The Tennessee Titans (2-2) are set to face the Washington Commanders (1-3) this Sunday, hoping to extend their two-game winning streak and maintain positive momentum heading into the bye week.
As the Titans head towards FedEx fieldThe latest injury update for one of Washington’s key players is a huge break for the Tennessee defense.
Commanders rookie receiver Jahan Dotson, one of the most reliable and dynamic weapons on their offense, will not play against the Titans.
#Commanders Rookie WR Jahan Dotson is suffering from a hamstring injury and is expected to miss 1-2 weeks, according to HC Ron Rivera.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 3, 2022
The Titans have their own injury issues to deal with, with rookie receiver Treylon Burks and his turf toe being one of them, but not facing Dotson on Sunday is a huge break for the Titans defense.
Dotson, a first-round pick by the Commanders in the 2022 NFL Draft, caught four touchdown passes in the first four games of his NFL career. He was also the go-to man in the red zone for quarterback Carson Wentz, who had plenty of weapons at his disposal.
With the Titans’ early secondary struggles, particularly with their depth at defensive back, Dotson’s absence will be huge. Commanders are tough to deal with as they stand, with WR Terry McLaurin, WR Curtis Samuel, and TE Logan Thomas posing big vertical threats.
Dotson has only complimented this group more so far, and the last thing the Titans needed was a deep, vibrant receiving core to separate their secondary.
If the Titans couldn’t contain Mack Hollins, I struggle to see a scenario where they have success against McLaurin, Dotson, Samuel and Thomas all at the same time.
Now, okay, Wentz isn’t the same caliber quarterback as Derek Carr, but either way, knocking out one of those options will be massive.
McLaurin is a true “wide” receiver who I expect to be handled primarily by Kristian Fulton. Samuel is used a bit more as a gimmick, lining up all over the field, including the backfield. The Titans could throw him a few different packages, including plenty of CB rookie Roger McCreary.
Image via Christopher Hanewinckel – USA TODAY Sports
