DC Joe Whitt Jr. is quietly doing great work

Kliff Kingsbury was the talk of the NFL for 10 weeks due to the performance of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Daniels doesn’t play like a rookie and is firmly in the MVP mix given his performance in leading the Washington Commanders to a 7-3 start.

Kingsbury’s offensive design and playmaking ability are praised throughout the NFL. The praise for Kingsbury and Daniels is deserved. Did anyone watch Washington’s offense last year?

But defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. is rarely mentioned in the conversation about Kingsbury and Daniels.

It’s time to change that. Following Sunday’s 28-27 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Whitt’s defense ranks 14th in total defense, 6th in pass defense and 12th in point defense. The Commanders’ run defense needs to improve, but they did an excellent job against the Steelers on Sunday, holding them to an average of 3.3 yards per attempt.

Considering Washington’s personnel challenges, particularly at cornerback, Whitt is doing an excellent job.

Another area where the Commanders have done a good job is pressuring opposing passers. Most believed Washington would have a hard time overwhelming the quarterback without any senior pass rushers on the roster, but veteran Dante Fowler Jr. has 8.5 sacks and is on track for a career year. Others, like Dorance Armstrong, Clelin Ferrell, Jalyn Holmes and rookie Javontae Jean-Baptiste, also had success at quarterback at times.

As a coach you are measured by the results. Does your team or unit improve over the course of the season? In Whitt’s case that is the case. Check out this graphic courtesy of The Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala.

The Commanders’ pass defense ranked 29th in the NFL after Week 1.

It is now in 6th place. pic.twitter.com/PUufB8EY8V

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) November 12, 2024

Commanders are hoping the acquisition of Marshon Lattimore will pay off. The four-time Pro Bowler was acquired last week and has yet to debut. But general manager Adam Peters was pleased enough with the team’s progress to make a game-changing move for a top player at the NFL trade deadline.

Previously, we asked you if you watched Washington’s offense last year. Did you happen to see the defense? It was even worse. And Whitt’s defense is improving without one of its best players, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen.

So next time someone praises Kingsbury, don’t forget Whitt. Special teams coach Larry Izzo was also outstanding. Regardless of how things turn out, the Commanders truly had a successful offseason, from hiring Peters to Quinn and his staff to selecting Daniels and other new additions.