Monday Post-Mortem: The Commanders Are Officially the Hottest Team in the NFL

Sometimes in the NFL a team can snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, and the Washington Commanders 19-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday was just that. It was 2nd and Goal from the 4 yard line with just over a minute to play when Marcus Mariota’s pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage by Daron Payne and then intercepted by Kendall Fuller. The decisive play gave Washington the ball as they ran out the clock to improve to 7-5 on the season.

The win pushed the Commanders to 6-1 in their last 7 games, the best record of any team in the NFL over that stretch. The formula Washington has been using on this run is an old one. They run the ball well, dominate the line of scrimmage, and then play suffocating defense. Taylor Heinicke has been the quarterback of record in 5 of those 6 decisions, but his play hasn’t really exploded off the stat sheet. In fact, the offense is averaging just barely over 20 points per game since he took over for Carson Wentz. 

It has largely been the running game that has helped Washington move the ball, and yesterday that was the case once again. Rookie running back Brian Robinson had his best game as a pro as he finished the day with 105 yards on 18 carries and an impressive receiving touchdown where he ran over two Falcon defenders. Head Coach Ron Rivera rewarded the first year player with the game ball, a momentous occasion for someone who was shot twice in an attempted carjacking shortly before the season started. Robinson’s journey is emblematic of Washington’s season. They were once down, and largely ruled out, but they kept battling and came out the other side on top. 

Now the calendar will turn to December, and Washington is currently in a playoff spot. For a franchise that has spent the past 20 plus years in the basement, all you can ask for is to play meaningful football in the wintertime. But at some point you have to ask just how far can this team go. They were an undisciplined late-game penalty away from possibly defeating the Minnesota Vikings. The next week they went into Philadelphia on Monday Night Football and defeated the Eagles. Those are currently the top two teams in the conference. Washington’s next two games, sandwiching their late season bye, are both against the New York Giants, an overachieving team who is on the downswing. One of the most well known sayings in the NFL is that it is tough to beat the same team twice, but a series sweep against the G-Men would guarantee Washington a winning season and almost surely a wild card spot. 

A lot of people would say this wishful thinking is getting the cart ahead of the horse, but Washington still hasn’t even reached its final form. This past week the Commanders activated former defensive rookie of the year Chase Young off IR and he is expected to make his season debut this Sunday. Young will immediately bring an added element to a defense that has surged up the league rankings in scoring and sacks. 

Game management and good defense can take a team far in the NFL, and it is pretty clear Ron Rivera and Washington are using that formula. But there is an added ingredient that has contributed to Washington’s recent success, and that is swagger. The post game locker room celebration was littered with big hats courtesy of Brian Robinson and more new Jordan sneakers courtesy of Taylor Heinicke. The team, independent of the outside noise that constantly surrounds the franchise, has found a way to build a strong culture, and that is a big reason why this team is firmly in the playoff picture.

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