The latest power rankings are in, and the Washington Commanders continue to tumble. The Commanders have lost four consecutive games and now sit at 1-4 on the season — tied for the worst record in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers.
Six NFL teams only have one win, but three teams appear on a far different trajectory than the others. The Panthers, Commanders and Steelers are bad right now, but Pittsburgh could improve the more rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett plays.
31. Commanders (30): If Ron Rivera only had a quarterback … a position he and the front office have grossly mismanaged in consecutive offseasons.
Davis is partly right here. Carson Wentz is far from Washington’s biggest problem. A bad offensive line and a lackluster coaching staff are bigger problems. What’s the common denominator? Head coach Ron Rivera picked the players and the coaches, so Davis is right on that account.
Chance to make the playoffs: 3.6% Chance to win their division: 0.1%
Washington has enough issues — its offensive line remains a problem, and injuries have left it with no margin for error. But the Commanders struggle to get out of their own way — they’ve committed a combined 20 penalties in the past two weeks. It has left them already three games out of third place in the NFC East. They lack defensive playmakers and have just one forced turnover in five games. Their playcalling and game plans have been suspect at times, and they take too long to adjust. There’s enough talent to contend for the playoffs, but if they want to diagnose their issues, everyone in the organization just needs to hold up a mirror. — John Keim
Keim sums it up perfectly. For all of the talk about the offensive issues, this defense is unable to force a turnover. And whether it’s offensive coordinator Scott Turner or defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, these coaches struggle to adjust to opponents who adjust to them first.
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