The success of the Commanders running game has lied solely at the feet of quarterback Jayden Daniels over the past six weeks; it must get back on track Sunday against Atlanta
The Washington Commanders will attempt to secure their 11th win of the season against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night. Kirk Cousins was the anticipated matchup that Commanders fans were looking forward to. Unfortunately for Cousins, too many turnovers and not enough wins landed him on the bench following the Falcons’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
This is a high-stakes matchup featuring two rookie quarterbacks, Jayden Daniels and Michael Penix, who are attempting to lead their team to a playoff berth. The Commanders still have areas that need improvement; running back Brian Robinson Jr. and Washington’s run game has been stagnant for an extended period. In five out of the last six games, the Commanders’ running backs have averaged 19 carries for 58 yards. The lone exception where the Commanders’ running backs haven’t averaged three yards per carry came against the Tennessee Titans defense, where they rushed for over 200 yards. Daniels’ has carried the running game in recent weeks, mostly on scrambles, which is not sustainable long-term.
On Sunday, Washington must re-establish their identity against Atlanta if they want to have a legitimate shot at advancing in the playoffs. The running game issues are not a one-group issue; the offensive line has struggled to win at the point of attack. Their ability to get back to their early-season ways is not trending in the right direction as defenses have begun to adjust to them. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is very aware of the problem, and aludes to the issue primarily being a player-based issue, but can they get things turned around this week?
You can listen to the full Trap or Dive game post-game recap below. We discussed:
- Falcons offense much better with Penix?
- Can the Commanders run game get back on track before postseason play?
- How Washington should approach Bijan Robinson-led Falcons offense
- Injury updates; Marshon Lattimore and Jon Allen current game status
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