Slow and Steady Wins the Race: Washington’s Subtle and Methodical Approach Helps Them Topple Chicago

Courtesy of AS USA

By Luke Weidenkopf 

In back-to-back Thursday Night Football games, a low-scoring game where the defense was paramount and decided the end result. Washington’s stellar defense slowed the Chicago Bears’ approach and allowed for the Commanders’ special teams to kick Washington to the top. Washington’s Benjamin St.-Juste said after the game, “It’s a lot about our defense; once we click together, we can do some really great stuff.”

Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz, however, made it impossible for Washington to get any offense going. He completed 12 of his 22 passes, for 99 yards, and no touchdowns or interceptions. Wentz was also sacked three times. 

The starting quarterback’s play has become increasingly problematic. There have been calls for Wentz to be benched and a report came out that Head Coach Ron Rivera did not want Wentz as his starting quarterback. In a fiery press conference, Rivera exclaimed “Everybody keeps wanting to say I didn’t want anything to do with Carson. Well, bull****. I’m the f****** guy that pulled out the sheets of paper, that looked at the analytics, that watched the tape when we were in Indianapolis. That’s what pisses me off because the young man doesn’t deserve to have that all the time.” 

Wentz has the ability to flash greatness and show why he was the second overall draft pick in 2016 and an MVP candidate in 2017. Although, most of the time, it becomes clear why two other teams moved on from him without much hesitation. Wentz’s sloppy play and constant mistakes show that he has not corrected his mistakes and learned from them. On his play, Wentz said, “It was an ugly win, but those plays made a difference.”

The Commanders’ offensive tools did not offer Wentz any assistance as Washington’s top wide receiver, Terry McLaurin, had four targets for three receptions and 41 yards. Washington’s only offensive weapon was rookie running back Benjamin Robinson Jr. who ran for 60 yards and a touchdown.

The Chicago Bears’ offense was full of mistakes but was led by a deadly running attack that included three serious threats. Running backs, Khalil Herbert and David Montgomery, ran for 75 yards and 67 yards, respectively. Quarterback Justin Fields led the attack running for 88 yards. 

Fields’s play has been examined league-wide since he was the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft (one of five quarterbacks picked that year). His running ability has always been known and was clearly exhibited on Thursday night, as he spun and decked out every defender in his way. The main detriment of Fields’s play is his playmaking ability, vision on the field, and arm strength. He is small for a quarterback, but his ability to run could push him to an elite level. The pieces just have not come together for him. 

Washington’s defense played great all game fixing their main problem, consistency, and applying a ‘bend don’t break’ method. Coach Ron Rivera stated, “An interception and then two fourth down stops in the red zone were huge, obviously those were the difference in the game.” The game came down to the wire, as Justin Fields led the Bears offensive down to the red zone. He threw a jump ball to wide receiver Darnell Mooney, on fourth down, who snatched the ball out of the air, but lost it as he hit the ground. It was a turnover on downs and Washington went out for victory formation. 

This week five win was a sloppy mess as the Commanders barely edged out a win against one of the worst teams in the NFL, but they managed to keep a glimmer of hope alive for playoffs. Although, after the game NFL analyst and reporter, Ian Rapoport said that Wentz fractured his ring finger in the game and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. This paves the way for backup quarterback, Taylor Heinicke, to take the reins and lead the team. Heinicke struggled as the Commanders starting quarterback in the 2021-2022 season, but there is still hope that the experience he gained last year could help his play. 

Next week the Commanders play the surprisingly struggling Green Bay Packers, which could be a real litmus test for Washington and Taylor Heinicke. A win against future hall of famer, Aaron Rodgers, could light a fire of hope in the city and bring people back to the team.