Everyone knows how important safety Kamren Curl is to the Washington Commanders. Curl missed five games in 2023, and in four of those games, the defense struggled. Curl remains one of the league’s most underrated defensive backs.
Washington’s defense has struggled this season. The Commanders allowed 30 or more points in four consecutive games heading into a critical Week 6 game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Curl and Washington’s defense was up to the challenge against the Falcons, coming away with a 24-16 win. The Commanders, for the most part, shut down Atlanta’s ground game, choosing to make quarterback Desmond Ridder beat them. Ridder passed for 296 yards, but his day will be best remembered for those three second-half interceptions.
The Commanders struggled on offense in the second half, but the defense, led by Curl, helped Washington snap a three-game losing streak.
After every NFL game, one of the media’s best analysts, former NFL player Brian Baldinger, takes to Twitter — or X — to post several clips of each, something he calls “Baldy’s Breakdowns.”
Baldinger was impressed with Washington’s defensive effort Sunday, specifically highlighting two plays from Curl.
One play, a fourth-and-3 in the first half, Ridder throws the ball to rookie running back Bijan Robinson, but Curl made a terrific play to break up the pass. Washington got the ball near midfield and went on to score its second touchdown.
.@Commanders won these three plays and the GAME; the @AtlantaFalcons won the stat page #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/4ntlgtS8Bd
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) October 16, 2023
The next play Baldy highlighted was with 44 seconds remaining in the first half. The Falcons had the football in Washington territory when Ridder saw an open Drake London streaking toward the sideline. He was open until Curl arrived and delivered the hit, forcing the incompletion and the punt.
Curl also finished second on the Commanders with 11 tackles.
So much is made of Chase Young and Montez Sweat being free agents in 2024, but let’s not forget about Curl. The Commanders need to make that happen, as Curl remains one of Washington’s most valuable players.
