Week 5 Keys to the Game – Washington Commanders at Los Angeles Chargers
- Sam Myer
- Oct 3
- 3 min read
By: Sam Myer 10/2/25
In week 5, the Washington Commanders head west to face off the with the 3-1 Los Angeles Chargers. Both teams are coming off of embarrassing road losses in week four and are looking to bounce back with a victory. These teams have had completely opposite styles of offense and defense through the first month of the season. On offense, Washington has been elite on the ground while below average through the air; however, on defense, they are good against the run and vulnerable against the pass. For the Chargers, they are prolific through the air and average on the ground; however, they are elite against the pass while being middle of the pack against the run. These matchup combinations should make for a truly back and forth affair on Sunday afternoon.
Washington Commanders Keys to the Game
- Once again, establishing the run early will allow for this offense to open up
o Washington is without both starting outside receivers, Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown. However, their rushing attack currently ranks 2nd in NFL.
- Put pressure on Justin Herbert
o The Chargers are currently down to backups at both OT positions and after Joe Alt went down in week 4, they really struggled.
- Limit explosive plays
o Washington has been getting killed by explosive plays in the passing game, which is unfortunately what the Chargers are the best at on offense.
Los Angeles Chargers Keys to the Game
- Contain the Commanders rushing attack
o Washington currently has the 2nd ranked rushing game in the NFL and will emphasize dominance on the ground with both starting WRs out this week.
- Attack Washington in the flats through the air
o The Commanders have been abysmal defending everyone on the edges of the field through the first month and were completely exposed by Atlanta.
- Get the ball out of Herbert’s hands quickly
o With the current state of their offensive line, it is crucial that the Chargers are protecting their star quarterback with their playcalling
Key Matchup to Watch
- Dorance Armstrong vs Trey Pipkins III
o Pipkins is filling in for Joe Alt on the right side of the line for LA since he had to move to LT due to Rashawn Slater’s injury. This is matchup Armstrong needs to attack consistently to get Herbert off his spots and unable to pick apart the vulnerable Washington secondary.
Key Players
- Washington Commanders
o Frankie Luvu – Coming off his best game of the season, Luvu will need to prevent Herbert from stretching the field with his legs and apply pressure when called upon.
o Zach Ertz – With the return of Jayden Daniels, his favorite target will need to play a big role given that the Chargers secondary is top 5 in the NFL so far.
o Luke McCaffery – The second year WR will need to continue his hot streak of two straight games with TDs and great returns from kickoffs.
- Los Angeles Chargers
o Trey Pipkins III/Mehki Becton – Now that LA is playing backup tackles on both sides of the line, their performance is paramount to their passing game success.
o Teair Tart – The Washington running game is currently ranked 2nd in the NFL and Tart will need a big game to try and slow down their blocking scheme.
o Ladd McConkey – Washington has struggled in coverage underneath and Ladd has had a quiet start to the season. He couldn’t have a better matchup to announce his presence this season than in week 5.
Matchup Prediction
Score Prediction – Washington Commanders 34 – Los Angeles Chargers 31
Both teams are looking for a big bounce-back after road losses that were tough to swallow in week four and a plethora of injuries on both sides of the ball. Washington is getting a huge addition back this week in starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, which should take their already humming offense to the next level. On the other hand, the Chargers have now lost both of their starting offensive tackles and will need to adjust their gameplan to protect Justin Herbert. As well as the Chargers have been playing, these losses will be too much to overcome as their offense is based upon pushing the ball downfield in the passing game. Washington will get a much-needed win on the road after showcasing their premiere rushing attack.
Comments