THE Washington Commanders (7-5) host the Tennessee Titans (3-8) in Week 13 from Northwest Stadium.
The Commanders are looking to end a three-game losing streak. Washington’s offense, among the NFL’s best through the first nine weeks, hasn’t been as effective over the past three games. This week, the Commanders face one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Titans are not only good against the run or the pass, but excellent against both. Tennessee ranks No. 1 in pass defense and No. 8 against the run.
What should the Commanders do to end their three-game skid?
Here are five keys to a Week 13 victory against the Titans.
Forcing Will Levis to make mistakes
Will Levis has played well over the past three weeks. It’s the best part of his young career. What’s amazing is that Levis is playing so well despite being sacked a total of 20 times in these three games. During the year, Lévis was sacked 36 times in eight games. Surprisingly, he did a much better job taking care of the football during this three-game stretch. Although he has two interceptions, his INT rate is down from his first five starts. Washington must be aggressive in its pursuit of Lévis. If the Commanders can put pressure on him and the secondary makes him hold the ball a split second longer than he’d like, they’ll force a turnover or two.
Stop Tony Pollard
Washington’s problem is to stop the leak. The Titans can run the ball with Tony Pollard. The former Cowboys is one of the best runners in the NFL. Tennessee’s offensive success begins with Pollard. If cornerback Marcus Lattimore plays, the Commanders can dedicate an extra player to the box to limit Pollard. If Pollard runs for 100 yards or more, that could be another problem for Washington.
No special teams errors
This would be a great place to start. That’s surprising considering special teams had been a strength all season until last week’s multiple meltdowns. Kicker Austin Seibert was outstanding until his return after missing two games. He is now on IR. Zane Gonzalez is going to kick, and he’s been perfect in two games. The Commanders need to beef up their kick coverage after last week. Although the Titans don’t have KaVontae Turpin, rookie Jha’Quan Jackson is dangerous. He averages nearly 27 yards per kickoff return.
Find a way to run the ball better
It’s no coincidence that Washington’s offensive success in the first half of the season began with the ground game. The Commanders have not handled the ball well in recent weeks. It’s tough to face Tennessee, but if Washington wants to return to its offensive success, it starts with a successful ground game. Quarterback Jayden Daniels looked explosive last week, which is great news, considering he makes the running game much more efficient. The Commanders are unsure who will play running back because Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler are injured. Ekeler doubts he can play due to a concussion, but Robinson practiced (limited) this week. Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. could carry the load against Tennessee.
Target Terry McLaurin
Terry McLaurin is having a phenomenal year despite the same problems as in previous years: the Commanders don’t target him enough, especially at the start of the match. Last week, with 30 seconds left, McLaurin had four catches for 16 yards. However, his 86-yard touchdown run changed his final stat line. The Cowboys struggled on defense, but Washington couldn’t find a way to exploit Dallas’ struggling secondary. Over the last four games – three losses – McLaurin is fourth in targets behind Noah Brown, Zach Ertz and Austin Ekeler. This must change.
This article was originally published on Commanders Wire: Commanders vs. Titans: 5 keys to a Washington victory in Week 13
