#defensive-struggles

#defensive-struggles

Starting with the hosts, while Michael Carrick might have officially made his temporary return to Old Trafford on Tuesday, the former Middlesbrough boss has a major job on his hands in an attempt to steady the ship at Old Trafford. Ending Ruben Amorim's 14-month reign at the helm earlier in the month following a 1-1 stalemate against historic foes Leeds, the Red Devils have once again shown a string of glaring inconsistencies.

Nobody was expecting too much from the Washington Commanders during their Christmas Day clash against the Dallas Cowboys. But it was yet another inept defensive display that left far more questions than answers. And it was another glaring indication that general manager Adam Peters' massive $45 million gamble this offseason is not going to yield the desired results. With Pro Bowl defensive lineman Daron Payne missing the game due to injury, the Commanders needed Javon Kinlaw to step up more than ever.

It's not just that Romanov has underachieved; it's that he looks completely out of sorts. His reads have been off, his gaps have been inconsistent, and the confidence he displayed last season seems to have evaporated. Advanced analytics paint an even harsher picture, placing him among the worst defensemen in the league in several key metrics, including expected goals against, high-danger chances allowed, and defensive-zone turnovers.

Claxton, the longest-tenured Net, continues to search for consistency as a rim protector, just as the team as a whole has struggled to find its defensive identity. He's yet to record a block entering Wednesday's matchup against the Atlanta Hawks, and Brooklyn has been bullied inside, allowing 55.5 points in the paint per game. That's tied with the Memphis Grizzlies for 25th in the NBA.

It's hard to believe that the Dallas Cowboys are still in second place after getting trampled by the Broncos. But Washington stayed below .500 themselves with a loss to the Chiefs. They expect QB Jayden Daniels back this week, which will be huge, but even he's only gone 2-3 so far this year. They're no exception to the NFC East's awful defensive performances this season; all of Washington, Dallas, and the New York Giants are ranked 27th or lower in total defense right now.

With time to rewatch what happened in the late stages against the Bengals, and with the chance to put it in the context of his team's second-half struggles in the 13-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 3 and the 40-40 tie with the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4, LaFleur said he and Hafley continue to study the defense's issues ahead of Sunday's game at the Arizona Cardinals ( 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox).

The problem with Larsson's night is what happened when the Magic had the ball. Larsson looked lost defensively and at times looked like he had gone to Spirit Halloween and picked out a traffic cone as his costume. It contributed to Larsson racking up five fouls in those 21 minutes and finishing with a plus/minus of -17, 2nd worst on the Heat behind the -22 Precious Achiuwa put up.

With their extended issues underlined by a 3-2 defeat at home against Cincinnati on September 21st, Los Galacticos have also gained a real reputation for their glaring defensive struggles. In fact, the MLS Giants have mustered just a sole clean sheet from any of their last 12 consecutive outings - a run that stems all the way back to August 8th. Likewise, shipping 64 goals in their 32 domestic showdowns this season, LA Galaxy hold the second-worst defensive tally in the Western Conference.

Kirill Marchenko looks like a superstar in the making, posting 74 points in his age-24 season last year. Dmitri Voronkov isn't far behind him with 23 goals and 24 assists in his sophomore campaign. And Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson are even younger. The East feels so crowded that it's hard to say if last year's ninth-place finisher is going to muscle its way into the playoffs, but it's easy to talk yourself into the idea that Columbus is on the upswing.

Trust me, I know the definition of insanity and, if that was the case, you've got to do what's best for the program,