Washington Commanders vs. New England Patriots: 5 Questions From Behind Enemy Lines

The lead writers of FanNation’s Commander Country and Patriots Country recently provided insight on their respective teams for their Week 9 matchup at Gillette Stadium.

The Washington Commanders (3-5) are set to face off against the New England Patriots (2-6) on Sunday at 1 p.m. from Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. 

Washington is one of 10 teams that New England is undefeated against at home at Gillette Stadium in regular season play with a 2-0 record. The Patriots enter this week with four straight wins against the Commanders.

In anticipation of this Week 9 showdown, Commanders Country ‘crossed the streams’ with Patriots Country (PC) to provide some interesting insight from behind enemy lines.

1. The Patriots have struggled this season going 2-6. What’s the primary reason behind the team’s poor record?

PC: While it may sound a bit too elementary, the primary reason for New England’s struggles has been their inability to find a rhythm especially on offense. Through the first eight weeks, the Pats rank 26th in total offense with difficulties in both the passing game and establishing that run. Injuries and inconsistencies along the offensive line have caused quarterback Mac Jones his share of problems. While offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien has helped to install a sound system, the Pats younger players and new faces have struggled to adapt. On defense, the Pats have been decimated by injuries. Their two top defenders, linebacker Matthew Judon and cornerback Christian Gonzalez, have been on injured reserve, along with slot corner/punt returner Marcus Jones. Though the team has shown occasional flashes of solid play, they have yet to do so on a regular basis.    

2. Who's an offensive player to watch for the Patriots going into the game?

PC: Despite his 5-8, 180-pound frame, rookie Demario Douglas is most effective out of the slot in short yardage. In order to compensate for the usual height differential with his opponent, he has developed a knack of anticipating defenders attacking him — a strategy which has served him well to date. However, he also has the skill set to evades tacklers when he has the ball in his hands in open space. As a result, Douglas’ acceleration and speed may be essential to helping Mac Jones and the Pats offense put the Commanders on their heels early —especially if their defense mistakenly plays him in soft coverage.

3. Who's a defensive player to watch for the Patriots going into the game?

PC: When playing at his best, J.C. Jackson is still one of the NFL's most talented ball-hawking perimeter cornerbacks. His size (6-1, 198 pounds) provides him the ability to attack the ball at its highest point and fight through contact — making him an ideal candidate to draw coverage against Commanders’ top receiver Terry McLaurin. However, his speed and short-area burst may help him limit the damage typically caused by Jahan Dotson. Still, he will have to limit contact with his targets down the field or run the risk of being flagged for penalties — an issue with which he has struggled throughout his career. Nevertheless, Jackson's presence on the field should provide a lockdown presence on at least one of Washington's main targets.

4. What's a matchup that you are looking forward to seeing?

PC: With pass-rush specialists Montez Sweat and Chase Young now residing elsewhere, the Patriots offensive line will look to provide Jones with additional time to progress through his reads and make his throws. Washington will undoubtedly look to counter that by using defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and DaRon Payne to test the mettle of Patriots guards Cole Strange and Sidy Sow. Knowing Jones needs extra time to be effective, Allen and Payne will attempt to collapse the pocket to keep the Pats quarterback off balance. If Strange and Sow can win a notable number of those battles, things could get interesting on Sunday in Foxboro. 

5. What's your prediction for Sunday's game?

PC: Despite trading two of their top defenders at the deadline, Washington will be playing with some additional motivation, and perhaps a bit of fire on Sunday. However, the Patriots should be able to take advantage of the changes in the Washington pass rush — especially in front of their home crowd. New England takes this one by a final of 24-17