Hogs Haven
A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders
The fact that Washington’s defense was the unit keeping hopes alive against the Bears shows just how far the unit has come in two months. They were ranked 26th in yards allowed heading into the first matchup against the New York Giants. Now, days ahead of the rematch, they’re a much more respectable group, ranking 13th in yards allowed, sixth against the pass and 10th in points allowed.
There’s still more for the unit to work on as they enter the second half of the season, but Quinn hopes the Bears game is another step in the right direction.
From Weeks 2-8, they held five of their seven opponents to less than 20 points, with the only exceptions being the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens.
The defense has made a bigger jump over the last two weeks, particularly against the pass. The Carolina Panthers and Bears combined for 190 yards through the air, and over the last three, only the Philadelphia Eagles have given up fewer passing yards.
Washington’s emerging pass rush has also played a role in the defense’s success. Fourteen of the Commanders’ 22 sacks have come in the last four games. Ten Commanders players have recorded at least one sack this season, and over the last three games, their sack percentage ranks eighth in the NFL. They’re also tied for 10th in sacks per game.
Over the last five games, the Commanders have given up 15.8 points per game, which Whitt called “high level defense” during his Thursday press conference.
Johnny Newton had one thought when asked in the Washington Commanders’ locker room about how the NFL corrected his first-quarter play on Caleb Williams, which resulted in a six-yard loss, from a tackle to a sack: “Finally!”
“I just felt like my old self,” Newton said.
The Commanders needed Newton to step up once it was announced that Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen would miss the rest of the season with a pectoral injury, and so far, the rookie has risen to the challenge. He had one of his best statistical games in Washington’s 18-15 win over the Bears with three tackles, four quarterback hits and a fumble recovery.
It’s exactly what the Commanders were hoping for when they drafted Newton.
Although Newton’s speed, quickness and playmaking ability have shown up in flashes at times this season, they were far more consistent against the Bears. In the second quarter, he fought through a double team to tackle D’Andre Swift for a two-yard gain. On the same drive, he tracked down wide receiver Rome Odunze on a jet sweep, spinning to get out of a block before sprinting to tackle Odunze for an...
