Washington’s Worst Nightmare! Commanders Fatal Flaw will Doom Them in 2025 Playoffs

The Washington Commanders may have to deal with the loss of Kliff Kingsbury in the offseason. But for this weekend, stopping the run against the Buccaneers is the key to a Wild Card victory. And defense is the fatal flaw that will doom the Commanders in the 2025 NFL playoffs.

Washington’s hopes of having any chance to upset the Buccaneers may hinge on the health of Marshon Lattimore. The cornerback has struggled with injuries for most of the season and has played only twice since being acquired by the Commanders.

Head coach Dan Quinn said Lattimore is trending up, according to commanders.com.

“Marshon was also doing well, ran today, so arrow was going up,” Quinn said Wednesday. “”He’s hitting all the markers up to this point. I anticipate that throughout the week, but tomorrow … specifically will be one that’s more (full) speed.”

Defense is Commanders fatal flaw

When the Commanders have pulled off big wins this year, they’ve come up with a key defensive play here or there. That’s especially true at the end of contests.

However, they haven’t been able to control other offenses. And Tampa Bay’s balanced and tough offense will be too much for the Commanders to handle.

If Lattimore plays, they might be able to slow Mike Evans a little bit. But then again, Latitmore got embarrassed against A.J. Brown a few weeks ago. And Brown not only racked up eight catches for 97 yards, Lattimore picked up three defensive pass interference calls for another 68 yards. The Eagles showed no fear of Lattimore, targeting Brown 10 times while being covered by the eight-year veteran. In nine games this season, Lattimore has only defended five passes and does not have an interception.

So this is a Commanders team that can’t stop the run. They rank No. 30 in the NFL with 137.5 yards per game. And if guys like Lattimore can’t make plays against the passing game, how will the Commanders be able to stop any Buccaneers drive?

It’s tough enough to deal with Baker Mayfield when the ground game is contained. If Mayfield has play action as a weapon, it makes it even tougher. Quinn said he knows what Mayfield brings to the field, according to Sports Illustrated.

“He is a rare competitor in that way and there’s some guys that, in the pocket, the foot quickness the ability to move a shoulder to get underneath somebody,” Quinn said. “They do have that. And you do have to make sure when you are rushing somebody that, we call it a cage.

“Where you try to put somebody into a spot to at least not allow them to hitch up and go. But he just had a fantastic year. Now that we’re going into the full breakdowns now and going into it, when you place somebody so early you don’t necessarily see it all. Then you look up and you see, 41 touchdowns and you see a lot of progress of moments and people. Yeah, a lot of respect for what they’re doing offensively, for sure.”

Dan Quinn said Buccaneers have been excellent

Even if the defense steps up, Quinn said he knows his team has a huge challenge to face, according to Sports Illustrated.

“I think they just had a fantastic year,” Quinn said. “I think (Mayfield has) always been able to rip it and been aggressive in and outside the pocket. Having the run-game balance for them, I think that’s what sets their offense apart this year. The addition of (RB Bucky) Irving, their run game, the play pass that goes with it, that is an impressive thing. And so, that has been really consistent through the year, the running game that goes along and matches up well with their play passes.”

Commanders are well-tested for playoffs

The wild games they’ve been have prepared the Commanders for what the playoffs can bring, Quinn said, according to athlonsports.com.

“There (are) a lot of lessons that we go through and now is the time to put those lessons together,” Quinn said. “(Things get) crazy in the postseason. And our team, we like crazy. It does serve you well in moments that come up. Over the last month, our games have come down to the end.

“They have been in a lot of fights. And to be in those fights, it is important because if you aren’t, you’ll feel tight. We’ve been in a lot of wild moments. And I think those are the things that can serve you well because those moments, they are 100% coming up here in the postseason.”

Washington earned last-second victories against the Bears, Eagles, Saints, Falcons, and Cowboys. If all of those had gone the opposite direction, the Commanders would have finished 7-10 and missed the playoffs.

But one of the main reasons they won those games came from the excellent late-game performances of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. To have a real shot against the Buccaneers, Daniels must find a way to lead his team past the fatal flaw that hangs over their heads.