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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Washington Times (subscription)
Commanders-Bears features two teams headed in different directions
As the Washington Commanders were warming up for practice last month, one player turned to a small group of reporters to ask them what the heck was happening in Chicago. This was around the time when Bears quarterback Justin Field not only threw coaches under the bus for his “robotic” play, but also when defensive coordinator Alan Williams abruptly resigned. Oh, and the Bears had to deny rumors that the FBI raided team headquarters about Williams’ exit.
It was the kind of chaos that used to dog the Commanders.
But a lot can change in a year.
“Things have changed and it’s been different,” Rivera said. “It’s been refreshing. … It’s one of those things that we’re very fortunate to be where we are. What Mr. Harris and his group have brought has been very different and it’s allowed me, it’s allowed us, to keep the focus on football, the players, as it should be and what we do on the field.”
As Rivera spoke, he laughed and referred back to a question he received earlier in the season that pointed out that one of the main problems for the Commanders this season has been the long snapper position — and how that, in a way, had signified progress. “When that’s your biggest concern as a player or a position or something on the field, that’s really cool,” Rivera said.
Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)
Jamin Davis showing good progress in third season
Breaking down the performance of LB Jamin Davis against the Eagles.
Entering into his third year in the league, Davis has quietly gone under the radar. On the face of things, you might assume he’s not playing that well given that he’s not playing all the snaps. Free agent acquisition Cody Barton, who has struggled so far this season, is playing as the Mike linebacker and thus staying on the field every snap. When the Commanders go into a dime package with six defensive backs or their cinco package with five defensive lineman, there’s only room for one linebacker on the field and because Barton is the Mike and the Mike is the one that makes all the calls and adjustments, Davis has to stay on the sidelines.
However, when Davis has been on the field, he’s been playing to a high level. He’s shown true growth and development compared to his rookie season and even last year. Now he’s obviously not perfect and still has the odd mistake here and there, but he’s very much turned a corner and is trending in the right direction. Before he was making lots of mistakes and flashed the occasional play that showed his potential. Now he’s making lots of plays that show his potential and only occasionally making mistakes.
The core of his issues in his first two seasons in the league were in the run game. Davis was often tentative as a run defender. He was slow to read and diagnose plays, which made him late to fill his gap and resulted in him being caught on blocks or allowing lineman to climb up to the second level and reach him easily. He was also more of a finesse player that looked to work around blocks, which meant when he got caught on a block or had to take one on, he failed to have much impact. This season though, that is no longer the case. Against the Eagles this past Sunday, we saw a much different Jamin Davis.
Here we have a great example of how much quicker Davis is to read and react to runs and how much more physical he is when doing so. The Eagles run a counter scheme to their right, with the left guard pulling across to kick out the defensive end and the tight end following behind to wrap around and block the linebacker, which in this case is Davis. In his rookie year or even last season, Davis would have been slow to recognize this scheme and probably would have been blocked relatively easily, but now he reads it almost instantly.
As soon as the ball is snapped, Davis triggers up towards the line of scrimmage. He spots the pulling guard and tight end as he triggers and knows exactly what is coming. He lets the guard work outside to the end and knows that he’s got to the line of scrimmage so quickly, he has a huge advantage over the pulling tight end. Davis uses that advantage by running head on into him and blowing up his block in the backfield. Not only does he stand up the tight end, he sheds the block instantly and peels off to tackle the running back trying to work outside of him. He wraps up the back and brings him down at about the line of scrimmage for no gain.
Commanders Wire
Commanders’ Rivera feels ‘everybody is coming together’
Ron Rivera really liked how his players put the Buffalo fiasco behind them quickly.
“The execution was really good, I thought at times and so I think that really spoke well to the guys practicing, preparing all week coming off of the Buffalo game. I thought the guys came in and had a really good Wednesday.”
Rivera also thinks new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is still getting to know his offensive personnel and they are still learning the new offensive system.
“I think a lot of what’s happening is everybody’s kind of still learning. We’re still in that phase. I mean, you can say all you want about having OTAs, minicamp, training camp, preseason games, but now with the actual games itself, now you know exactly what you got, what you’re doing out there and you feel as if everything’s coming together”
One calendar year can be significantly better. You recall last year, the Chicago game in Week 6 is when Washington fans showed up in Chicago wearing bags over their faces, and many chanting, “Sell the team.”
Rivera said he feels “Very fortunate. Things have changed, and it’s been different. It’s been refreshing…It’s one of those things that we’re very fortunate to be where we are. What Mr. [Josh] Harris and his group have brought has been very different, and it’s allowed me, it’s allowed us, to keep the focus on football, the players, as it should be and what we do on the field.”
