If there’s one thing we’ve become used to with the Washington Commanders under defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, it’s coverage concepts that just don’t work. Mostly because of miscommunication in the secondary. It’s not that the Commanders don’t have talent in that secondary — there’s more than enough there, starting with cornerbacks Kendall Fuller and William Jackson III. The problem has generally been that Del Rio and his staff seem to be unable to put those defensive backs in ideal positions on a no-matter-what basis.
In 2020, when Del Rio became the defensive coordinator, Washington finished third in Defensive DVOA. In 2021, that fell to 27th (28th against the pass), and busted coverages were a common problem, despite a lot of talent in the secondary.
Last season, no defense allowed more passing touchdowns than Washington’s 34, to just 11 interceptions. That defense also allowed 400 catches on 597 attempts for 4,542 yards, a completion rate of 67.0%, a yards per attempt allowed of 7.6, an opponent passer rating of 100.9, and an opponent EPA of 67.90.
The preseason was no better — Patrick Mahomes absolutely ripped Washington’s bad coverages to bits, and we knew that we were in for another season of this.
In Week 1 against the Jaguars, Del Rio’s defense made Trevor Lawrence pretty comfortable, allowing 24 completions on 42 attempts for 275 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. That was against a second-year quarterback in his first game with a new coaching staff, working his way out of one of the most disastrous rookie seasons and coaching situations in recent memory.
Against Jared Goff and the Lions on Sunday, it didn’t take long for those coverage mistakes to rear up again. Goff’s 13-yard touchdown pass to underrated receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown with 1:45 left in the first quarter? Well, we’re not exactly sure what the coverage was supposed to be there.
.@amonra_stbrown going 🆙#WASvsDET | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/9ZOSRFiP6s
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 18, 2022
It would be equally tough to figure out was what it was supposed to be on this big play from Goff to St. Brown. Either way, woof.
Bingo card: Miscommunication in the secondary. pic.twitter.com/TJgYj8BrMb
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) September 18, 2022
Detroit’s second drive (the one before the St. Brown touchdown) was negatively affected by two red zone incompletions by Goff, but those throws to St. Brown and DJ Chark were more on Goff than anything Washington did.
omg wyd pic.twitter.com/4i4Va6dB4M
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) September 18, 2022
And on this 23-yard pass from Goff to Josh Reynolds as the first quarter came to a close, Washington was running what looked like shallow 2-Man coverage, and there were open guys all over the place at the intermediate level.
You’ve got to be quick if you’re tracking the Commanders’ coverage busts. I capped the 23-yard pass from Jared Goff to Josh Reynolds right about the time another busted coverage led to Reynolds’ touchdown. pic.twitter.com/9vWQyCw5Ok
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) September 18, 2022
And here’s that aforementioned touchdown, where the Commanders just decided to let Reynolds run right through the end zone.
The freakin' serpent of death!#WASvsDET | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/jppj3cRlTY
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 18, 2022
The extent to which teams can test the Commanders’ coverages in situations like this has to be truly distressing to head coach Ron Rivera, a defensive player and coach himself.
Whether Rivera will do something about it at some point remains to be seen.
