A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East and the NFL in general
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Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)
Let’s talk about the Chase Young “freelancing” narrative
Breaking down Chase Young’s performance against the Bears and dispelling a few myths about his play this season.
Over the last few weeks I’ve noticed a narrative emerging among some Washington Commanders fans that defensive end Chase Young is actually hurting the defense. While he’s been generating consistent pressure, the narrative suggests that he’s freelancing to do it and that in turn is hurting the integrity of the defense by getting in the way of other rushers or losing contain of the quarterback within the pocket. While this may have been true back in Young’s second season in the NFL in 2021, and I must point out Young was definitely not the only defensive lineman guilty of that fault during that season, it’s not the case for Young this year.
I’m guessing some of that narrative has come from Young using a lot more power rushes and working inside far more often than we’re used to seeing. I think there’s a bit of a misconception that if he’s not rushing outside, then he’s risking losing contain on the quarterback and giving them a lane to escape to the edge. So let’s break down some of those inside rushes.
The first play of the clip sees Young initially work up the field but then showing a slight stutter before darting inside. Young does a great job noticing the left tackle is oversetting to the edge, likely to try and prevent Young beating him for speed. That leaves him vulnerable to the inside rush and Young looks to take advantage. He darts inside and closes quickly on quarterback Justin Fields, who has to speed up his process and hurriedly get rid of the ball. Fields completes the pass but the play occurred on third down and the receiver was tackled short of the first down marker, meaning the Bears had to settle for a field goal.
So for me, any narrative that Young is being selfish, playing for a contract and losing discipline by not keeping contain is false. In this Bears game, he was clearly hugely impactful and generated a ton of pressure. Obviously you’d like to see him finish those pressures with a sack or two, but those pressures still largely resulted in positive plays for Washington. Just in the clips I’ve shown, we’ve seen Fields throw the ball away as a result of pressure five or six times. Earlier in the season against the Broncos, we saw Young’s pressure resulting in Jamin Davis creating a game-changing fumble and Darrick Forrest dropping what should have been an interception. Criticism of the Commanders defense as a whole unit is entirely fair, but Chase Young has been one of the few bright spots in my eyes and arguably their best player on defense so far this season.
Commanders.com
Rivera pleased with ‘expedited’ growth from Howell, but wants to put him in better position to succeed
Rivera said during his weekly Monday press conference that Howell was “a little bit ahead” where they anticipated he would be at this stage in his development, partly because of how much the Commanders have had to throw the ball to stay competitive in games. Although mistakes have been mixed in with the highlights, Howell has taken the extra responsibilities in stride, even at times adding more credence to the belief that he could be the quarterback of the future.
As the Commanders enter the unofficial “second quarter” of the season, they want to find ways of elevating him while giving him better protection and balancing the offense.
“As he grows and develops and gets better and better, so will we,” Rivera said of Howell.
While it’s rarely ideal to put so much on a quarterback that only has six NFL starts, it’s worth pointing out that Howell has made the most of his situation. As the Commanders begin preparing for the Atlanta Falcons after their disappointing 40-20 loss to the Chicago Bears, Howell is sixth in the league with 1,349 passing yards with a completion percentage that ranks 12th among all quarterbacks (68.6%).
And Howell has drastically outperformed his fellow quarterbacks from the 2022 draft class from a statistical standpoint. Of the three other quarterbacks from that class who had taken snaps this year — Brock Purdy, Desmond Ridder and Kenny Pickett — Howell has surpassed all of them, even as much as 300 yards in the cases of Ridder and Pickett.
“You see who he is, you see his grit, you see his toughness, you see his decision making,” Rivera said. “Those are all good.”
The Athletic (paywall)
Commanders’ skid lays roster holes bare as 2023 offseason looks like dud so far
Right tackle Andrew Wylie, one of the former Kansas City players joining ex-Chiefs assistant Eric Bieniemy in Washington, is in the bottom 10 among tackles in sacks (four) and pressures (11) allowed, per Pro Football Focus. Nick Gates, a fiery presence on the line, has also allowed four sacks, according to PFF, matching Cincinnati’s Ted Karras for most among centers.
The offensive line’s woes have contributed to 29 sacks on Howell (even if the QB shares some of the blame). Replacing Wylie with swing tackle Cornelius Lucas might help on the margins. Third-round pick Ricky Stromberg is promising but blocked behind Gates, an overall effective lineman who signed a three-year contract.
As for every-down linebacker Cody Barton, who arrived via free agency from Seattle, opponents have completed 19 of 22 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns against him, per PFF, and only the rail-thin Forbes grades lower as a run defender among Washington defenders. Barton might be laboring on all three downs, yet reserves David Mayo and Khaleke Hudson — nine- and five-year veterans — have played a total of one defensive snap.
Rivera offered little defense Monday when asked whether more is required from the free-agent additions.
“I think that those guys are growing, developing in what we do,” Rivera said. “And yeah, do we need to see more? We need to see more from everybody. … We’re all culpable for (what) happened in the last five weeks.”
