Film Study: Falcons Win Gave us Moments to Both Cringe and Cheer

The latest episodes of Watchin’ Film with Phil highlight several aspects of the Washington Commanders.

The Washington Commanders getting back to .500 football with a win over the Atlanta Falcons left us with some moments to both cringe and cheer. While the win is all that ultimately matters, seeing Sam Howell get battered weekly is beyond bothersome.

The Sacks…

In Atlanta, Howell took five sacks. Assigning blame for that total won’t help things (although Howell has taken the blame for the sacks multiple times this season). Even with the unit having issues, Howell grows with every snap… the problem, of course, is that the sacks are starting to pile up.

Although they do appear to be improving in some areas, and Sam Cosmi is blossoming at guard, this whole offensive process needs some fine-tuning as everyone, including Eric Bieniemy, continues to get used to each other. I talked about it in the video below:

– [01:11] Sam’s tendency to run instead of passing quickly can lead to missed opportunities, like the sack when Terry was open.

– [03:41] Play designs should include quick outlet passes to help Sam when the protection breaks down.

– [05:31] The last sack appeared to be due to a coverage sack, as no open receivers were available.

– [08:05] Jahan Dotson’s drop doesn’t tell the whole story; context matters, and he needs more opportunities.

– [08:58] Brian Robinson’s physical running style and contact-seeking are impressive and reminiscent of old-school football.

Khaleke Hudson Needs More Snaps

It’s certainly a head-scratcher how Khaleke Hudson only had one snap on defense this entire season heading into last Sunday’s game against Atlanta. The fourth-year pro was inserted into the game for ten snaps against the Falcons; he was involved in the end result of five of those plays.

I talk about this topic more in the four-minute video below:

Jamison Crowder Cementing his Roster Spot?

Jamison Crowder has solidified the punt returner position after only eight returnable kicks (114 yards, 14.3 a return now). Crowder was able to catch a spot in the Falcons return scheme and take the ball for a 61-yard return that was seriously almost a touchdown.

The play single-handedly gift-wrapped the NFL Special Teams Player of the Week award for Crowder. An award he’s now received twice while in the Burgundy and Gold, which puts him in some pretty impressive company.

More talk about Crowder and the return (All-22) is the topic of the video below.