Hogs Haven
Washington’s defense caught one break, literally, against the Atlanta Falcons this past Sunday, with cornerback Mike Sainristil hauling in an interception off of Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Beyond that moment, it was a long day against Penix and the Falcons offense. Penix threw for a career high 313 passing yards and another career high in completion percentage at 77%.
But why was Atlanta so successful? If your answer is simply Marshon Lattimore, you’re missing the mark. The Commanders played a mix of cover 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 against Atlanta, including a blend of man-match coverages. The Falcons did a good job putting the Commanders’ defensive backs in conflict in specific areas where they have struggled this season. Their motions forced late pre-snap rotations between safeties, which created communication issues between the rotating safety and the cornerbacks on their side of the field.
Beyond what the tape shows, defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. stated that some players were in the business of hero ball.
I began this film session with this coverage breakdown. In addition to hero ball and communication issues, the Commanders struggled to navigate the picks that the Falcons set, which led to explosive plays. Their pre-snap motions also led to schemed-up calls that took advantage of out-leveraged defenders in critical down-and-distance situations. More importantly, though, outside of scheme and communication, players just got beaten in coverage.
It all culminated in a frustrating day for players and coaches, and a performance against the Los Angeles Chargers will truly put their week of preparation and corrections to the test, as they have an excellent receiving core and a much better quarterback in Justin Herbert.
In this Trap or Dive film session, I highlighted specific breakdowns throughout the Falcons game that hurt Washington and explored whether any immediate changes could help the defense.
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