Charles Leno Jr. feels Commanders lost identity during late-season collapse

Despite a dominating 26-6 win over the Dallas Cowboys to conclude the season, there are a lot of questions surrounding the Washington Commanders. Many of those questions are directed to the coaching staff.

Head coach Ron Rivera is under fire for some of his decisions, including starting Carson Wentz in a must-win Week 17 game. But the players have questions and concerns about how Washington’s season collapsed. Those questions and concerns appear directed specifically at offensive coordinator Scott Turner.

Leno felt the Commanders found their identity when they handed the Philadelphia Eagles their first loss in Week 10. But Washington failed to keep it.

“I thought we did in the Philly game we won. I felt like that was our identity, and we started on a win streak after that. At times, we got away from that for whatever reason, I don’t know what the reason may be, but that’s not my job,” Leno said, per The Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala.

The win over the Eagles sparked a three-game win streak which capped off six wins in seven games for the Commanders. A bruising run game and an opportunistic passing game steered the offense. The team’s identity mirrored quarterback Taylor Heinicke, who started nine games in place of Wentz.

The Commanders were in position for a run to the playoffs with a 7-5 record. Yet, the offense ran off course late in the season. Rivera’s switch from Heinicke back to Wentz is the centerpiece of the collapse. However, the offense’s play-calling has emerged as the biggest culprit among Washington’s players.

Leno’s comments are on the heels of a recent Washington Post report that multiple players criticized the offensive play-calling, spearheaded by tight end Logan Thomas. The blame seems to fall on Turner’s shoulders.

Washington went 0-3-1 over a four-game stretch, culminating with Wentz’s dreadful three-interception return in Week 17 against the Cleveland Browns. Now blame is going around, and not just at Rivera.

If the Commanders want to take another step after going 8-8-1 in 2022, finding an identity is just as important as landing a viable quarterback. The two can intertwine. But something has to happen to erase the questions and concerns about Rivera and his staff.