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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Commanders.com
Practice notes | Commanders looking for Butler, Martin to ‘step up’ with more snaps vs. Falcons
Forrest (shoulder) and Reaves (knee) were both placed on Injured Reserve on Tuesday after the Washington Commanders’ 40-20 loss to the Chicago Bears. Technically, both are eligible to return after four weeks, but with no timetable for their return, it’s not clear when either will be back on the field.
Enter Quan Martin and Percy Butler, who Rivera said would be elevated to fill the open roles. Both players, while talented, are still in the developmental stages of their careers, but with the team leaning more heavily on them going forward, the increase in snaps will be a chance to show what they can do.
“We drafted Percy for a reason,” Rivera said. “We got Quan for a reason, and this is why. So now it’s the next man up mentality, and we just gotta go forward and get ready.”
Butler believed he had a taken a step forward with his development in Year 2, and he backed up those claims with multiple pass breakups in practice and an interception against the Cleveland Browns.
So far, Butler has not been able to completely replicate that performance during the regular season. He has eight tackles in the last five games with two pass breakups, one of which could have easily been an interception against the Arizona Cardinals.
For Martin, Sunday’s game could be the first time the rookie gets a defensive snap. All of his playing time has been on special teams so far. Martin had more of an up-and-down training camp. In practice, he got reps with the starting defense and flashed at points in the team drills; during preseason games, he was more inconsistent, although he did grab an impressive interception against the Baltimore Ravens.
Washington Post (paywall)
The Commanders pass a lot. And not all good things are coming to pass.
In the season’s first five weeks, Washington Commanders assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy called pass plays at one of the highest rates in the NFL. Sometimes a heavy passing strategy is the byproduct of big deficits or obvious throwing downs. One example: In the loss to the Chicago Bears, Bieniemy called 55 consecutive passes without a designed run — the most consecutive pass calls for any team since at least 2006, which is as far back as the data goes from Pro Football Focus.
But even in “score-neutral” situations — when the offense has a win probability between 20 and 80 percent, excluding the final two minutes of each half, according to the NFL analytics website RBSDM.com — Bieniemy has still demonstrated a clear preference to pass.
If Bieniemy wants to be balanced, it may be difficult Sunday at Atlanta. The Falcons’ defense has been dogged against the run under first-year coordinator Ryan Nielsen thanks to a rebuilt line and the additions of safety Jessie Bates III and linebacker Kaden Elliss. Atlanta is forcing offenses to pass and allowing conversions on just 32.8 percent of third downs, the fifth-best rate in the league.
The Athletic (paywall)
Terry McLaurin, Commanders set on flushing Bears disaster after mini-bye reset
McLaurin, along with a visiting high school friend and their respective girlfriends, trekked roughly 100 miles south of the team’s Northern Virginia facility to the venerable Kings Dominion amusement park.
The group took in the scene and the park’s Halloween theme. McLaurin, arguably Washington’s most popular player, didn’t dress in costume, but in these public settings, he tends to go “pretty incognito.”
Some fans clocked him, but McLaurin didn’t break his low-key pattern until his friend pointed out two kids behind them while waiting in the Dominator line. One wore a Washington T-shirt, the other a replica of McLaurin’s No. 17 jersey. The player decided to introduce himself. But instead of immediate recognition, he was met with skepticism.
“You’re really Terry McLaurin?” the T-shirt-clad youngster shot back. McLaurin responded yes, only to hear, “I don’t believe you.” For proof, the child demanded to see the football player’s Instagram page. After McLaurin pulled out his phone, the high-pitched hero worship fully commenced, along with excited declarations to everyone they knew about who they met.
Washington found success last season with its brand of complementary football. Replicating that seemed challenging with the offense incorporating an inexperienced quarterback, a line with four new starters and a first-time full-time play caller in Eric Bieniemy. Expected twists and turns have followed, even some as windy as the Dominator’s harsh left bank leading into a scream-inducing drop.
Riggo’s Rag
3 easy fixes that can help the Commanders turn things around in 2023
Commanders must implement creative blitz packages
As previously stated, the Washington Commanders are not performing to preseason hype on defense. Their unit – which is loaded with first-round talent and proven performers across the board – has gone from being tipped up to potentially being the league’s best to languishing among the league’s bottom-feeders in many statistical categories.
This is deeply concerning and has brought Jack Del Rio’s status firmly under the microscope. Ron Rivera is a loyal man and appears to be confident in his coordinator, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that big changes will come if things don’t improve.
One of the main things holding the Commanders back centers on their predictable schematic concepts. The rush four and drop seven method is borderline archaic and something that’s getting figured out quickly by any standard of opposition.
Rivera’s hinted this week that he might get himself more involved in the defensive strategies. But this all starts with implementing some creativity when it comes to getting pressure on the quarterback.
Sports Illustrated
Washington Commanders’ Ron Rivera Non-Committal on Emmanuel Forbes’ Week 6 Role
Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera discussed the recent struggles of rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes.
“We’ll see,” coach Ron Rivera said Wednesday. “How he handles this situation and circumstances is important for him. It’s important for us to see and see how he handles a lot of things. We’ll continue to work, he’ll work, as will the rest of the DB’s and we’ll see how things go.”
Through the first five weeks of the season, Forbes has earned a 37.0 grade from Pro Football Focus. That’s the lowest mark among the 31 players selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and the third-worst grade for a starting cornerback in the league.
But as Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio weigh how to proceed with the struggling rookie, there were some positive signs at practice Wednesday.
