BALTIMORE -- After six games, the Washington Commanders know they have something for the first time in ages that can help them win games: a quarterback. Now what they need is a consistent defense to provide that same belief.
The Commanders' defense remains a work in progress, highlighted by Sunday's 30-23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Washington hung around because of its offense, but the defense allowed 484 total yards, and the Ravens controlled the clock for 36 minutes, eight seconds.
"There is stuff we need to clean up," linebacker Bobby Wagner said.
That's true of Sunday's loss but also for the season. And now the Commanders' defense must keep building minus two-time Pro Bowl tackle Jonathan Allen, who suffered a season-ending torn left pectoral muscle.
Thanks in large part to quarterback Jayden Daniels' emergence, the Commanders have the NFL's second-highest scoring offense at 29.7 points per game. The offense has fueled Washington during its 4-2 start, heading into Sunday's game vs. Carolina (1-5).
Daniels ranks third among quarterbacks in QBR, trailing only Joe Burrow and Josh Allen. Daniels has passed for 1,404 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for 325 yards and four touchdowns. His development has fueled excitement among the team and fan base.
"There's a lot of belief in him," Washington coach Dan Quinn said.
But for Washington to reach a higher level it'll need more consistent play from its defense. The Commanders rank 29th in multiple categories: against the run, yards per carry, yards per play and third down.
Washington also has played three offenses -- Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Cincinnati -- ranked among the top seven in scoring. The Buccaneers and Ravens also are in the top 10 in yards per game. Eight of their final 11 games are against teams currently ranked 18th or worse in scoring, including Carolina (27th).
Against good offenses, the Commanders have struggled: The Bucs, Ravens and Bengals combined for 140 points vs. them. In their other three games -- against Arizona, the New York Giants and Cleveland -- they allowed a combined 45 points.
"I love when I see our teams having this complementary side," Washington coach Dan Quinn said. "When it's too much of one or the other, that's when we're not at our best."
The defense, knowing what the offense can do, still feels good where it's headed.
"As long as the offense can put up some points, as long as they give us 21 points, after that the defense can go out there and do our thing," Commanders corner Benjamin St-Juste said. "I'm very optimistic we can fix all that stuff."
Washington overhauled the NFL's worst-ranked defense in both yards and points after last season. Quinn hired Joe Whitt Jr. to be his new coordinator, and they have six starters who were not with the team in 2023.
But the Commanders weren't able to fix every problem in the offseason. They hoped corner Emmanuel Forbes Jr., a first-round pick in 2023, would improve after a rough rookie season. But Forbes lost his starting job, missed two games with a broken thumb, played only four snaps in Week 5 and was inactive Sunday.
Jamin Davis, a first-round pick in 2021, was moved from linebacker to defensive end and has played only 69 snaps this season. He, too, was inactive Sunday.
But it's not as if Washington is just inconsistent on defense because of talent. Sunday, the unit allowed a season-high 13 plays of 15 yards or more -- totaling 311 yards for Baltimore. Multiple plays resulted from open targets vs. coverage in which one defender played it incorrectly.
There were defenders out of place on plays that resulted in pass plays of 38, 25 and 17 yards -- among others. It hasn't been as simple as the corners being beaten; sometimes it's on the linebacker, other times on a safety.
That's why St-Juste and Wagner echoed the same thought after the game: "Execution and communication," Wagner said. "We clean that up [and] we'll be fine."
"Eliminate some of the plays from our end in terms of communication," St-Juste said. "We've just got to be better on the small details."
Washington bolstered its defense through free agency, signing Wagner and fellow linebacker Frankie Luvu, who has three sacks this season. The Commanders also signed safety Jeremy Chinn and defensive ends Dorance Armstrong, Clelin Ferrell and Dante Fowler Jr. -- all of whom are starting or playing key roles.
The Commanders added key defensive players Johnny Newton (tackle) and Mike Sainristil (corner) in the draft. Whitt has said that they like Sainristil in the slot, but they've moved him outside for now because of other players' struggles.
After a week one loss to Tampa Bay in which they allowed 37 points, Whitt shot down any notion of struggling due to the newness of the group.
He was encouraged the previous two weeks, holding Arizona and Cleveland to a combined 223 yards passing, citing a coordinated pass rush. The Ravens presented a unique challenge because of quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry. Washington devoted extra attention to stopping their run game, leaving them susceptible to the pass.
"Some of [the big plays] were just in honestly a tough spot," Quinn said. "You have to be vulnerable if you're going to load up on the run and basically isolate things outside. So that's part of doing business when you're going to load the box against Derrick Henry and Lamar."
Eight of the Ravens' top 10 plays for yards gained were through the air.
On one, for example, the Ravens caught Washington in a rare three-linebacker set and connected with tight end Isaiah Likely off play-action for 18 yards vs. Mykal Walker, who has not played much in coverage this season.
But, in the first half, Baltimore rushed for only 51 yards. Sainristil also posted Washington's first interception of the season, leading to a field goal.
Some of Sunday's struggles could be viewed through playing a top offense. But some of the mistakes would hurt them vs. any offense -- and have hurt them in other games vs. better offenses.
"We see the areas we need to work at to get over that hump," St-Juste said, "and start getting consistent wins against those big teams."
Or, as Wagner said, "Don't hold your head down and grow. If every player can grow it's going to make us that much better."
If that happens, then Washington can pair a more effective defense with one of the NFL's top offenses to become a stronger contender.
"I'm glad he's our quarterback so we're trending the right way the last couple weeks," Whitt said last week. "And it's going to keep going that way for the defense. I just care about winning."