Is there any light at the end of the 2022 tunnel?

The Washington Commanders, under Head Coach Ron Rivera, have an inspirational cry to arms: “Everything we need is in this room!”.

With a relatively lofty salary, for a so far underperforming QB Carson Wentz, there is little in the way of cap manoeuvrability to buy-in success. In essence, what you see is what you get on this roster, and they will indeed have to climb out the 1-3 hole they are in without any worthwhile free agent help.

What is already in the room is what we must focus on if this season is to be salvaged.

This near first quarter of the NFL season for Washington has not gone to plan. And fans & media are now publicly expressing their dissatisfaction with a HC who is in Year 3 of his tenure.

And it is a role that has Ron Rivera as the ultimate decision maker and. therefore, live and die by your sword is not an unfair argument.

The failure so far this season is compounded by the other three Head Coaches in the NFC East, namely Brian Daboll (first year in New York), Nick Sirianni (Year 2 for want appears to be a very good Eagles roster) and Mick McCarthy (Year 3 like Rivera) all with positive records in 2022.

Is there any light at the end of the 2022 tunnel? Here at UKHTTR we take a detour from the justified doom & gloom to offer up three reasons not all is lost as the Commanders head into the Sunday clash at FedEx vs the Tennessee Titans.

Rookie enthusiasm and the unknown

There is, unfortunately a little bit too much of the known about this Commanders roster. We know that the departures of Brandon Scherff and Ereck Flowers as starting Guards in D.C. has had catastrophic effect on the OL. And we also know their replacements are getting Wentz crushed like a pumpkin.

However, the protection for the rush has been better than pass protection, and the Commanders will throw an unknown into their offensive mix Week 5 with the return of rookie RB Brian Robinson Jr. The hard running power back from Alabama was unable to start the season after falling victim to an attempted carjacking shooting incident on 28th August 2022.

For a 23-year-old feel to overcome an ordeal that could have proved fatal is a credit to his resilience and Robinson Jr was excelling in training camp. I’ve little doubt that Robinson has the ability to get the Commanders into shorter yardage achievable downs.

In addition to Robinson Jr, the Commanders will also activate TE Cole Turner who has overcome a hamstring injury.

In training camp, Turner seemed a favourite go-to for Carson Wentz and the 6 ft 6 in might well become a comfort blanket target for #11 if he can create separation in the slot.

It is time to step up

The man under centre in Washington, Carson Wentz, is a seven-year veteran in the NFL.

If he wants to be legitimately viewed as a starting QB in the NFL, this really is now or never.

The Commanders are under no obligation to go forward with Wentz after 2022 and after the opening quarter of games, we really do need Wentz to step up to the $28m dollar contract and avoid becoming a high price and low return one year rental.

Throughout his NFL career, Wentz has often looked for the big play at the expense of game management and some check-down passes, but Wentz does have the ability and the arm to make life uncomfortable for many a DEF. It needs to happen and happen quickly, as a failure for Carson in Washington will likely lead to the seats in the front office and coaching staff being turned up to an uncomfortable heat.

Not everyone is playing bad – can others step up?

Not everything has been godawful in 2022.

The interior DL of Daron Payne and Jon Allen have excelled, and rookie WR Jahan Dotson is proving to be a real menace in the EZ. Likewise, Curtis Samuel is finally showing the speed and versatile game that injury KO’d last season.

There has been some brighter moments from much maligned 2020 first round LB Jamin Davis, who is starting to show his speed in getting to the QB rather than in coverage where he has been oft shown up.

Can other solid guys start to step up too? DE Montez Sweat has yet to record a sack, the experienced CBs of Kendall Fuller and William Jackson III have had lamentable games weeks 1-4.

“Everything we need is in this room!” might become “the current coaching staff are no longer in this room” if results don’t pick up fast.