Washington Post (paywall)
The highs, lows and lessons of the Commanders’ season so far
Standouts
Eric Bieniemy: The offense has been average — its 20.8 points per game are tied for 16th in the NFL — but that’s a significant improvement from the previous regime. The ceiling is higher, too, as evidenced by its 35 points in Week 2, the team’s highest output since 2019. Offensive players have higher expectations, and defensive players believe the unit can pick them up on a down day. The confidence boost is a credit to Howell and Bieniemy, the first-year coordinator.
DE Montez Sweat: The free agent-to-be is setting himself up to get paid. Sweat has been arguably the best player on the team’s strongest unit. He ranks first or second on the team in forced fumbles (two), sacks (three), tackles for loss (four) and pressures (15).
Disappointments
Jack Del Rio: The defense has failed to start fast, one of the coordinator’s top preseason goals. It has allowed 26.5 points per game, the fourth most in the NFL, despite forcing more turnovers and getting occasional dominance from the line. Once again, explosive plays are dooming the unit, and even though most seem tied to breakdowns in the secondary, the responsibility for yet another slow start falls on Del Rio.
2023 draft class: Even though Forbes is going through growing pains, at least he’s playing. The other rookies aren’t; they’ve taken just 13 total snaps on offense and defense. That’s the lowest total for all non-first-round rookies on any team. And barring injury, there’s no clear path onto the field for second-round safety Quan Martin or third-round interior lineman Ricky Stromberg. Rivera said the rookies other than Forbes aren’t playing much because “we’ve got some pretty good guys in front of them.” He added: “Just because you draft a guy in the second or third round doesn’t necessarily mean he’s an automatic starter.”
DC Sports King
Emmanuel Forbes deletes Twitter after dreadful game against Eagles
Washington Commanders rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes has deactivated his Twitter/X account following a rough performance in Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Forbes had been off to a great start to his first NFL season. His good plays outweighed his bad for the most part. However, the Eagles targeted the rookie often with great success.
There was a lot of criticism towards the young cornerback on social media. But it’s unclear if that was why Forbes deactivated his Twitter.
Emmanuel Forbes is only four games into his NFL career. The Commanders selected him 16th overall in this year’s draft for a reason. He got trusted with following Brown over other likely options, Benjamin St-Juste and Kendall Fuller.
That trust hasn’t quite led to the results Washington is looking for. On the season, Forbes has allowed 17 catches on 24 targets, according to PFF.
He has a lot of potential. Hopefully, his subpar performance against the Eagles won’t deter his progression.
NFL.com
2023 NFL season: Four things to watch for in Bears-Commanders on Prime Video
Here are four things to watch for when the Bears visit the Commanders on Thursday night on Prime Video:
- Justin Fields is coming off a career game, but it still hasn’t been enough. Lost in the shock and disappointment of the Bears blowing a three-TD lead Sunday was the breakout performance of Fields as a passer. He set career bests with 335 yards and four TDs against Denver, and it came in a game in which his running ability (four carries, 25 yards) was not showcased much. Of course, Fields was sacked four times, including the scoop and score that allowed Denver to tie the game late. His other turnover was a final-minute pick as the Bears still had chances to win or tie. It was 3.5 quarters of greatness from Fields, followed by half a quarter of no bueno. Fields got cooking with WR DJ Moore (which hasn’t happened enough outside of last week) and TE Cole Kmet. With Claypool inactive, Darnell Mooney and his eight catches are about as close to a trusted target as the Bears have after the first two options. But Fields’ biggest worry should be about his protection. The Commanders’ front can clean your clock, and the Bears’ offensive line issues have persisted. That’s a daunting task in any week, but less a short one on the road.
- Sam Howell has done more good than bad so far. Howell’s 4-5 TD-to-INT ratio is a statistic that has made the rounds, offered up as proof that the young QB is off to a tepid start with Washington. He’s also taken 24 sacks and lost two straight games. But that portrayal puts too much emphasis on the Commanders’ 37-3 loss to the Bills, during which Howell was picked four times and sacked nine times. Howell struggled in that game, but you’d be hard-pressed to find many of his teammates — on either side of the ball — who performed well. And both before and since, he’s shown a zestful competitiveness and the ability to spread the ball around well to his trio of playmakers: Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel and Jahan Dotson, who had been quiet before his late TD last Sunday. Still, Howell’s ability to make things happen, even using his legs for a first down or two a game, behind a struggling offense and with a middling run game has been notable.
