Commanders DC Joe Whitt sums up his unit’s performance in Week 12 loss

Joe Whitt Jr. evaluated his team’s defensive performance vs. Dallas.

Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt was not happy with his unit’s performance Sunday against Dallas.

“It wasn’t a winning one,” Whitt said.

“I mean, we’re here to win. I sound sort like a broken record from the week before. I thought we played three really good quarters. And I don’t think we played a really poor fourth quarter. We had the third-down touchdown that happened. And it was a situation that shouldn’t have happened, but it did. And again, it gave them the life that they needed. But we’re looking to play 60 minutes of disciplined football and we’re starting every game, really, the right way. Like I said, I think we’re top three or four in the league in the first quarter with points, but when it gets to the fourth quarter, we’re giving up too many points. And so, we have to make sure we sure that up.”

Whitt has been around long enough to know that if he doesn’t address the issues, they will not correct themselves. He also knows the Titans will spend time in the film room, attempting to reproduce what Dallas did to Washington.

“I was with [Tennessee Titans RB] Tony [Pollard] in Dallas. He can run the ball really well,” Whitt said.

“He can make people miss with not necessarily just running through him, but he can make his feet disappear, he can get on the edge. They’re doing a very nice job with the quarterback [Will Levis], moving him, sending his reads a certain way, giving him the ability to get the ball out outside and vertical. He has some vertical threats. They have a receiving tight end that’s pretty good. And [Tennessee Titans WR] Calvin [Ridley], he’s a guy that is as good as anybody in the league. So, when you have him and Tony Pollard, the screen game comes to life with both of those players. So, they did a nice job this last game.”

The Titans may be 3-8, but they upset the Houston Texans on the road last week.