Commanders' pivotal stage will either silence or ignite the Joe Whitt critics

Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. | Mark Hoffman via Imagn Content Services, LLCThe Washington Commanders rode their Jayden Daniels-led offense all the way to the NFC Championship game last season. That looks a long way off this time around.

The 485 points they scored trailed only the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the conference. But the defense was a different story.

They were average, especially when it came to stopping the run. And it was even worse when Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was the one doing the running.

Adam Peters attempted to address this issue in the offseason by bolstering his defensive line. Javon Kinlaw, Deatrich Wise…