Daily Slop – 19 Dec 24: Commanders run game struggle vs Saints; RFK Stadium legislation; kickers (re)produce

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Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)

Commanders run game struggles against Saints

Breaking down the issues the Commanders had running the ball against the Saints

One of the bigger concerns coming out of the Commanders win over the Saints on Sunday was the run game. The Commanders run game was practically non-existent. Lead running back Brian Robinson had just 65 yards on 21 carries, but that was boosted by a 20 yard “run” on a screen pass that happened to go backwards and count as a lateral and therefore not a pass. Take that out and Robinson had just 45 yards on 20 carries at just 2.25 yards per carry.

This is a worrying issue given the Commanders offense has relied on its run game to keep the offense ahead of the chains and take pressure off rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. So what went wrong for the Commanders in this game? Let’s take a closer look.

The first issue to look at is the loss of center Tyler Biadasz. I wrote during the bye week about how good Biadasz has been this season and how his athleticism enables him to make blocks other centers can’t and the Commanders have leaned on that to get into some pretty diverse run schemes. Biadasz unfortunately woke up with an illness on Sunday and missed the game, which meant back up center Michael Deiter was forced into a starting role. Deiter has been around the NFL for a while and is a solid back up interior lineman with the flexibility to play both guard spots as well as center. But he’s not Tyler Biadasz and that became clear pretty quickly. Obviously, he was put in a tough spot on Sunday morning with Biadasz suddenly being ruled out, but he really struggled in this game.

Here we see the Commanders call one of their most effective run schemes this season, the GT Counter. Before the snap, you can see Jayden Daniels make an adjustment at the line of scrimmage, talking to his lineman. You can then see the lineman pointing at new targets, suggesting Daniels has either checked into this GT Counter run, or he’s flipped it to be run the other way. Both right guard Sam Cosmi and right tackle Andrew Wylie pull to the left side of the line, which leaves the defensive end and defensive tackle to that side unblocked. Jayden Daniels reads the defensive end, so he can be left unblocked, but the center needs to work across to cut off the defensive tackle and prevent him from blowing up the run before it begins.

Unfortunately, Deiter makes a mental error. Perhaps he didn’t get the call from Daniels to misheard him, but while every other lineman blocks the play correctly, Deiter works the wrong way. He should slide to his right to block the defensive tackle, enabling Cosmi and Wylie to pull to the left side. Instead he works to his left at the snap, joining the combination block from Nick Allegretti and Brandon Coleman on the left side. That leaves the defensive tackle unaccounted for and he bursts into the backfield. Robinson does his best to try and bounce the run to the edge and salvage what he can from the play, but seeing Deiter make that type of mistake early on doesn’t fill anyone with confidence.

Later in the game, the Commanders came back to the GT Counter scheme to see if Deiter could correct his mistake and let them get back into their favorite run scheme.

This time, Deiter does go the right way, but unfortunately he still struggles. Likely eager to make up for his earlier mistake, he charges off the snap to try and get to the defensive tackle and cut him off. However, the defensive tackle sees him coming and stunts inside of him. Deiter gets surprised by the stunt and fails to cut the defender off.

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Washington Post (paywall)

RFK Stadium hopes are in jeopardy after spending bill is discarded

Full funding for the Baltimore bridge replacement and control of D.C.’s fighter jets also were thrown into uncertainty for Maryland, as House Republicans rejected extras included in the federal funding bill.

Legislation allowing D.C. to redevelop RFK Stadium and potentially bring the Washington Commanders to their old home is now in jeopardy less than 24 hours after appearing likely to move forward in Congress.

The swift rejection of the spending bill — after President-elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk escalated Republican opposition — threatens to unravel weeks of negotiations that led to the inclusion of all three provisions in the spending bill, which is intended to avert a government shutdown.

The RFK legislation would transfer control of the federal property surrounding the stadium to D.C., allowing Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) to negotiate with the Commanders to possibly lure them from their home in Prince George’s County back to the site near the Anacostia River where they won three Super Bowl championships.

It’s now unclear whether those provisions will be part of a renegotiated, pared-down spending bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) has not detailed his plans for a new version. To avoid a government shutdown, Congress must pass a short-term spending bill before Saturday morning.

“This should not be funded by your tax dollars!” Musk tweeted, reposting an incorrect post about the RFK legislation from Mario Nawfal, a conservative social media influencer, who said the spending bill contained “$3-BILLION FOR … A NEW NFL STADIUM IN DC.”

But the RFK legislation does not include any federal funding for a stadium. In fact, it prohibits it. The provision only transfers control of the land to D.C. and allows the city to redevelop it for a host of purposes, including a sports stadium. Nawfal later edited the post to remove the $3 billion figure, after it had gone viral.

The team has said it wants to be in a new home by 2030, and the process of building an NFL stadium typically takes several years. If the RFK legislation fails this Congress, the Commanders must decide whether to strike a deal with Maryland — the only jurisdiction with a solidified site and apparatus to offer public funding — or to spend more time and money trying to make D.C. — or Virginia — a realistic option.

A Commanders spokesperson declined to comment Wednesday.

