Hogs Haven
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The strangest rating might now might be the Washington Commanders at No. 7 despite a 3-4 record and a bad 44-22 loss to the Dallas Cowboys this week. The reason is that the Commanders were phenomenal in their three wins. All three games currently have DVOA ratings over 70%, although that could change as opponent adjustments develop. The Commanders are below 0% for all four losses and have the highest variance of any team in the NFL this year. The total package is better than you think, but really inconsistent, and of course they have a lot of injury issues including starting quarterback Jayden Daniels.
It was a good week for the rest of the NFC East, at least when it comes to the DVOA ratings. Dallas climbed eight spots from 17th to eighth after beating the Commanders soundly. The Eagles moved up four spots to No. 11 with a victory over Minnesota. The Giants drop a spot after their close 33-32 loss to Denver, but their actual rating is up a couple of percentage points. They just got passed on the table by the suddenly hot Carolina Panthers, who are now up to 21st overall.
The Athletic (paywall)
The Commanders made a splash by trading for cornerback Marshon Lattimore at the deadline last year. But they were 7-2 at the time and suddenly one of the hottest teams in the league. Their plan to rebuild was expedited, and they believed they had a chance to contend with some help on the back end. Much has changed since then. Washington is 3-4 this season with two prime-time games — a Monday night road game in Kansas City, then a Sunday night meeting with the Seahawks at home — before the trade deadline. The Commanders’ roster is in shambles because of injuries, and their defense is spiraling. Giving up more draft picks when they’re deficient in many areas wouldn’t make sense. And the players they might be willing to part with may not generate interest elsewhere. — Nicki Jhabvala
Commanders.com
The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team.
I’m back for another edition of Hail Mail, and I’ve noticed that the Washington Commanders’ fan base is a little…well, perturbed following last Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
@robbieroadrunr: Why is Luvu non-existent this year? I blame the scheme. What are your thoughts?
I’ve seen this a lot when it comes to Frankie Luvu, who, in fairness to you, has not been as consistently impactful as he was last year. He had a career season in 2024, and things have been a little uneven for him on the stat sheet.
Here’s my problem with...
