Daily Slop – 28 Oct 23: If history is a good guide, Rivera’s Commanders are about to get hot and win some games

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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Articles

Washington Post (paywall)

Can the NFL’s wild parity save the Commanders after a ‘hella slow’ start?

These days, NFL games change faster than ever before. Last season produced records for what the league calls “competitive balance,” with tight scoreboards and regular fourth-quarter comebacks, and this season has kept pace. So far, 69 percent of games have been within one score in the fourth quarter, and last weekend, three teams scored in the final 15 seconds of regulation to win. The minuscule gap between teams creates chaos, engaging fans and boosting TV ratings, and it fuels hope for nearly every team.

Great news for Coach Ron Rivera. Even though the Commanders are 3-4, and even though they looked terrible Sunday against the lowly New York Giants, the state of the league suggests it would actually be difficult for the season to truly fall apart. Even if Washington loses to Philadelphia on Sunday, it cannot be more than 1.5 games out of the final NFC wild card spot at the end of Week 8. (Whether that’s a good barometer for success is a discussion for another article.)

Washington could be in line for a quintessential Rivera season. His teams have started all four years here slowly, with two or three wins in the first seven weeks, and then rallied for midseason surges that put them in the playoff picture. In the end, they always faltered, but in 2020, every other team in the NFC East faltered more, which led to Washington winning the NFC East at 7-9.

This week, Rivera said, some players have struggled to get past the loss to the Giants. Gibson said that was because it was a game Washington should have won.

“Once again, we came out slow — hella slow — and we can’t have that,” he said. “This is the NFL. You got to play all four quarters if you want to win.”

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Burgundy & Gold Report

Analyzing Potential Transactions Ahead of the Trade Deadline | Washington Commanders

Player swaps are another aspect to consider as well, although not as likely with a new staff potentially taking over next season.

Washington’s o-line struggles are well documented and help is needed. Denver is rumored to be having a fire sale with multiple players available ahead of the trade deadline.

Offensive tackle Garett Bolles and CB Patrick Surtain ll are two players that certainly will be on teams radars.

It remains to be seen if Denver just wants to sell. They could also be in the market for a high impact defensive end or other players on Washington’s roster.

Another offensive tackle that is reportedly on the trade block is Patriots OT Trent Brown. Brown has 377 snaps in 2023 and per PFF has an 86.6 overall grade with only 2 sacks allowed on the season (T-24) and only 2 penalties (T-39).

Tampa Bay’s Devin White is another hot name being reported to be on the block. The 25 year old has 521 total career tackles (336 solo), 36 tackles for a loss, 20.5 sacks, 56 QB hits, 17 passes defended, 2 ints, 6 forced fumbles 9 recovered fumbles.

Acquiring White would be a dream scenario for Washington, who’s in dire need of a middle linebacker. White has the ability to also play all three linebacker spots.

Although acquiring any of the aforementioned players is not likely to happen, mentioning players potentially on the trade block, at positions of need are noteworthy.

In the end, it would be a surprise if he trade deadline concluded without Washington making any moves. After Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne were extended, the writing was on the wall with it being unlikely that all four lineman would be extended. The odds are slim to none that Young and Sweat will both be back in 2024.

The trade deadline is an opportunity for the Harris ownership group to put their stamp on the organization and potentially acquire draft assets, that will help them in their rebuilding process.

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NBC Washington

10 things to know as Commanders look to stop skid against Eagles

Washington sits at 3-4 and as a seven-point home underdog to Philadelphia

1. Considering the desperation spot Washington finds itself, a matchup against the Eagles isn’t the worst spot. Since Ron Rivera took over as Washington’s coach in 2020, he’s got a 3-4 record with some highly improbable wins. Everyone remembers the Commanders shocking the world last November on Monday Night Football, and maybe another surprise is coming at FedEx Field this Sunday.

2. Back in 1998, Trent Green set the Washington franchise record for sacks in a single season when he was brought down 49 times. He started only 14 games that year. At present, Sam Howell has been sacked 40 times in seven starts. Projections have Green’s record going down as soon as Week 10, but let’s be real, Howell was sacked nine times in a Week 3 loss to the Bills. Surely that can’t happen again….

3. Expect some changes to the Washington offensive line this week. Left guard Saahdiq Charles left last week’s game against the Giants with a calf injury and has missed practice time. He could be replaced by second-year player Chris Paul or rookie Ricky Stromberg.

4. Injuries may not be the only reason for change on the Washington offensive front. Free agent acquisition Nick Gates struggled against the Giants, and backup center Tyler Larsen was seen snapping the ball to Howell during practice. Should that change happen, consider a few things: Gates was given a three-year, $16 million contract in March. Larsen is an undrafted free agent who was released by Washington at roster cuts in early September and brought back to the roster a few days later.

5. Larsen started eight games last season. Washington went 6-1-1 in those eight games.

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Sports Illustrated

Washington Commanders’ Jack Del Rio Explains What Makes Philadelphia Eagles Offense Dangerous

Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio explained what makes the Philadelphia Eagles offense so successful.

