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Riggo’s Rag
Luke McCaffrey is quietly breaking out (but not how you’d expect)
Luke McCaffrey is carving out a new niche for himself.
The former Rice standout might be a work in progress after transitioning to the wide receiver spot in college. However, one thing that cannot be disputed is McCaffrey’s athleticism. Specifically, how dangerous the first-year pro can be with the football in his hands.
Commanders have gotten superb production from Luke McCaffrey in the return game
McCaffrey has been given the significant responsibility of kick-return duties in recent weeks. This has become more important thanks to the league’s new kickoff rules. It’s a challenge he’s taken on willingly and thrived.
When Austin Ekeler went on injured reserve after suffering a serious concussion versus the Dallas Cowboys, it thrust McCaffrey into the kick-return spotlight. He’s taken on the mantle, producing some exceptional efforts and carving out a different niche for himself along the way.
His performance against the Philadelphia Eagles went relatively overlooked thanks in no small part to Daniels’ five-touchdown display. Even so, McCaffrey managed to rack up significant yards in the return game, putting the Commanders in strong field position more often than not en route to a stunning fightback.
It’s probably not what the Commanders or McCaffrey had in mind, but rolling with the punches and putting the team first is exactly the sort of traits Washington was looking for from its 2024 draft class.
Until McCaffrey becomes more refined as a route-runner and improves his ability to catch difficult balls, this is the best way to maximize his undoubted talent. He’s averaging 30 yards per kick return from nine attempts. It’s helped compensate for Ekeler’s absence and is improving the rookie’s confidence to make plays for good measure.
Seeing what McCaffrey can do in space might lead to some specific play calls in his direction. Whether it’s an end-around, a quick screen, or some other form of trickery, the brother of All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey might be a surprise some teams don’t see coming.
Washington Post (paywall)
The Commanders have been plenty good (and a little lucky)
After years of misery, Washington should bask in its good fortune, which continues with Atlanta’s rookie quarterback coming to town.
In Week 17, Washington (10-5) will be in position to clinch its first playoff berth since the 2020 season. And it will only have to outlast the 8-7 Atlanta Falcons, who will be led by Michael Penix Jr. — a rookie quarterback who made his first start Sunday and now trails Kirk Cousins by 82 career wins.
Are the Commanders lucky or what? And, yes, that’s what you call it when your defense is staring down Pickett, or Jake Haener, or Spencer Rattler, or Will Levis. And not Hurts, Derek Carr or any decent starting quarterback other than Levis.
While Washington should be grateful that its own hope factory, Jayden Daniels, has remained mostly healthy and upright throughout his offensive rookie of the year campaign, the Commanders also need to count their blessings for this final stretch of the season. After building their latest three-game winning streak while facing second- and third-string quarterbacks — their final matchups also will come against two guys who weren’t starting two months ago — the Commanders have a clear path to a 12-win season, something they haven’t achieved in 33 years.
This edition of the Commanders did what previous versions couldn’t have done: accept the lucky breaks and keep the wins coming. But it still left you wondering whether it can topple the league’s best — or just take advantage of its good fortune.
Up next, the Commanders will face their latest opponent with a winning record — and yet another team with an inexperienced quarterback.
The Athletic (paywall)
NFL Week 17 playoff scenarios: Broncos, Chargers, Commanders and Falcons can clinch berths
Washington Commanders (10-5) vs. Falcons (8-7)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
The Commanders can clinch a playoff berth with:
- A win or tie
- A Buccaneers loss or tie
Commanders.com
Commanders vs. Falcons preview | A primetime battle with the ATL
QUICK HITS
- Washington will face Atlanta for the fourth consecutive season.
- The Commanders are looking to extend a three-game win streak over Atlanta.
- Last year, the Commanders defeated the Falcons in Atlanta 24-16 in Week 6.
- The Commanders have a 17-10-1 overall record and a 10-4 record at home against the Falcons.
- Washington has an 11-12 record when playing on Sunday Night Football and is looking for their first win on Sunday Night Football since 2020 when they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 20-14.
- With a win, Washington would have 11 wins for the first time since 1991.
- With a win, the Commanders would have seven wins at home, their highest total since 1991.
Commanders Wire
Commanders coach Dan Quinn gives encouraging injury update on RB Austin Ekeler
Washington was in a bit of an offensive tailspin at the time of Ekeler’s injury. However, the Commanders have won all three games that Ekeler has missed.
Shortly after his injury, Ekeler offered a scary update on his second concussion this season.
“I think it’s important to kind of diagnose the magnitude of the situation – like, I didn’t even remember how I got off the field,” Ekeler said earlier this month in an appearance on “Grant and Danny” of 106.7 The Fan in Washington, D.C.
“I remember kind of coming to, but I had some short-term memory loss, and all I remember was my wife was sitting in the room, and I was getting evaluated by our medical staff in the back room.”
The Commanders host the Falcons this week with a chance to clinch a playoff berth. Is it possible for Ekeler to return next week?
“Absolutely possible,” head coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday. “Yeah. So, Austin is definitely trending in the right way. Workouts are going great. He’s in meetings; he’s doing all the stuff with us. So yeah, we’re certainly optimistic, and we’ll just play the whole thing out. But like you said, the earliest that he would begin is next week. But, it’s been encouraging to see the progress that he’s made.”
Commanders Wire
Commanders can clinch playoff spot before taking the field in Week 17
Seattle is eliminated from Wild-Card contention. Its only path to the playoffs is to overtake the Rams and win the NFC West.
Washington’s Week 17 game against the Atlanta Falcons was recently flexed to Sunday Night Football because it features playoff implications for both teams. The Falcons (8-7) sit atop the NFC South over the Buccaneers by virtue of a tiebreaker and control their own destiny.
The Buccaneers play at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Before you think that’s an easy win for Tampa Bay, the Panthers are playing much better in recent weeks. Remember, the Bucs only beat Carolina by three points earlier this month.
If Carolina can defeat the Buccaneers, Washington will clinch a playoff spot before kickoff on Sunday night.
Sports Illustrated
How Commanders Can Miss NFL Playoffs
If the Commanders were to lose both of those games, there is still a good chance the team makes the playoffs. However, there is a doomsday scenario that could play out that would result in Washington missing the playoffs with a 10-7 record.
“In the event the Falcons take the division and both Tampa and Washington finish the season at 10-7, the H2H tie-breaker the Bucs earned in Week 1 would come into effect, sending Tampa into the tournament and Washington home for the winter. It’s for this reason that Washington can clinch this week with a victory or a Bucs loss,” NFL.com’s Ali Bhanpuri writes.
Upcoming opponent
The Falcoholic
3 up and 3 down for Week 16: Penix debuts up, while Pitts tumbles down
A big day for the Falcons still comes with its sour notes.
Clark Phillips III
Phillips has had an up-and-down season. He’s performed well at times and looked like a reliable outside corner. However, he’s been beaten a fair amount this year, and he doesn’t offer the team as much slot ability as they had likely hoped. This has led to Phillips seeing a reduction in snaps, and against the Giants, Natrone Brooks ended up out-snapping the Utah product.
The Falcons didn’t draft a cornerback in the 2024 draft, leading many to believe that Phillips would have a bigger role and be groomed as the outside corner opposite AJ Terrell. We haven’t seen Phillips take that step, and he hasn’t shown that he deserves snaps over Mike Hughes. Being a depth piece isn’t bad for a fourth-round pick, but with how things are starting to play out, that role could be reduced or given to someone else in the room.