For about seven weeks, everything went right for the Washington Commanders. During that stretch, Washington won six of seven games, had an offense and rookie quarterback that were the envy of the NFL, and even found themselves a kicker.
Since then, the Commanders have lost three consecutive games; the offense has struggled, Jayden Daniels has looked like a rookie at times, and, well, maybe they haven’t found a kicker after all.
During Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys, kicker Austin Seibert missed a field goal and two extra points. The second missed PAT was most costly as it prevented the Commanders from tying the game and sending it into overtime.
Before Sunday, Seibert had made 25 of his 27 field goals and all 22 of his PATs. It’s important to note that he missed the last two games due to a right hip injury before returning on Sunday.
After the game, a lot of unfair hate was directed at Seibert. People often forget it’s just a game. These are human beings, and all make mistakes. Seibert didn’t lose Washington this game. We could go through all four quarters and name 10 plays or players that negatively impacted the outcome.
But it is fair to ask if the Commanders still have a kicking problem. Washington’s kicking woes have only been overshadowed by its QB woes. Fans believed GM Adam Peters found a quarterback and kicker in the same season.
What should Washington do?
The Commanders should stick with Seibert unless he completely falls apart in the coming weeks, as misses happen. He’s proven reliable and consistent. It’s fair to wonder if the hip still bothered Seibert on Sunday. He, of course, denied it and took full responsibility.
Washington has been on the kicking carousel for years. Heck, the Commanders were on it for three months this year after they released veteran Brandon McManus.
The knock on Seibert was his inaccuracy over 50 yards. He did hit one over 50 yards on Sunday and missed another. However, something head coach Dan Quinn said after the game was a bit concerning.
“It’s harder to kick it out than you think,” Quinn said of Seibert potentially kicking the ball out of the back of the end zone. “And so, I thought it was really honestly from the kicking standpoint executed well. If you have to stop your feet and get one to go, that’s the challenge. If you can get it to hit the ground, that’s what you’re trying to do into that spot, but that’s the difference.”
Statistics show it’s not hard for every team — only Washington. Was Quinn saying Seibert’s leg strength is a liability on kickoffs?
Regardless, Washington had chances to bring down KaVontae Turpin on Sunday and failed. Outside of that, the Commanders have been excellent at covering kicks this season.
Sunday was a bad day for everyone in Washington, including Seibert. He deserves the opportunity to make things right next week against Tennessee.
Otherwise, the Commanders go back to the carousel, and that’s not where Quinn or Peters want to go.
