One brutal stat that exposes the Commanders' biggest problem

A complete postmortem on the Washington Commanders’ rapidly disintegrating 2025 season will have to wait until it's over, but several things are already obvious. Some analysts predicted a regression to the norm in terms of the team’s close wins this year. They have been spot on. Dan Quinn’s team pulled out a lot of nailbiters last year. There seems to have been an almost divine symmetry at play in the two contests with the Chicago Bears in 2024 and 2025. A miracle win one year and a sloppy loss the next — both leading to protracted runs of success and failure. Injuries and mathematical constants are understandable. Unfortunate perhaps, but still comprehensible. The regression of some of the teams’ best young players is much more confounding — and ultimately much more important. However, the regression has been primarily an issue for Joe Whitt Jr.’s defense. Whitt inherited the worst defense in the entire league when he took over last season. Adam Peters made immediate wholesale personnel changes, and he bega