5 key metrics from Commanders' meltdown against the Falcons

A season removed from their deepest playoff run since the early 1990s, the Washington Commanders' age and lack of depth are finally beginning to catch up with them.

Despite missing Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin, Noah Brown, and John Bates, the Commanders' offense still found enough to hang around against the Atlanta Falcons. However, the problems ran deep defensively.

Although Adam Peters brought in several veterans in the offseason to plug and play, the cracks are already beginning to show. With injuries to Jonathan Jones, Deatrich Wise Jr., and Will Harris, coupled with veterans like Von Miller and Marshon Lattimore offering little impact, the defense looked a step slow against an Atlanta Falcons team coming off an embarrassing shutout loss to the lowly Carolina Panthers.

The final scoreboard may have looked close, but the performance on the field didn't. Against a better opponent, this had the chance to become an NFC Championship game-esque blowout for Washington.

With a match-up with the Los Angeles Chargers up next, the Commanders need to get right in a hurry. However, as the New York Giants proved, the NFL really is an 'Any Given Sunday' type of league.

Here are the five key metrics that defined Washington's Week 4 loss to the Falcons, dropping them to 2-2.

Key metrics from Commanders' Week 4 meltdown against the Falcons

12: The big play counter is back once again. The same issues that plagued this defense under Jack Del Rio have resurfaced under Joe Whitt Jr. The Commanders' defense was gashed over and over, giving up 12 big plays (passes over 15+ years and runs over 10+ yards).

The Commanders’ defense surrendered chunk plays all afternoon, giving up passes of 15 (twice), 17, 19, 22, 26, 43, and 69 yards, plus runs of 11, 15, and 19. One of the lowlights came on Bijan Robinson’s 14-yard touchdown, where he slipped through three would-be tacklers, just a fraction of the 12 missed tackles Washington piled up on Sunday.