Sunday’s “Battle of the Beltway,” in the matchup between the Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens, was considered to be an unforgettable highlight within the NFL this season. In their first loss in a month, the Commanders were defeated by the Ravens 30-20 on Oct. 13.
Check out four takeaways from the game and how the Commanders (4-2) are working to bounce back in their next game against the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 20.
- Commanders Struggled in the Run Game
The Baltimore Ravens were ranked No.1 in rushing offense with a 211.2 rush yard average heading into Sunday’s game. The Commanders were right behind them with a 178.4 rush yard average.
The Ravens met the standard of that identity, while the Commanders struggled to comply with that standard.
It was truly obvious that the Commanders struggled due to not having running back Brian Robinson Jr. after it was announced on Saturday that he would be ruled out due to a knee injury.
Jeremy Nichols and Austin Ekeler were still in fold for the Commanders, however, it is undeniably clear the value that Robinson brings to the run game.
Robinson’s explosive technique and navigation sets him apart. His absence was felt Sunday as the Commanders went 4-of-12 on third down. The running back is known for providing excellent yardage and even scoring in situations on third down.
- Zay Flowers And Derrick Henry Dominated for the Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens kicked off Sunday’s game ranked the top team in the league with a statistical offense.
Although the Ravens did allow the Commanders to do some scoring on Sunday, they still managed to dominate offensively on nine drives accumulating 484 yards. The Commanders knew how dominant the Ravens are offensively, however, it was not enough to stop wide receiver Zay Flowers and running back Derrick Henry from moving the ball forward.
Flowers executed the run game for Baltimore, starting off with a play from 44 yards down the Commanders’ 20-yard line. He held the momentum throughout the entire game, catching all nine of his passes for 132 yards. In addition, Flowers was the Ravens’ top receiver, as seven of his catches led to first downs.
Although Flowers didn’t score in the game, his ability to move the ball off the field put the Ravens in scoring position. Flowers executed a play that drew a pass interference putting Henry in position to score a three-yard touchdown. Later in the game, Flowers had a 15-yard interception that put Baltimore back in the end zone and placed Mark Andrews in position to score a 13-yard touchdown.
Henry made huge contributions in the game with a burst of domination and his competitive nature was evident in the game against the Commanders. In the first half, Henry accumulated 38 yards out of the Ravens’ total of 51 yards.
In the second half 100 of Henry’s 132 yards of rushing drew big plays. He had a burst of five-to-seven-yard sprints that led to acquiring 30 of Baltimore’s 94-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter, scoring his second touchdown.
- Commanders Bobby Wagner Weighs In On Defense Accountability
Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner believes that execution and communication were two big factors that stopped Washington from dominating on defense. However, Wagner said he believes in the ability of taking accountability and that it will only make the Commanders stronger.
“Honestly it took games like this where you kinda hurt yourself a little bit whether it’s penalties, miscommunication, or things of that nature,” Wagner said. “You go back and hold yourself accountable and everybody gets back to the drawing board. Don’t hold your head down and just grow. And if every player can grow, it’s gonna make us that much better.”
- The Commanders are Ready to Improve, Move Forward
The Washington Commanders are ready to hit the ground running and continue the hard work heading into next week’s game.
Despite Sunday’s setback, wide receiver Terry McLaurin emphasized the Commanders’ growth this season.
“Losing sucks, but we don’t have a group of guys that are going to hang their heads. We have a group of guys who are just excited to get to work,” McLaurin said. “We are excited to look at the film tomorrow and see how we can be better going forward next week.”
McLaurin also shared ways he felt the team can improve.
“I think, off of the top of my head, offensively we just gotta be able to find ways to stay on the field, being more third and manageable, and just convert better.”
The Washington Commanders will be back home at Northwest Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 4:05 p.m. to face off against the North Carolina Panthers.