The Commanders’ secondary is allowing the fifth-most yards per pass attempt. Inability to match man coverage with four-man-rush pressure, along with Forbes’ struggles, walloped Washington the past two games. They will play without Forrest (fractured shoulder) for at least the next four games.
“I always thought the defensive front was good. Beyond that, (the defense) is pretty average,” the pro personnel executive said. “Forbes can’t tackle. … I like (Kamren) Curl, but the rest of the safeties are guys.”
Riggo’s Rag
Grading Commanders quarterback Sam Howell’s first five games in 2023
How is QB1 getting on to start the season?
Commanders at Broncos – Week 2
- 69.23% completion
- 299 passing yards
- 2 touchdowns
- 0 interceptions
- 4 sacks against
- 59.6 QBR
- 108.8 passer rating
This was Sam Howell’s first competitive road start as an NFL starting quarterback. And to say he had a mountain to climb early on would be the biggest understatement imaginable.
The Washington Commanders weren’t at the races for the first 20 minutes. They were lackluster in all three phases and it looked like the team had no answer for the Denver Broncos’ game plan devised by head coach Sean Payton, who joined the franchise after spending one season as an analyst with FOX.
However, Howell didn’t flinch in the face of adversity. The quarterback began to show life over the final stages of the first half and carried this forward after the break with the sort of throwing ability that made him one of college football’s top prospects in 2020.
Howell’s poise, ability to get the football out with supreme accuracy under pressure, and coming through on key downs were immensely pleasing. When scoring opportunities arrived, the signal-caller delivered.
Performance Grade: A
Commanders Wire
Commanders G Sam Cosmi adjusting well to playing guard
While Washington as a team has allowed 29 sacks through the first five games this season, Cosmi has adjusted to right guard quite well. Per Pro Football Focus, Cosmi has the most pass-blocking snaps in the NFL (234) without allowing a sack.
Sure, Cosmi has allowed some pressure, but he has done a good job overall of protecting quarterback Sam Howell. Several of Washington’s sacks this season have been due to Howell holding the football too long in the pocket. Wylie and left guard Saahdiq Charles have struggled more in pass protection than any of Washington’s other offensive linemen.
DC Sports King
Commanders owner concerned about impact losing to Bears has on ticket sales
Harris is more concerned with the impact of fans’ interest, particularly ticket sales, following the emotionally draining loss to the Bears.
With the Commanders coming off a 40-20 loss last week to the Bears on TNF, I’m told as of today*, managing partner Josh Harris’ perspective is to continue to allow things to play out when it comes to potential staff decisions, at this time, per source. Harris is a seasoned sports owner who is viewed internally as generally patient. I’m told one of Harris’ biggest concerns now though is the impact an emotional national loss may have on ticket sales–which always has to be taken into account too. Separately, when it comes to any decisions on defensive coordinator, there’s an internal impression that Ron Rivera would prefer to allow things to play out. Rivera’s relationship with Del Rio goes back a while as well
Despite winning their first two games, the Washington Commanders have lost three straight. A blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills was concerning but expected in Week 3. Then Washintgon played through a hard-fought loss to the defending NFC champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, in overtime. But the drubbing to the Bears, who snapped a 14-game losing streak, could taper fans’ excitement.
My understanding overall is that Harris does welcome consul from other owners and also understands that early searches can be beneficial if he elects to go that route, but moves like that customarily* occur closer to the beginning of the coaching carousel. Now, while I’m told some of the other limited partners have their own thoughts–and you can read between the lines there– we’ll see how things settle as the season evolves. There is still time for better results, but the clock is ticking.
Podcasts & videos
Episode 675 – Guest: @MarkBullockNFL. Excellent #Commanders film breakdown. The truth about how Chase Young is playing. How to fix the defense. Sam Howell’s progress. And more.
Guest: @EvanBirchfield of @TheFalcoholic. Great scouting report on the Falcons.https://t.co/KfeHouUuR5
— Al Galdi (@AlGaldi) October 11, 2023
Jeremy Reaves Tears ACL, Sam Cosmi and Chase Young DOMINATE and PFF Scores – Daily Commanders Update
️Solo episode on secondary hits and the primary local discussion: What changes could the Commanders realistically make? Also, Darrick Forrest and Jeremy Reaves to IR, examining each position for possible tweaks, why the coaching staff stays intact. More. https://t.co/RUqNSek7E8
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) October 10, 2023
NFC East links
The Athletic (paywall)
Mueller: Dak Prescott, Jerry Jones and the future of the Cowboys’ QB position
Back to my original thought: Prescott is signed through 2024 with a cap number next season of $59.4 million. So a giant, franchise-altering decision is looming. Will the Cowboys have an internal discussion of accountability and the potential consequences of the Dak decision before a new deal is made?
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has made it clear that he sees Prescott as the team’s QB for years to come, including as recently as Tuesday.
Still, it’s been admitted by all parties that Jones, and only Jones, acquired Trey Lance this offseason without any football staff input. Was that move intended to be used as leverage in the Prescott renegotiation? How else could you add Lance without any conversation with your head coach or offensive staff about fit, scheme or opinions of his skill set?
