Commanders' overlooked addition just became a huge winner overnight

The Washington Commanders' defense has made some encouraging strides this season. It's not perfect yet, not by any stretch of the imagination, but things are progressing.

That wasn't evident on Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears. The Commanders looked exposed against the run for one of the first times in 2025. D'Andre Swift got whatever he wanted, which also included some impressive gains on the game's final drive that Washington couldn't counteract effectively enough en route to a heartbreaking defeat.

A glaring flaw last season reared its head once again. And there might be an overlooked reason for this steep regression.

Commanders missed Eddie Goldman's presence greatly against the Bears

Eddie Goldman didn't appear on the injury report before the contest. However, the formidable interior defensive lineman was ruled out on primetime due to illness. While he's only played 36 percent of Washington's snaps on defense this season, most of these have come on obvious running plays.

Goldman's good work won't show up on the stat sheet, but it's a big part of Washington's run defense. The 2015 second-round pick is a space eater. He knows how to absorb double teams effectively after spending time as a nose tackle during his career. He's tough to move off the block. This decreases running lanes between the tackles, making things easier for everyone else to make plays.

That was sorely missed against the Bears. Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw lacked consistency in this discipline. Washington's edge players were forced to do more, and losing Dorance Armstrong Jr. for periods only heightened the difficulty. The linebacking duo of Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu had their moments, but again, consistency was an issue.

This only boosted Goldman's stock. The Commanders took a chance on the run-stuffer this offseason, but not many fans thought he would make the 53-man roster. He did that emphatically, and he's now firmly entrenched as a core part of the rotation.

Hopefully, this won't be anything too serious, and Goldman can resume his place in the lineup when Washington travels to the Dallas Cowboys. The Commanders' bitter rival might have severe defensive problems to navigate, but their offense can put up points in a hurry. And if running back Javonte Williams gains early momentum, it makes it even more complex to counteract.

Perhaps their rude awakening versus the Bears will provide Joe Whitt Jr.'s defense with the refocusing they desperately needed. But make no mistake, Goldman's unassuming presence in the trenches will be a massive asset to call upon this weekend.