“He looked good,” Rivera said of Forbes. “There were some things obviously that you could see he was really focusing on. You could see the work during the individual drills. A couple things that he did off to the side with one of the coaches. Then on the actual practice field, when he got his opportunities, there were some things that you could see he was focusing on.”
Sports Illustrated
‘Tougher Than Hell!’ Washington Commanders QB Sam Howell Has Atlanta Falcons’ Attention
Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith praised Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell.
“I think Sam Howell has done a good job in there,” [Falcons head coach Arthur] Smith said. “You know what the numbers are. He’s tougher than hell. I think he’s very accurate, but he’ll sit in there. You have to respect that.”
Despite entering the year with just one start under his belt, Howell has been productive, completing 68.6 percent of his passes for 1,349 yards and six touchdowns.
He has, however, made his fair share of mistakes, tossing six interceptions while being sacked a league-high 29 times.
Smith knows all about the growing pains of a second-year quarterback; he’s going through them right now with Desmond Ridder, who went two rounds earlier than Howell in the 2022 draft.
“I knew a lot about Sam just following him,” Smith said. “Big recruit going to North Carolina. Broke a lot of records there. Vertical passer. You can see it now – he throws a very accurate deep ball. I think he’s tougher than hell. He’s resilient. He’s a smart football player. We have a lot of respect for Sam.”
Podcasts & videos
Episode 676 – Ron Rivera has debuted a new mantra for the #Commanders: do your job. And if it doesn’t work, he’ll likely lose his job.
I also discuss Sam Howell’s statistical season, his comments on taking too many hits & much more.
And I talk #ALLCAPS.https://t.co/pI74vX3HbY
— Al Galdi (@AlGaldi) October 12, 2023
Taking a look at why these big plays keep happening. Not as if they don’t know how to play it. Sometimes just trying to do too much, overaggressive etc. can be fixed. Will it? Has to. Or else. @ESPNRichmond https://t.co/nCotxHqZB0
— John Keim (@john_keim) October 10, 2023
Washington Commanders Defense in Question While Sam Howell and Offense Continue to Grow
New ️ #HTTC @LetMualTellit @DCSportsDre @Supersaiyanjefe @SaintWah discuss the next steps for the Commanders and the coaching staff and re-evaluating Rivera’s plan for his team.
Spotify- https://t.co/d8WP6cDbnfhttps://t.co/eY1udj3Zo0
— Trap or Dive Podcast (@TraporDive) October 11, 2023
Photos
Commanders.com
PHOTOS | Commanders practice, 10/12
The Washington continued preparing for their Week 6 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. Take an inside look at how practice went on Thursday.
Tweets
Eric Bieniemy said the team has left Sam Howell in late during blowouts bc “when I was a young player, I wanted every opportunity to gain as much experience as possible.”
For this story, I cut up the six hits Howell has taken this year in garbage time: https://t.co/LEoMHgpCrK pic.twitter.com/0l8VB65icm
— Sam Fortier (@Sam4TR) October 12, 2023
NFC East links
Blogging the Boys
Dallas Cowboys roster updates: Leighton Vander Esch to IR, Nahshon Wright on the way back
The Dallas Cowboys signed Rashaan Evans, sent Leighton Vander Esch to IR, and will start getting Nahshon Wright back.
For starters, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, as was already projected, is headed to injured reserve. Tight end Peyton Hendershot is joining him there. They will be out for at least the next four games (at Chargers, Rams, at Eagles, Giants).
The Cowboys also made the signing of linebacker Rashaan Evans official. Additionally, they promoted tight end Sean McKeon from the practice squad to the active roster. While Vander Esch’s move to IR is not officially listed here, those are the moves to be made to adjust for he and Hendershot’s upcoming absences.
The Cowboys also have opened the 21-day practice window for Nahshon Wright which begins his own return from IR. He should hopefully provide some depth at the cornerback position where the Cowboys remain a bit shy given Trevon Diggs’ injury a few weeks ago.
Blogging the Boys
Mike McCarthy could be coaching for his job for the remainder of the season
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy could see his tenure with the Cowboys ending if things keep going in this direction.
the Dallas Cowboys have essentially been two entirely different teams through the first five weeks of the 2023 season. Their wins? 40-0, 30-10, and 38-3 have been among the most dominant to date by any team in the league. Their losses? 28-16 and 42-10 were dominant as well, but at the Cowboys expense. In essence, they are an enigma. Sometimes good, sometimes bad.
No one, not even the Dallas Cowboys, knows exactly how this team is going to perform moving forward the rest of the season. The only thing we do know is there’s only one person who will, more than likely, be held accountable for their success or failure this year, Mike McCarthy.
With Kellen Moore now in Los Angeles with the Chargers, there are no longer any holdovers from previous coaching staffs. This is his team and his coaching staff, all of which he had a hand in putting together. Because of that, win or lose, everything that happens from here on out will fall directly at his feet.
Despite his back-to-back 12-5 regular-season finishes, McCarthy has yet to lead the Dallas Cowboys to an NFC Championship game. Instead, he has allowed the San Francisco 49ers to knock Dallas out of the playoffs in two consecutive years. And to make matters worse, he just allowed the same 49ers team to completely dominate them in prime time on Sunday Night Football.
In what was expected to be a measuring stick type of game and potential playoff preview, Dallas let San Francisco put up 421 yards of offense and average 6.3 yards per play in Week 5. Brock Purdy averaged 10.5 yards per attempt, tossed four touchdowns, and was pressured just eight times. Suffice to say, it was a complete whooping, one the Cowboys haven’t taken in quite some time.