Here is where I see Prescott currently — and this has become evident in any big game the Cowboys play versus good defenses: He is athletically limited, struggling to extend plays like he did earlier in his career. He has average arm strength, but more than anything he wants to get the ball out quickly. He is not as patient and is not seeing the field beyond 10 yards, and therefore he is not willing to pull the trigger on medium-range throws with confidence and anticipation like he once did. Prescott’s trajectory on long balls is still good (see his throw to Kavontae Turpin on Monday night), but his accuracy is inconsistent at all levels.
Barstool Sports
Jerry Jones Rules: Took Just 5 Weeks For Him To Publicly Defend Dak Prescott And Wildly Claim He Can Win A Super Bowl
If there’s one thing I know, it’s that the Cowboys will crumble in the brightest spot. It’s as close to a guarantee that one can have in life outside of death and taxes. The Cowboys will fold in the playoffs. They don’t stink, they’ll make the playoffs and be a trendy pick to make a run like they are every year. Then it’ll happen. Dak will throw a bunch of picks, the Cowboys will start losing and turn on each other. Then Jerry Jones will come out with another crazy statement and we all get to celebrate. Rinse, repeat, every single year.
We all could have moved on from the Cowboys getting their ass kicked. We all made our jokes about Micah Parsons thinking the scoreboard isn’t real and doesn’t count for anything. We all made our jokes about Dak Prescott saying he won’t throw 10 picks this year and then threw three in one game. But this is Jerry’s world and frankly content is better with him around. He didn’t have to publicly defend Dak. No one was out here saying, you know what, it’s Trey Lance time. Maybe a QB competition between Lance and Cooper Rush? Hell what’s Ben DiNucci up to these days?
That’s why Jerry Jones rules. We now get to go to this quote about Dak leading the Cowboys to a Super Bowl and laugh our ass off.
“Dak Prescott is a quarterback that can get us to the Super Bowl and that’s the way that’s gonna be.”
And he doubled down.
“Let me be very affirmative: I completely believe we have the quarterback that can take us where we want to go.”
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ESPN
Inside the NFL turf debate: Injuries, safety measures, problems
For years, the grass field at Nissan Stadium in Nashville was a mess. It was loose in some areas and barren in others, and it got increasingly slippery during the Tennessee Titans’ regular season. Worse, according to data collected by the NFL and the NFL Players Association, there was a higher rate of noncontact injuries to the lower extremities on that grass field than on artificial turf in some NFL stadiums.
So the Titans, along with the local governments that own the stadium, made a decision they said would improve safety and would be supported by the data. Before the start of the 2023 season, they converted the playing surface to a version of monofilament synthetic turf called Matrix Helix.
“From an injury prevention perspective, that was a logical decision to make,” said Jeff Miller, the NFL’s executive vice president for communications, public affairs and policy.
The verdict rankled the NFLPA, however, and left the NFL and Titans to explain why turf — long associated with higher injury rates and elevated wear and tear on players — was the best option. It also illustrated the complex nature of an increasingly public issue between the league and its players, one that arises every time a prominent player suffers a significant injury on turf. There have been several recently, including Buffalo Bills star linebacker Matt Milano suffering an injury to his right leg Sunday that will require surgery.
After New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers tore his left Achilles on the turf at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 11, NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell called on owners to convert all 30 stadiums to grass. In subsequent interviews with players, league and union officials, along with unaffiliated experts, ESPN worked to understand whether Howell’s request is a possibility, why the two sides are interpreting their shared data so differently and whether plans for the 2026 World Cup will provide a more agreeable way forward. It’s a topic that transcends data for players, who notice a dramatic difference in how their bodies react on different surfaces.
Washington Post (paywall)
NFL owners still expect to complete Roger Goodell’s contract extension
NFL team owners continue to expect to complete a contract extension with Commissioner Roger Goodell, although it remains unclear whether they will finalize the deal when they gather next week in New York for their regularly scheduled October meeting.
The extension is expected to be for three years and run until the spring of 2027, when Goodell will be 68. That could mark the end of his tenure as commissioner, which began in 2006. But it once appeared that Goodell’s current contract would be his final one. Instead, he is poised to keep going.
“That’s going to get done,” one person familiar with the owners’ views said of Goodell’s extension. “Roger wants to be there until the spring of 2027.”
Washington Post (paywall)
Who is Bill Belichick without Tom Brady? A coach at a loss.
Bill Belichick wobbles atop his pedestal now, an acclaimed coach with expiring brilliance. During the first three years of his life after Tom Brady, Belichick couldn’t shake mediocrity. Five miserable games into a new season, he probably longs to be so pedestrian.
The New England Patriots are the worst team in the NFL. They have a 1-4 record. They lost their past two games by a combined score of 72-3, the most lopsided defeats of Belichick’s career. Their offense is averaging 11 points and threatens to ruin young quarterback Mac Jones. Since Brady left with little resistance in March 2020, Belichick has a 26-29 record, one postseason appearance and zero playoff wins.
Remember when Brady vs. Belichick was a thing? It was supposed to be a compelling Legacy Bowl. Who had the greater influence on the Patriots’ dynasty? How they fared apart would settle the debate. It never should have been a question.
The superstar player always matters most.