The Washington Commanders finally saw the Marshon Lattimore who’s a four-time Pro Bowler and shutdown cornerback in Week 5. All thanks to a key change made for the 27-10 road win over the Los Angeles Chargers, a schematic adjustment revealed by impressive statistics.
Those numbers come from Next Gen Stats (h/t The Team 980’s Ben Standig), who revealed how Lattimore “allowed only 1 catch for 6 yards on 41 coverage snaps against the Chargers despite playing his 10th lowest rate of man snaps since 2018.
Playing fewer snaps in man coverage might not seem like a seismic shift for Lattimore, but this was a smart change for the Commanders. An example of going against the grain to revive the fortunes of a once-elite player who had been struggling mightily.
Lattimore had become a magnet for flags and an easy source of big plays for hungry quarterbacks and wide receivers since arriving in trade from the New Orleans Saints midway through last season.
While Lattimore retained the backing of head coach Dan Quinn, a change was needed. Protecting Lattimore with more zone coverage snaps and safety help was the obvious remedy.
Marshon Lattimore Better, But Still Lacking Consistency
His improved showing against the Bolts makes it easier to split the early portion of Lattimore’s first full campaign in a Commanders uniform into two distinct categories. The 29-year-old has flip-flopped between exceptional, like he was against the Chargers, as well as the New York Giants in Week 1, and dire enough to be shredded in one-on-one matchups.
Dismal outings against the Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders and Atlanta Falcons belong in the dire category, but the Commanders played things smarter in L.A. Simply put, Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. reduced the number of times Lattimore had to play on an island.
Instead, keeping two safeties deep helped Lattimore play with a little more composure. He was less handsy than in man coverage, where he’s had trouble trailing receivers on the perimeter.
Lattimore kept things in front of him against the Chargers and even made a decisive play when he recovered the second quarter fumble by wideout Quentin Johnston. The takeaway was forced by safety Quan Martin, who was essentially Lattimore’s minder in coverage, and shifted momentum permanently in the favor of the Commanders.
Martin’s effort was part of a greater collective defensive display from the Commanders.
Commanders Defense Dominated at Right Time
Lattimore held his own in coverage, but he and every other member of the secondary were helped by a swarming pass rush that got to Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert five times. The Commanders also snatched an interception, grabbed by Lattimore’s fellow corner Mike Sainristil.
Other numbers included an impressive tally of six tackles for loss and nine QB hits, according to NFLPlus.
This was the complete game Whitt and Quinn have been waiting for from Lattimore and Co. At least against the pass.
It was a different story on the ground, where the Commanders were gashed for 155 yards, per Pro Football Reference. Opponents are still creating and exploiting too many open running lanes, but the defensive turnaround the Commanders need has to start somewhere, and Lattimore’s revival is a much-needed beginning.
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