Ahead of the second matchup of the season between the Eagles and Commanders, Del Rio explained what makes the Eagles offense so difficult to gameplan for.

“It starts up front. They’ve got a really strong, talented offensive line, well coached. They do a lot of things well,” Del Rio said of the Eagles. “That’s kind of where it all starts, up front in the trenches. That’s what allows them to run it, throw it, do all the things they do. That’s where it begins.”

“Over the last couple years, they add [Eagles WR] A.J. Brown, they go out and they get the [Eagles RB D’Andre Swift] running back. You’re talking about special players,” Del Rio said of the Eagles. “They’ve done a really good job putting together playmakers around [Eagles QB] Jalen [Hurts] and Jalen’s gotten better and better. They’re a very good offense.”

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Commanders Wire

5 Eagles to watch in Week 8 vs. Commanders

LB Haason Reddick

Haason Reddick is tied with Josh Sweat to lead the Eagles with 5.5 sacks. Philly is loaded with pass rushers, and Reddick has been outstanding over the past two seasons. Reddick recorded one sack in the first meeting, and he remembers Commanders RT Andrew Wylie shutting him down in the Super Bowl. Reddick is red-hot right now and could be in store for his third multi-sack game out of the last four on Sunday.

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Audacity.com

Schlereth rips Commanders offensive line: ‘Pull your head out and actually look for the twister’

The Commanders may be 3-4 through seven games but it’s been an ugly go of it recently. Washington has lost four of its last five games after starting 2-0. A lot of that has to do with their offensive line.

Former Washington lineman and three-time Super Bowl champion Mark Schlereth ripped the Commanders offensive line on his Audacy original podcast “Stinkin Truth” this week.

“I was watching the film and I wanted to be sick for Sam Howell,” Schlereth said (16:51 in player above). “They are awful. They cannot pick up a blitz. They cannot snap a game off. It is unreal.”

Howell has been sacked at least four times in every game including a season-high nine times against the Bills. He’s trying to make the most of it but it’s not that easy behind this o-line.

“They can’t run it. They can’t throw it,” Schlereth said. “You know when you play the Giants, Wink Martindale is their defensive coordinator, Wink Martindale blitzed 59% of the time in their game that they lost 14-7 against a team in the Giants that’s setting football back by a decade, two decades, they’re that bad, and they couldn’t pick up a blitz. They couldn’t shake loose from man-to-man coverage. They couldn’t do anything.”

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Riggo’s Rag

Has Commanders owner Josh Harris officially set the wheels of change in motion?

Josh Harris’ ownership group has made their first football operations move.

The Commanders confirmed that Eugene Shen will join the franchise early next month as their new senior vice president of football strategy. He is highly respected in the analytics world and brings bags of NFL experience to Washington having worked previously for the Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Confidence is waning in the coach’s ability to lead this team. With a gauntlet of difficult opponents down the stretch, all signs point to Harris going in a different direction once Washington is formally eliminated from playoff contention.

This might be a small hire in the grand scheme of things. But it’s a sign that Harris and his ownership group are feeling more confident about involving themselves on the football operation side.

That’s bad news for Rivera unless significant improvements aren’t made over the next 10 games.

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Bullock’s Film Room

Friday Q&A

Q: I was under the impression that Bieniemy came here to have easier access to a HC job. Do you see that as a possibility for us next year?

A: It’s certainly a possibility, for sure. I think if whoever Harris hires as his GM in the offseason decides that Howell is their guy at QB, then I think you’d be better off going with EB as the HC to keep that continuity on offense. It’s tough for a young QB to master an offense. Most OC’s will talk about it taking 3 years, maybe even more, to fully master it. Howell has already run 2 different systems in his 2 years in the league. Ideally you let him stay in this one and continue his development in the same system going forward.

Now maybe a new GM/HC sees a lot of talent in Howell and gives him another shot next year, but that’s not necessarily setting him up with the best chance to be successful because he would then have to learn a third offense in as many years. And I think if you’re coming away thinking Howell is or can be the guy, then you’re probably also likely to believe in the system EB is running because it will have at least helped Howell showcase his talent and given you reason to believe he can be the guy.

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Podcasts & videos

Logan Thomas: Voice of an Angel | Hang Time Ep. 3

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Locked on Commanders: Washington Commanders Sam Howell Biggest Storyline Surrounding Week 8 Contest vs. Eagles

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Photos

Commanders.com

PHOTOS | Commanders practice, 10/27

The Washington Commanders have wrapped up their week of practice for their Week 8 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles at FedExField.

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NFC East links

Pro Football Talk

Giants assure Saquon Barkley they aren’t trading him

Last week, Saquon Barkley was asked about the possibility of being traded and stated his wish to remain with the Giants. He repeatedly has expressed a desire to be a “Giant for life.”

A day after his interview, coach Brian Daboll and General Manager Joe Schoen approached him before the start of practice.

“Yeah, [a trade] is not happening,” Daboll told Barkley, via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.

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