The New York Jets are set to play their final home game of the 2023 season and they’ll get a visit from the Washington Commanders, a team the Jets are now in contention with for a top-five pick. How did things get so ugly for the Commanders? Is Sam Howell truly the quarterback of the future in Washington?
We got a chance to talk with Bryan Manning, managing editor of Commanders Wire to dive into what’s going on in the football world near our nation’s capital lately.
Are we seeing the final games of Ron Rivera as Washington head coach? Is Martin Mayhew on the chopping block too? How did this regime fall apart?
BM: Yes, this is it for Rivera. There was merit in firing Rivera after the 2022 season, but with Washington for sale, that was never going to happen. New owner Josh Harris didn’t take over until July, and by then, it was too late to make drastic changes. Rivera has done a terrible job. Yes, he’s dealt with a lot, but that doesn’t impact some of his bad coaching hires, countless personnel blunders and terrible game management. Once the feel-good 2020 season wore off, things got off track in the 2021 offseason when Washington missed on every free-agent signing (except Curtis Samuel) and Chase Young skipped the entire offseason program. That relationship was forever ruined, and Young never reached the heights of his rookie season again. As for Mayhew, he is GM in title only. Rivera hired him. He will be gone, too.
Is Sam Howell the guy? Especially if Washington does clean house and Washington sits with a top five pick?
BM: At one time this season, I would have said things looked good for Howell. Now, with the Commanders almost certainly landing a top-five pick and Howell’s recent struggles, it would be negligent for Washington’s next regime not to consider taking a quarterback. That doesn’t mean Howell can’t be the guy. He has talent. He has shown far more good than bad in 2023. He has the arm talent and athleticism, is a hard worker, and is loved by his teammates. The worries are the sacks and turnovers. It sometimes feels like a fatal flaw. I am a big Howell fan and would look to build around him for next year while making him compete with a veteran QB, unless one of the top QBs falls in your lap on draft day. One thing is certain, Howell didn’t get a lot of help from the Commanders. They threw everything at him, expecting a lot, probably too much. Another Rivera fail.
How worried should Washington be about blocking New York’s defensive line? Obviously, Washington has allowed Howell to be the most-sacked quarterback this season. Is the offense in for a long day Sunday?
BM: Washington’s offensive line should be worried. They aren’t good. However, they aren’t as bad as the sacks would indicate. Howell has an issue holding the ball too long. Where Washington really struggles is interior pressure, which would be a strength for the Jets. LT Charles Leno may not play, so that isn’t ideal. RT Andrew Wylie has allowed a lot of pressure this season. But the weakest areas are center and left guard.
What happened to the defense? On paper and early on, this was looking like a nice unit. Things have fallen apart lately. What needs to be fixed?
BM: That’s the million-dollar question. This was a top-five unit last season, definitely top 10 in every defensive metric. The Commanders didn’t really lose anyone and even added a first-round pick and a second-round pick in the secondary. And they got a lot worse. The unit was poorly coached, but not all of it is on coaching. The highly-paid defensive tackles aren’t having a great season. Montez Sweat was excellent before he was dealt. The new regime really needs to blow up this side of the ball, keeping only a select few. I’ve never seen an NFL defense allow big plays at this rate. It doesn’t matter who the Jets line up under center; he’ll have some open receivers.
Who wins and why?
BM: I think the Jets will win. I don’t think Washington is the NFL’s worst team. I think they are so poorly coached right now and have given up. Therefore, they are playing worse than anyone in the NFL. While the Jets are bad on offense, they’ll make enough plays against the Commanders’ horrendous defense. Offensively, I think Washington will have trouble moving the ball against a stout Jets defense. Jets 16, Commanders 13
