The Washington Commanders had a bye last week, but the injuries didn’t stop.
Pro Bowl defensive tackle Daron Payne suffered a season-ending Jones fracture at practice Friday, according to ESPN.
For the reeling Commanders, it’s a crushing blow. Payne has been an anchor on their defensive line since being drafted with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Alabama.
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In six games this season, the Pro Bowl tackle has recorded 14 tackles and one sack. Across his nine-year career, Payne has 446 tackles and 38 sacks in 136 games.
Payne has also been remarkably durable throughout his career; he has never missed more than two games in a season during his career and has played an entire season six times.
Losing Payne for the rest of the season is a blow that the 1-4-1 Commanders might not be able to handle. The Commanders were already yielding 28.7 points per game with him in the lineup, the second-worst mark in the NFL. Only the Arizona Cardinals have a worse scoring defense (29.7 points per game).
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One area in which the Commanders’ defense was about average was against the run, as it allowed 100.5 rushing yards per game, good for 14th in the NFL. However, without Payne, that number will likely rise.
The next three games for the Commanders will determine if they have a chance to rally in the weakened NFC East. They play the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, followed by the Los Angeles Rams at home before playing the New York Giants on Thursday.
If they can win two of those three games, they have a chance to stick around in the NFC East race. If they lose two or all three of those games, it will essentially seal their fate as a bottom-dweller in the NFC.
Without Payne, a trip to the NFC’s basement feels all the more likely.