The difference between wins and losses (and ties) can be as simple as this: Did you make a big play?
For the Commanders, the answer to that question has been a resounding “no” for most of this season. After four games, Washington ranked 29th in the league in explosive play rate (running plays of 10-plus yards and passing plays of 20-plus yards).
In fact, the difference between 2-4-1 and 4-2-1 could arguably be chalked up to two explosive plays that were wiped out by penalties against the Colts and 49ers.
The team has harped on generating big plays since the spring but had not been able to create them with any consistency — until Sunday. In a 27-10 win over the Eagles, the Commanders created eight explosive plays: three on the ground and five in the air. Here’s a look at how Washington was able to change its fortunes.
Trending
Jayden Daniels’ 14-yard scramble
If you give Daniels a free running lane, he will take it. Deep routes by Stefon Diggs, Treylon Burks and Chig Okonkwo — plus running back Austin Ekeler pulling linebacker Zack Baun (53) away from the center of the field on a flat route — left nothing but open space for Daniels.
Ekeler’s 18-yard rush
Not to downplay Ekeler’s efforts on this run, but it was the actions of four teammates that made this play pop. Diggs running horizontally behind the offensive line pulled corner Cooper DeJean (33) out of the play. Meanwhile, center Lucas Patrick gets enough leverage on the inner shoulder of defensive tackle Moro Ojomo to impede his angle.
Sign up for The Washington Sun Metro newsletter for essential coverage of the D.C. region.
Left tackle Brandon Coleman joined Okonkwo in sealing off linebacker Arnold Ebiketie. A few yards up the field, receiver Dyami Brown drove back linebacker Zack Baun, who may have found an angle before Ekeler got fully off the edge.
Rachaad White’s 33-yard rush
The offensive line (and tight end Ben Sinnott) also handled business on this run play. Take your pick on who to zero in on and you’ll see an Eagle defender being moved out of the way.
Of course White had to have the vision to cut back once the Eagles got leverage outside, but this was a complete blocking effort by everyone on the field. This run all but ended any chance of a last-minute comeback by Philadelphia.
Burks’ 21-yard catch
This was Daniels showing patience. Kurt Warner put out a video last week that harped on how Daniels can rush certain plays, which can lead him to checking down on shorter routes or not setting his feet and having passes sail on him.
With no pressure from the Eagles’ defensive line, Daniels had time to wait for Burks (furthest left) to break on his deep curl route. Once Burks separated from corner Riq Woolen, Daniels threw toward the sideline to give his receiver even more room to make the catch.
Diggs’ 20-yard catch
Three vertical routes by Williams, Okonkwo and Burks dragged Eagles defenders away from the middle of the field. Burks aimed his route right at safety Andrew Mukuba (24), who had given Diggs a 10-yard cushion off the line of scrimmage. With Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (bottom center) distracted by White (bottom right) coming out of the backfield, Diggs ran free on his shallow crosser.
Okonkwo’s 21-yard catch
On the left side of the formation, Williams and Diggs ran identical dig routes while Okonkwo ran a quick slant toward the middle of the field. On the right side, Burks ran a quick out route while Ekeler ran vertical.
Linebacker Nolan Smith (3) drops back into zone coverage at the snap and immediately puts eyes on Burks’ out route, leaving a sizable hole in the middle of the field. Okonkwo fills it immediately. Unfortunately, once he made the catch in space, Okonkwo fumbled the ball.
Antonio Williams’ 30-yard catch
Williams said after the game that the key to this play halfway through the fourth quarter was the safety Mukuba rolling over to cover him, leaving corner Kenny Moore II (furthest right) as the single-high safety.
Williams faked a short out route before sprinting clear past Mukuba as Moore was distracted by the twin dig routes by Diggs and Van Jefferson on the left side of the formation. By the time the ball reached Williams’ hands, he had plenty of space.
Burks’ 53-yard catch
Burks and Williams ran twin, double-move vertical routes on the outside with a single-high safety, Mukuba, manning the middle of the field.
A deep post route by Diggs pulled safety Marcus Epps and corner DeJean, not allowing Mukuba to commit to overhead help towards Burks or Williams, who had both beaten their coverage. Daniels dropped the ball into a pocket between Mukuba and corner Quinyon Mitchell.
Coach Dan Quinn said this play was only successful because of the 21-yard completion to Burks earlier in the game. The defense was burned by a deep comeback route, so offensive coordinator David Blough figured they would be susceptible to a fake comeback route later. He was correct.
“That’s the back-and-forth that you work with in the passing game,” Quinn said on Monday. “If you get the specific looks that say, ‘Hey, here’s the chance to go put the ball up.’”
Author
