Commanders’ punt returner Jamison Crowder’s 61-yard charge down the field marked the beginning of the end for the Falcons on Sunday.
Crowder left defenders trailing in his wake as he returned a punt all the way to Atlanta’s 11-yard line at the beginning of the second quarter. The Commanders quickly scored to make it 10-7 — a lead they would never relinquish.
“This is a new defense, a lot of new guys,” defensive end Calais Campbell said. “We have to get to a level where we can just dominate opponents… There’s definitely another gear here that we need to hit.”
The Falcons haven’t hit it quite yet, struggling to contain Washington’s 17th-ranked offense (entering Sunday). Crowder’s punt return established insurmountable momentum for the Commanders, whom put up two touchdowns in the second quarter to go up 17-10 at the half. A sizable group of Commanders’ fans cheered their every move, keeping Mercedes-Benz Stadium loud even as the Falcons fell behind.
Commanders’ quarterback Sam Howell threw for 151 yards and kept the Falcons’ defense on their toes. Howell was key to Washington’s resurgence in the second quarter, going four-for-seven with two touchdown passes.
Campbell called Howell a “competitor,” saying he has what’s needed to be a good football player. He’s a strong passer, Campbell said, and he expects to see Howell’s game evolve.
The Commanders rushed for 72 yards — more than double their 29 yards in their last contest against Chicago. They also found a strong passing rhythm, scoring three receiving touchdowns spread out among three players.
Washington’s offense proved evasive at times for Atlanta, like when running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. ran straight through a sea of defenders for a seven-yard gain in the third quarter.
Atlanta’s blunders on offense also challenged their defense. Quarterback Desmond Ridder threw three interceptions, including one in the Falcons’ end zone that had Washington’s defense jumping and fist pumping with just more than five minutes left.
Still, the Commanders’ offense was just 2-for-10 on third-down conversions. It’s something the Falcons work hard on, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett said, but isn’t everything in a loss.
“At the end of the day, we’ve got to find a way to get that ball,” Jarrett said.
The Falcons’ defense has failed to record an interception since Sept. 24 against the Lions. Jarrett said he feels the unit can increase turnovers and limit big plays.
There were some bright spots for the defense, however. The Falcons held Washington scoreless in the fourth quarter, forcing them to multiple three-and-outs.
“In the fourth quarter, when the game was on the line, we’re solid,” Campbell said. “You could feel it. There was nothing they could do. We were just going to keep coming.”
However, Campbell said their fourth quarter mentality needs to span the whole game.
Another highlight for Atlanta’s defense: tallying five sacks. The Falcons had just five sacks on the season entering Sunday’s game, but easily took down Howell. Campbell recorded his 100th career sack, which he said was an exciting milestone to reach despite the loss.
Coach Arthur Smith said pressuring the quarterback has been a focus all season, and his team has been “pretty damn good” all year. Sunday’s pressures just happened to turn into sacks, he said.
Now, the defense is ready to turn the page and embrace growth in practice.
Although Jarrett felt the defense has work to do, he said that doesn’t make him a “downer.” He said it’s encouraging that they can make changes.
“We can be better,” Jarrett said. “We’re going to work in practice every day to be better. When the game comes, we can make improvements.”
