What to watch for against the Cardinals

The Washington Commanders have taken up temporary residence in Tempe, AZ. this week in preparation for their game Sunday afternoon against the Arizona Cardinals.

At 2-1, the Commanders are flying high after an upset win over the Bengals on Monday Night Football. A win this weekend will not only send the DMV into rapture, but it will also give the franchise its first three-game winning streak since 2022.

With that in mind, here are 3 things to watch for.

The continuing education of the QB1:

Jayden Daniels may not be the toast of the league yet, but the hype is starting to build, and for good reason. Daniels earned a PFF grade of 95.5 against the Bengals. He’s getting the ball out of his hands faster than anyone in the league through three weeks. Perhaps most importantly, he has yet to throw an interception.

“He is a quick processor, a good decision maker, obviously,” offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said after practice Wednesday. “He knows when the party’s over, he knows when to throw it away or when to scramble and not force it in harm’s way.”

Daniels has seen his share of pass rushers in his young career and he’ll see another one Sunday in Dennis Gardeck. Last week against the Rams, Gardeck had four pressures and three sacks, one of them a strip sack of Matthew Stafford.

Cornerback coverage, or lack thereof:

How big a problem is the pass defense? The first time Washington lined up in man coverage Monday night, Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase beat Mike Sainristil for a 41-yard touchdown.

Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has first-round draft pick Marvin Harrison Jr. to throw to this year and after a slow start week one, Harrison now leads the league in both targets (180) and receiving yards (161) outside the numbers. Both cornerbacks Benjamin St-Juste and Noah Igbinoghene graded out as two of the worst defensive performers in week three. If Murray sees single coverage, he’ll have a chance for a big play.

We’re still not playing the brand of ball that we want,” defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. said today.

“That’s my responsibility and we’ll get there. We’re closer than people think. And the communication, that’s picked up. The physicality is there. Now, the playmaking needs to be there,” he said.

Can Jon Allen and Daron Payne have an effective game?

The Commanders two best defensive players have seen a lot of double teams, the problem is they both need to overcome it.

Through three games, Washington has the third-highest blitz rate (36.5%) in the league but the lowest pressure rate (21.7%).

Allen and Payne are the key. If they can put pressure on Murray and shut down the run game, the big plays will disappear. It’s time for the stars to play like stars. If they can, this team will come home 3-1, leading the NFC East after the first month of the season. Something no one saw coming.