Who has the edge in the Week 6 battle between the Washington Commanders and Atlanta Falcons?
Las Vegas and the experts have weighed in, with Atlanta holding the edge.
Now, it’s time for the staff here at Commanders Wire to make our final predictions. Two out of three believe the Commanders pick up a much-needed win — but we all think it’ll be close.
Here we go:
Bryan Manning
Is this the week the Washington Commanders end their three-game losing streak? Washington had some extra rest after an embarrassing Week 5 loss to the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football. In Ron Rivera’s previous three years as head coach, the Commanders have responded well to these types of losses.
Will that be the case on Sunday? The Falcons are a unique opponent. If you can jump ahead with an early lead, that bodes well because Atlanta isn’t a great passing team. However, if the Falcons get ahead, they are hard to beat due to an outstanding running game featuring Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier.
As for the Commanders, I believe quarterback Sam Howell plays well. And I do believe Washington bounces back, even if last week’s debacle is still fresh on our minds. Another close game for Washington, but the Commanders will prevail.
Commanders 23, Falcons 20
Ivan Lambert
If ever the Commanders should play with an intense edge, it should be this Sunday in Atlanta.
They were so humiliated in their last contest; they all have something to prove and should play with an urgency from the first snap. However, the Commanders have lost defensive backs Darrick Forrest and Jeremy Reaves to injured reserve, and Christian Holmes is also out for Sunday. Holmes has been a significant factor in punt coverage in both of his seasons in Washington.
The Commanders must unite to stop the Falcons’ explosive running back, Bijan Robinson, or it will be another long day for the Washington defense.
Offensively, Sam Howell must be patient, taking advantage of early reads to open receivers, so as not to hold on to the ball too long and hurt the team by taking sacks.
Last year Brian Robinson rushed for over 100 yards in a narrow victory at FedEx Field. The game was super tight, as the Falcons were inside the five-yard line when Daron Payne deflected Marcus Mariota’s pass, resulting in Kendall Fuller’s game-saving interception.
Commanders 20, Falcons 17
Sammy Mansfield
The Washington Commanders have dropped three in a row after their hot 2-0 start. But last week’s home loss to the winless Bears was a new season low. To become a serious playoff team in this league, you have to win the “easy” games, especially at home. The Commanders haven’t proven they can do that yet. The most baffling stat from last week’s loss is that the team dropped back to pass 55 straight times without a designed run, from 8:49 in the 2nd quarter until the end of the game. That is the most for a team in a game since 2006, according to PFF. Eric Bieniemy needs to lean on Brian Robinson Jr. and the team’s run game, not abandon it completely.
The Falcons have been one of the weaker passing teams in the league this season, mostly relying on rookie Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier to carry the offense on the ground. However, Desmond Ridder is coming off his best performance as a pro, throwing for 329 yards while leading a game-winning drive against the Houston Texans stout defense on the road last week. On top of that, Washington just placed safeties Darrick Forrest and Jeremy Reaves on injured reserve earlier this week. It will be interesting to see if Atlanta decides to take advantage of Washington’s depleted secondary and ride Ridder’s hot hand or continue to ground and pound against a tough Commanders’ D-line.
Fun fact: Desmond Ridder is 31-0 as a starting QB at home, dating back to his college days at Cincinnati. Can Washington end that streak today?
Falcons 24, Commanders 21
