The new look defense.
Hey, did you hear the Commanders made a couple of trades this week?
Chase Young and Montez Sweat are gone and so are their 11.5 sacks. Enter Casey Toohill, James Smith-Williams, KJ Henry, and Andre Jones Jr.
Is there going to be a drop-off?
Yes, but how much is the question?
Believe it or not, Young and Sweat’s sack-to-snap ratio isn’t much better than Toohill and Smith-Williams.
New England quarterback Mac Jones isn’t going to make anyone forget Lamar Jackson either. The Patriots line isn’t as bad as Washington’s, but it’s close. The Commanders don’t need Toohill and company to be Young and Sweat. They just don’t need the pass rush to become non-existent.
Can quarterback Sam Howell progress? The second-year signal caller followed up one of his worst performances (week 7 against the Giants) with one of his best (week 8 against the Eagles).
Was it the game plan and improved line play?
An a-ha moment for the quarterback at some point. One thing we do know is that Bill Belichick will try and confuse him at the snap, showing one defensive look before switching into another. It’s up to Howell to recognize it and make adjustments.
Commanders wide receivers vs. man-to-man coverage.
It’s not inconceivable that Coach Hoodie comes up with something new for Washington, after all, he is known for making week-to-week adjustments, unlike you-know-who. That being said, New England plays more cover one than just about any team in the league, up to 31% of the time.
The Commander’s top three receivers, overall, do slightly better against man-to-man than they do against zone. Last week Miami torched the Patriots’ defense for 324 yards through the air and three touchdowns.
Granted, Miami has a lot more speed on the outside but if the new offensive line can keep the Pats rushers off Howell, he will have chances for big plays.