Jonathan Allen quietly dominant through the first 3 weeks
There are certain things you can count on in today’s NFL. One of those things is consistently quiet dominance from Washington Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen.
Washington’s longtime team captain doesn’t always receive the recognition he deserves, but the other 31 NFL teams know how good Allen is. Regarding his team, outsiders often mention Daron Payne, Montez Sweat, or Chase Young’s name before Allen’s.
That doesn’t bother Allen.
Through Washington’s first two games, the Commanders sacked opposing quarterbacks 10 times, with Allen registering one sack. Unfortunately for the Commanders, they failed to bring down Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen in Sunday’s 37-3 loss to the Bills.
While Allen may only have one sack this season, that doesn’t mean he isn’t his usual dominant self. According to Next Gen Stats, Allen is No. 4 in the NFL among defensive tackles with 14 quarterback pressures.
Jalen Carter finished with a team-high 5 pressures on 16 pass rushes in the @Eagles Week 3 win over the Buccaneers (31.3% pressure rate).
Through the first three weeks, the rookie is tied for 2nd among defensive tackles in total pressures (15).
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— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 26, 2023
So, while Allen may not be piling up sacks — yet — he is making it easier for his teammates to generate pressure on the quarterback.
On Monday, Allen discussed Washington’s first loss of the season. Where did he put the blame?
“I put it on the D-Line,” Allen told the “Sports Junkies.”
Obviously, anyone who watched Sunday’s game would tell you the defensive line didn’t cost the Commanders the game. Turnovers and sacks cost Washington the game. However, the Commanders lack of pressure on Josh Allen didn’t help things. And Jonathan Allen is the type of leader who believes he — and his defensive linemates — can always do more.
