The Washington Commanders are riding on the crest of a wave after coming from behind to blitz the Philadelphia Eagles late for a dramatic victory in Week 16. However, there was one potential concern that couldn't be ignored.
Marshon Lattimore went out late in proceedings after going toe-to-toe with Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown. It was a heavyweight clash between two players at the pinnacle of their profession. The pendulum swung both ways, although the defensive pass interference calls were less than ideal.
That might have been down to rust considering this was only Lattimore's second game back from a hamstring issue. This was the same complication that caused him to leave the game, which means it became an anxious wait for fans before head coach Dan Quinn provided more clarity on the situation.
Lattimore's presence in the secondary completely shifts the dynamic. One only has to look at how Benjamin St-Juste performed when filling for the four-time Pro Bowler to see why the Commanders made this move before the trade deadline. Not having him for the next two games and the playoffs would be a significant blow to the team's chances.
Commanders won't know Marshon Lattimore's status until later this week
The Commanders felt like they were in a good enough position to make the bold trade for Lattimore despite knowing about his hamstring problem. Having it flare up again wasn't ideal after his first legitimate targets since recovering from injury. But hamstring tears or tweaks are notoriously difficult to overcome.
Quinn gave some added context during his latest appearance in front of the media on Monday. It was nothing definitive, which was thanks in no small part to the changed schedule this week due to Christmas.
It's a waiting game for everyone. The Commanders will go through a walk-through tomorrow before having Christmas Day off. Normal service will resume on Thursday when Lattimore's prognosis should become clearer one way or another.
The Commanders have a small window to rest Lattimore if they come out of their Sunday Night Football game against the Atlanta Falcons with a win. That would confirm their playoff spot, which would allow the Ohio State product to rest versus the Dallas Cowboys and get a fortnight to recover before Washington's wildcard clash.
It's a precarious situation. Lattimore is an integral part of the team's defensive strategy. Having him on one side of the field allows coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. the freedom to leave him on an island and focus on the rest. At the same time, something is amiss and needs further investigation.
It'll be interesting to see how things play out before Week 17. The Commanders have s since his arrival. They won't hesitate to do the same again if there's any lingering doubt.
Time will tell on that one. All fans can do is hope for positive developments with the playoffs on the immediate horizon.
