Through the first three weeks of the regular season, Washington Commanders fans have truly felt what the rollercoaster ride of the “Carson Wentz experience” is like. After their first three games, the Washington Commanders find themselves sitting at a 1-2 record.
The Commanders began the year with a strong week one performance, beating the Jacksonville Jaguars by a score of 28-22. Carson Wentz, while viewed as shaky at times, looked like the starting quarterback that Washington needed all of last year. Wentz threw for 313 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. The offense looked to be firing on all cylinders, and Wentz was able to get all of his receivers involved, including his rookie receiver Jahan Dotson who caught the game-winning touchdown. The defense did have some struggles down the stretch, but put things together to end the game with a Darrick Forrest interception.
Washington headed to Detroit for week two, following up their exciting week one showing with a disastrous first half against the Lions. Carson Wentz was sacked four times in the first half alone, and Washington went into the half down 22-0. After a respectable 2nd half effort, Washington would lose the game by a score of 36-27. When it mattered most, Washington’s defense could not get a stop and gave up far too many explosive plays. Wentz finished with 337 passing yards, with three touchdowns and one interception.
Back at home in week three, Washington got their first crack at a divisional opponent in the Philadelphia Eagles. Once again, Washington’s offensive line struggled, giving up six sacks in the first half, and the offense once again sputtered coming out the gates. The Eagles led 24-0 at the end of the first half. Unlike week two, the second half didn’t bring much change for Washington, and they went on to lose the game 24-8.
As disappointing as these first three weeks may have seemed, there are some positives to take away from the Commanders’ play. To begin with, the defensive line has been generating more pressure than in 2021, starting to resemble the 2020 defense that ranked 2nd in the league. Washington’s defense has put together eight sacks through three games, which is currently 8th in the league. Keep an eye on Chase Young’s impact on the d-line’s success when he returns to the lineup.
Another promising takeaway from these first few weeks is that Curtis Samuel is living up to the expectations that were set by his 3-year, $34 million contract. After missing most of the 2021 season, Samuel worked hard this offseason to get back into form, and it has shown through the first few weeks. In each of Washington’s first three games, Samuel has hauled in 7+ receptions and has scored a touchdown in two of the three games. For much of the 2021 season and seasons prior, Washington had been missing that explosive element to their offense that seemed to be present in so many teams across the league, but they now seem to have all the pieces they need; the limiting factor ends up being quarterback Carson Wentz.
As explosive as Washington’s offense has seemed at times, their offensive line is a glaring weakness in the unit and has caused them to struggle mightily in spurts. This became evident in week two vs the Lions, and then again vs the Eagles. Through three weeks, Washington leads the league in sacks given up (15). It has become clear that the loss of key o-line members Ereck Flowers and Brandon Scherff this offseason has had a profound impact on Washington’s ability to protect their quarterback. While some of the blame can be placed on Carson Wentz for a lack of awareness in the pocket, letting an opposing team sack your quarterback nine times in one game is inexcusable.
Even after picking a defensive player in the first round of the drafts for five consecutive years prior to 2022, Washington’s defense has still looked subpar at best. They continue to give up big plays, and it is apparent in their ranking of opponent passing yards per game, in which they rank 28th in the league (giving up 274 passing yards/game). Jack Del Rio’s unit has also struggled against the run, giving up 5.4 yards per carry, which is 29th in the league.
Despite only being three weeks into the season, there are already concerns mounting for the Washington Commanders. Carson Wentz has shown signs of competence but has also made many questionable plays. The defense has given fans glimmers of hope but then takes it away by giving up a 40-yard play. As their divisional opponents continue to make strides of progress, look out for how Washington responds to their rocky start.
Article written by Ben Kim of Walter Johnson High School
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons