NFL power rankings roundup: Where are the Commanders after the bye week?

Very little has improved in Washington — the Commanders are 4-9 for a reason — but the pass protection has at least stabilized. They allowed six sacks in the season opener vs. Arizona — and 40 in the first seven games combined. But in the past six games Washington has allowed 18 as quarterback Sam Howell has handled the pressure better, more calls have been designed for quick releases and the line has done a better job. It could still be better, but it has improved. At one point Howell was on pace to be sacked an NFL-record 107 times; it’s now at 75.8 — the current record is 76. — John Keim

Now owners of the league’s worst defense, they’ve dropped four in a row – losing the past two games by a collective 90-25 score while allowing 837 yards. The Commanders haven’t forced a turnover since Week 9.

The final four weeks are just job interviews for guys currently on the roster. Whether it be with Washington or elsewhere.

No one reasonably could have expected defensive improvement following the trades of pass rushers Chase Young and Montez Sweat, but the unit underachieved prior to that, too, leading to the dismissal of defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and secondary coach Brent Vieselmeyer after the blowout loss to the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. According to Next Gen Stats, the Commanders have allowed 19 touchdowns on vertical routes this season, which is eight more than any other team. That is stunning for a franchise that entered this season with reasonable hopes of fielding a top-half defense with the potential to be a top-10 group. The Commanders finished the 2022 season with momentum and added talent this offseason, but the D regressed horribly. That, as much as anything, cratered Washington’s season, even if the offensive mistakes tend to earn more attention.

They come off their bye with an eye on next season. Who will be the coach is the major question.

When a team is on a bye and no one really notices, that’s not a good sign.

Not many people would have had the first-year starting quarterback as the No. 7 fantasy quarterback in the league (236.94 points) before the season, but that’s where Howell sits. His surprising production (3,466 passing yards) actually puts Washington in a complicated spot. Count on Howell to iron out the rough spots in his game (14 interceptions, 58 sacks) or take advantage of what should be a high draft position to grab a new starter?

The Commanders will come limping in defensively after a bye trying to salvage the coaching job of Ron Rivera. Sam Howell also needs to play well to convince them he should be the keep for the offense.

By just about any objective measure, the 2023 season has been a disaster in Washington. In fact, even some of the things have appeared to go right come with an uneasy undercurrent.

With Commanders quarterback Sam Howell pacing the NFC in passing yardage, one would think offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s performance would be a bright spot. But per Jeremy Fowler and John Keim of ESPN, Bieniemy’s long practices and meetings have ruffled some feathers among the players—something Bieniemy has no intention of apologizing for.

“I’m never going to change who I am,” Bieniemy said. “I’ve always been like this. I’m going to be your biggest fan, but I’m also going to be your harshest critic. I know everybody’s not perfect, but one thing that they can control is their effort and their attitude.”

A house-cleaning is coming in the nation’s capital. Head coach Ron Rivera is going to be gone after the season. General manager Martin Mayhew will follow. That’s as certain as death and taxes.

The question is whether Bieniemy has done enough with the offense to merit serious consideration as Rivera’s successor—and whether Howell has done enough to be the team’s starting quarterback in 2024.

The Commanders could be a major spoiler in the last four weeks. They play the Rams this week and could wreck their postseason dreams. Their final two games are against the 49ers, who are going for the No. 1 seed, and the Cowboys, who can’t afford a divisional loss in the NFC East race. All that said, the Commanders don’t look like the type of team that can pull off any of those upsets.