A month ago, Washington Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen said he was tired of losing in an expletive-laced postgame rant. Now that the Commanders have lost eight of their last ten games, Allen had another blunt reaction.
“At the end of the day, in the NFL, you have to do your job,” Allen said per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. “As players, we’re not getting the job done, and as coaches, we’re not getting the job done. I don’t think anyone’s getting the job done. So, for me, I’m looking at myself — what can I do better? What can I do to help these guys win? Everyone has to do that for themselves.
The Commanders got gashed in a 45-10 loss to NFC East foes, the Dallas Cowboys. Washington’s defense has been the main culprit of the team’s loss.
The Cowboys’ offense gained 431 yards behind quarterback Dak Prescott’s impressive performance. Prescott completed 22 of 32 passes for 331 yards and four touchdown passes.
The most glaring stat is the Commanders could not register a sack of Prescott. The Commanders have struggled to get pressure on opposing QBs in three of the four games since trading both primed pass rushers Chase Young and Montez Sweat.
Jonathan Allen has 2.5 sacks since the Oct. 31 trades, but like much of the defense, his impact has been minimal on the game’s outcome.
With Washington having a 4-8 record, questions have surfaced surrounding the futures of head coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. Fans and media have called for their dismissal.
While the new ownership contemplates potential changes, players must perform to expectations regardless if Rivera and Del Rio are in or out.