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The Athletic (paywall)

If Commanders leave for D.C., Maryland has a plan in place

Maryland’s delegation negotiated terms, including funding to reconstruct the collapsed Frances Scott Key Bridge, in exchange for its willingness to allow the bill to move forward for a vote that, at least on Tuesday, was considered a lock for approval. At the same time, Moore sought assurances from the Commanders directly for the state.

Minutes before Congress released the contents of the continuing resolution, the governor signed a Memorandum of Understanding, obtained by The Athletic and previously agreed upon by Commanders managing partner Josh Harris.

Moore isn’t ceding the Commanders to D.C. In a statement shared with The Athletic on Tuesday, Moore said, “Our position on the stadium hasn’t changed. We are not afraid of competition, and we believe that we can continue to build on decades of partnership with the team here in Maryland. We are confident that Landover is still the best, and fastest, path to a new stadium for the Washington Commanders.”

He may be right. While Maryland has been aggressive and cohesive with its funding plan for a new stadium and building commercial property in the surrounding area, D.C. officials have not stated whether they would contribute significant money to a project that likely exceeds $2 billion. Virginia, home to the team’s practice facility, is considered a long shot for a stadium.

The MOU only applies if the Commanders leave the state. Hosting “future training camps” is among the agreed-upon terms. In addition:

• The Commanders “will continue to maintain the Stadium in a first-class manner until Demolition begins.” In contrast, the old RFK Stadium, now a rusted and decrepit building, has remained an eyesore for several years. The demolition would begin “within 90 days following the first home NFL game at the Commanders’ new home stadium.” Expenses for the demolition and removal of debris would be the obligation of the Commanders. The 200-acre property in Landover was part of the $6.05 billion purchase price Harris and his partners, including NBA legend Magic Johnson, paid in July 2023. Since buying the team, the organization invested roughly $75 million into 27-year-old Northwest Stadium, considered one of the league’s worst venues.
• If Harris announces specific exit plans, the “Commanders will collaborate with the State, the County (Prince George’s), and other appropriate State and local agencies to transform the Stadium Site into a vibrant mixed-use development.” This may include residential, retail, commercial use and a “sports and fitness complex.”
• The Commanders must “provide ample opportunity for community, State, and County input throughout the design process” and obtain necessary local approvals before the first NFL home game at a new stadium.
• The organization and Maryland will work together to “redevelop the Stadium Site to catalyze region-wide economic growth consistent with the development vision along the region known as the Blue Line Corridor.”
• Before selling any or all portions of the stadium site to another private entity, “the Commanders will consult in good faith with the State and the County.”
• The Commanders will work in good faith to program football-related activities on the redeveloped site. Possibilities include “future training camps,” flag football, and/or open practice, and to allow for reasonable public and community use of the new facilities.”

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Washington Post (paywall)

Two Commanders miss practice for birth of children. Now here’s the kicker.

Zane Gonzalez and Greg Joseph expected the delivery of their children on the same day. It continues an unusual run at the position for Washington.

The Washington Commanders were without a kicker in practice Wednesday: Zane Gonzalez and practice squad kicker Greg Joseph were excused for the pending births of their children.

For all the scrutiny of the quarterback carousel since 2019 in Washington, the team has brought in just as many kickers (15) in that span.

And in a season when games have been especially close — 254 games across the league have finished within one score, the third most through Week 15 of a season this century — Washington’s inconsistency at the position has been costly and frustrating.

The challenge of adjusting to multiple kickers is felt by many, but for Way, who is also the punter and the emergency kicker, a new kicker means a new undertaking. It’s on Way and Ott to adjust the kicking operation and get comfortable enough to perform it in a game. Some kickers like to play the wind with the hold, while some prefer the hold to be uniform every time. Some have different timings to their kicks, and some have different cues for the snap.

“Totally happy circumstances there,” Ott said, “but for it to happen on the same day, you can’t make this story up.”

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ESPN

Two Commanders kickers miss practice after wives go into labor

Gonzalez’s wife, Lizzy, delivered the couple’s first child. A week ago on Instagram, Zane Gonzalez mentioned his wife as the “soon to be mother of our baby boy Luca!”

There’s no word yet on Joseph’s wife, Taylor, and her delivery. Earlier this year she posted on Instagram that they were having a boy, though she said they were expecting him to be born in January.

Both couples were married within the past year and it’s the first child for each.

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Upcoming opponent

Bleeding Green Nation

Eagles open Bryce Huff’s practice window to return from injured reserve

Huff suffered a wrist injury in pregame warmups prior to the Eagles’ Week 9 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played two games with a cast on his left hand before the Eagles placed him on injured reserve prior to Week 12.

Now that Huff has missed four games, he’s eligible to be activated from IR. It’s not yet clear if he’s ready to play as soon as Week 16 or if he’ll need more of a ramp up period. But that he’s able to return to practice in some capacity is certainly a step in the right direction.

Relative to the expectations that come with signing a three-year contract worth $51.1 million, Huff’s been a disappointment for the Eagles thus far. He only has 2.5 sacks, three TFLs, and four quarterback hits in 10 games played.

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Podcasts & videos

Jayden Daniels Is Legitimately Breaking The NFL.. | Washington Commanders

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Finding Ways to WIN, What Good Teams DO! + Eagles Preview | Podcast | Washington Commanders | NFL

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The John Riggins Show 12.17.24

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