a real MVP candidate, but already one of the best in the NFL at his position.

  • This offense is LEGIT…but the key to the offensive success is staying ahead of the chains- Washington came into Sunday’s game with an offense that was first in the NFL in points per game, 1st in 3rd down conversion rate and 2nd in rushing yards per game. In a nutshell, they have been one of the best units in the NFL through the first 5 weeks. Sunday vs Baltimore the Commanders offense had their second worst performance of the season with their first being in the season opener vs Tampa Bay. Washington was without their leading rusher Brian Robinson and his loss was certainly felt. The team was only able to muster 52 yards on the ground on just 18 carries, both season lows. The team also finished just 4-12 on 3rd downs. Many will blame the poor 3rd down numbers on the team’s inability to run the ball, and they’d be partially correct. The main issue was the lack of success on 1st and 2nd down, constantly being behind the chains. Washington faced 3rd and 7 or more 6 times in the game, they converted just 1 of those opportunities. Early down success has been the key to the offense, it was the biggest catalyst to their 3rd down woes today.

  • Defense is improving but still has a ways to go– Entering Sunday’s game the Commanders defense had registered back to back solid performances vs Cleveland and Arizona. The tackling has been much better, turnovers were being forced and the pass rush had come alive racking up 11 sacks in a two-week span. Clear signs of a group that is improving. In the first half, Washington showed more signs of growth forcing an interception and sacking Lamar 2 times. Baltimore came in with the best rushing attack in the NFL and Washington did a good job of keeping the run game in check in the 1st half. The tackling was impressive, the pass rush was disciplined, ultimately penalties hurt Washington on defense in some key spots. From the 2nd quarter on, Washington allowed 5 straight scoring drives (2 FGs, 3 TDs). The rush offense for Baltimore proved to be too much as they gashed D.C for 176 yards on 37 attempts. There were flashes, but ultimately, still a long way to go

  • Sunday was Game 1 of TRUE cross-town rivalry– The Ravens and Commanders game Sunday had plenty of hype leading up to it because both teams were playing good football to start the year and the QB’s on each side will be amongst the league’s best for years to come. You have to admit, the game for sure lived up to the hype coming down to the final possession to determine the winner. Commanders fans traveled deep and made their team feel at home despite it being an away game. There was trash talk after each snap, big hits and tons of emotion from each sideline and fanbase. All key ingredients to a real rivalry. With Daniels emerging as seemingly the savior for Washington football, Lamar vs Jayden will be a marketing cash cow for years to come. Two young dual-threat African American QB’s breaking stereotypical norms and taking the league by storm. This game should be a yearly occurrence, with the winner feasting on crab legs after the victory. The Battle Of The Beltways is off to a great start.

  • Game Balls– Jayden Daniels, Mike Sainristill, Noah Brown, Terry McLaurin, Johnny Newton, Bobby Wagner, Jeremy Chinn and Zach Ertz

 

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