Commanders Ride Steady Defense, Brian Robinson Jr. vs. Falcons: 3 Observations in Washington's Win

The Washington Commanders scrapped and clawed through the rain Sunday to power past the Atlanta Falcons for a crucial win.

The Washington Commanders (7-5) stayed true to their approach in the rainy afternoon weather and fought till the end for a 19-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons (5-7).

The Commanders entered Sunday's matchup with the Falcons at FedEx Field having won five out of their last six. Momentum was on their side, though a win at home would be far from easy given how equally desperate the Falcons are for a postseason berth.

Let's look at three takeaways from the win:

Brian Robinson Jr. has career-best performance

Robinson Jr. was the star on a day where he had 18 carries for a new career-high mark of 105 rushing yards while catching his first-career touchdown pass.

The rookie's early hit-stick, 14-yard catch-and-run touchdown set the tone for how the Commanders wanted to play on a rainy day. He had six total carries - which included four straight - on the drive that saw the Commanders take a 16-10 lead in the third quarter. 

And as the Commanders built a lead in the fourth quarter, he continued to muscle out of would-be tackle attempts to fight for extra yardage.

Robinson has consistently embodied Washington's team-wide approach of ground-and-pound toughness, as he continues to look like the franchise running back late in his rookie year.

Washington's defense stays steady throughout, shines at the end

It wasn't always flashy, but the Commanders defense limited the Falcons to a season-low 13 points in a game where a high-scoring affair was never a real possibility.

Washington was actually out-gained by Atlanta, but gave up just one touchdown drive early in the second quarter. From there, the Commanders defense held strong when it mattered most and saved their flashiness until the end, as Washington safety Kendall Fuller snagged the game-sealing interception at the goal line off a pass that was tipped by Daron Payne at the line.

Washington held Atlanta to 4 of 10 on third down and stayed strong despite a few long and impressive drives from the Falcons. But more importantly, Washington held its opponent to 21 or fewer points for the eighth straight game.

Commanders appear ready for Giants

Washington is catching its stride at the perfect time headed into pivotal back-to-back divisional matchups with the New York Giants (7-4) in Week 13 and Week 15.

After staying true to the possession-dominant offense that helped them hand the Philadelphia Eagles their first loss, the Commanders have the formula they need in order to sneak past the Giants, a team that has built some surprising success this season behind some of the similar toughness that Washington has shown.

The Giants are fourth in the league in rushing yards per game (151.1). The Commanders will need to continue relying on Robinson Jr. along with the multifaceted ability of running back Antonio Gibson to counter the hard-nosed play-style of New York. The Commanders have a bye in Week 14, but the next two games could define their season.

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You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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