In 2021, Ron Rivera’s finished third in the NFC East after winning a division title. Can the Washington Commanders recapture their defensive fury of 2020?
It was a group that looked like some other defensive units of this century that built a strong defensive front via first-round draft choices.
The most recent example was the San Francisco 49ers, who wound up in Super Bowl LIV with assistance from Nick Bosa, DeForest Buckner, Arik Armstead, and Solomon Thomas.
The newly-dubbed Washington Commanders started bolstering their defensive front in 2017 by using the 17th overall pick on University of Alabama standout Jonathan Allen.
A year later, they went back to the Crimson Tide for Daron Payne. In 2019, the club had a pair of first-round picks and used the second on edge-rusher Montez Sweat (Mississippi State).
In ’20, Washington grabbed Ohio State end Chase Young second overall. He helped the club take the next step on the defensive side of the ball. That season, the “Football Team” finished just 7-9 but still managed to win the NFC East.
Including playoffs, Ron Rivera’s squad used four different starting quarterbacks. But Young (who earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors), Sweat, Allen, and company were the keys to coordinator Jack Del Rio’s unit. Only the Los Angeles Rams allowed fewer total yards and fewer passing yards than Washington.
The future looked bright. But that all disappeared in 2021. And that was before Young missed the final eight games of the season.
Rivera’s team went from 47 sacks in 16 games in 2020 to 38 QB traps in 17 outings. The club gave up a league-high 34 scores through the air after allowing just 21 touchdown passes in ’20.
Rivera’s club surrendered 434 points in 17 contests in 2021, 105 more than the previous year (329).
Del Rio’s unit will have some changes. Safety Landon Collins and unsung defensive lineman Matthew Ioannidis were let go this offseason – the latter joining the Panthers.
And interior presence Tim Settle joined the Buffalo Bills via free agency. But a lot of the pieces up front return this year for Rivera’s team.
So can Washington get back on track when it comes to chasing down opposing quarterbacks and offenses in general?