"Though he has never been as blitz-happy as Minnesota Vikings' defensive coordinator Bryan Flores, Quinn has never been afraid to send extra pass rushers after the quarterback. In 2024, the team's blitz rate was fifth-highest in the league, at more than 30 percent. Though Whitt was calling those plays, it's safe to assume he had the head coach's blessing. This year, that rate has fallen to 24.1%."
"There is a natural tendency for coaches to cover up holes in a defense, and it appears that Quinn and Whitt decided to mask a weak pass rush by playing more coverage this year. That can work, provided your secondary plays well. Unfortunately, Washington's unit has underperformed across the board. They have neither covered nor tackled well. If you can't cover, press-man coverage is a problem. If you fail to tackle, zones become sieves."
Dan Quinn resumed defensive play-calling and the Commanders held an opponent under 25 points for the first time in six weeks. The team faces severe personnel shortages, missing top three defensive ends and top two perimeter corners, which limits roster gambits. Washington's blitz rate dropped from over 30% in 2024 to 24.1% this season, the lowest under Quinn since 2018. The coaching staff appears to have shifted toward more coverage to compensate for a weakened pass rush. The secondary has underperformed in coverage and tackling, making press-man and zone concepts ineffective without improved tackling or coverage play.
Read at Riggo's Rag
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