With the gorgeous weather, Southern California gave the Commanders a show at SoFi Stadium. You could never doubt the game, though.
Despite two turnovers in the first half, the Rams won 28–20 and handily. The playoff race will continue for Los Angeles.
In comparison, Washington is officially out of the playoff race at this point. Quite frankly, it’s evident from the way the team plays that they are not a contender for the postseason.
Football is comprised of three phases: offense, defense and special teams. Sunday, all three were bad.
At halftime, Washington’s offense generated just three first downs. Three. In the first half of the game, Sam Howell and the Commanders offense converted 14.3% of their third down opportunities.
The offensive and defensive statistics were nearly opposite. The Commanders defense, which Ron Rivera infamously streamlined following Jack Del Rio’s ouster on Thanksgiving, gave up an incredible 242 yards in the first half. Seven out of nine third downs were converted by LA. In terms of possession time, the Rams nearly doubled up on the Commanders.
And if that first half wasn’t bad enough, on just the second Rams snap of the second half, QB Matthew Stafford delivered a 62-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp, who was wildly wide open even for Commanders defense standards. Making matters worse, Washington also had a major special team’s blunder that could have resulted in an injury to one of the Commanders’ best players. Long snapper Cameron Cheeseman wobbled a low dribbler back to punter Tress Way, who made a very athletic play to field the snap, and then got blasted by the Rams defense. Way was evaluated for a concussion and treated for a back injury, but was able to stay in the game.
Rivera’s refusal to address the long snapping woes of Cheeseman has been a problem all season, and though the list is long of what needs to change this offseason, that position is definitely on the list. Washington has three games left before an offseason expected to be a full overhaul. The Commanders have now lost five games in a row and six of their last seven. Rivera’s squad really hasn’t been competitive in a contest since early November.
Against the Rams, Howell was pulled in the fourth quarter due to a series of injuries along the offensive line. Prior to being pulled, he completed just 11 passes on 26 attempts for 102 yards with a touchdown and an interception. There were also several batted passes and balls that could have been picked off. During that stretch of the season, the losses seemed less significant than the development of the young quarterback. That stretch has ended as well.
Backup QB Jacoby Brissett instantly infused new life into the Washington attack, completing his first four throws, including a 29-yard touchdown ball to Terry McLaurin. The offense with Brissett appeared immediately improved, and although granted, the Rams were running soft shell defense, nonetheless the performance might raise some uncomfortable concerns. or offer accurate responses.
All indications point to Washington selecting among the top five picks in the spring draft; at that position, serious talks about a quarterback are required.
Ron Rivera has emphasized for months how crucial it is for the Commanders to develop a young quarterback as the team’s defeats have mounted. It seems almost like a crutch, the way he keeps saying it.
That will be more difficult to rely on after benching Howell in Los Angeles, and there might not be any more crutches available.