DC Sports King
Quan Martin shows Commanders don’t understand how to draft second-round picks
The Commanders are starting Kam Curl, the highest coverage safety by Pro Football Focus in 2022, and Darrick Forrest. Last year’s fourth-round pick Percy Butler has received snaps in nickel and dime situations. Even special teams captain Jeremy Reaves appears ahead of Martin on the depth chart.
With that said, why did the Commanders waste a second-round pick on a safety they didn’t need?
Martin was one of the highly-touted safeties in the 2023 NFL Draft. His talent and potential signaled he was a Day 1 starter. Yet, Rivera and Mayhew selected the Illinois product to be a rotational player. Martin may be an insurance policy if the team doesn’t re-sign Curl. Curl is a free agent after the season. But wasn’t Butler supposed to be that?
Commanders history shows consistent whiffs in the second round
Rivera and the Commanders franchise have a habit of wasting second-round picks. I wrote about it last month, highlighting last year’s pick defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis. Mathis has appeared in one regular season game that he did not finish.
Whiffs with second-round picks date back to the previous regime for the Commanders. Fans remember the drops with Su’a Cravens, Derrius Guice, and Ryan Anderson.
Podcasts & videos
Keys and a prediction for the Commanders-Bears game. How do you contain Justin Fields? Lessons from last year and how other D’s have done so. Vulnerable spots on Bears D. More. @ESPNRichmond https://t.co/POHRH9vXAp
— John Keim (@john_keim) October 4, 2023
Episode 670 – Remember the talk of Washington trading up to take Justin Fields? I discuss Sam Howell > Fields, Eric Bieniemy’s play-calling, lack of impact (so far) from #Commanders‘ 2023 Draft class & more off comments from Sam & Ron Rivera on Tuesday.https://t.co/euq6SB60Ap
— Al Galdi (@AlGaldi) October 4, 2023
Washington Commanders Film Study on Pass Rush and Emmanuel Forbes | Stopping Justin Fields | Keys
️ Take 2… Commanders vs. Bears, and randomness with @JPFinlayNBCS. Mood post-Philly. Ron Rivera on quiet start for Quan Martin/’23 class. Sam Howell vs. Justin Fields. Maryland vs. Virginia as states. Choose RFK site or Caleb Williams. TNF predictions. https://t.co/ExWcJcVryN
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) October 4, 2023
Photos
Commanders.com
Commanders-Bears through the years
Check out the best photos from Washington’s previous matchups with the Chicago Bears. (Photos via The Associated Press)
Tweets
Three keys to getting the primetime win@Kia | #HTTC
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) October 4, 2023
NFC East links
The Athletic (paywall)
NFC East roundtable: Eagles still destined to repeat as champs, or can [Commanders] surge past?
What is the biggest area of concern for the team you cover?
Ben Standig (Commanders): Put me down for pass protection, unless anyone thinks 24 sacks through four games is acceptable. The mix of this retooled but leaky offensive line with a young quarterback who holds the ball in the pocket has been problematic. There were signs of progress in the Week 4 loss at Philadelphia, and Washington still gave up five sacks. Sam Howell is only five starts into his career, so there’s upside on numerous fronts, including learning when to move on to the next play.
Mike Jones (Eagles): I guess red zone struggles. I know there has been a lot of chatter about inconsistencies in the passing game. But the Eagles have shown enough to let me know they can throw the ball when they need to. Teams haven’t stopped their rushing attack, so they have stuck with it. And regardless of how they’re getting it done, they’re averaging nearly 400 yards a game. And they’re also averaging slightly more points through the first four games than they did all of last season (29.5 this season versus 28.1 in 2022). The Eagles have generated big plays when they have needed them. So, the offense is going to be OK. They do, however, need to capitalize on opportunities inside the 20-yard line. They own a 46.1 percent success rate this season compared with 68 percent in 2022. So, if they can take care of that area, they will be right where they hope to be by the end of the regular season.
Charlotte Carroll (Giants): One concern? How do I pick just one? Outside of two quarters in Arizona, the Giants have played some abysmal football. But if forced to choose one area, I guess I’ll choose the putrid offensive line. The Giants surrendered an astonishing 11 sacks Monday night against the Seattle Seahawks. It was ugly, and it rendered all of their offseason offensive additions moot because quarterback Daniel Jones hardly had time to look up before he either got hit or had to run for his life. And on the rare instances when he did have time, he made bad decisions, including the pick six that sealed New York’s fate. While the Giants will get some reinforcements (signing Justin Pugh and the return of left tackle Andrew Thomas from a hamstring injury), the line is in dire shape.
Saad Yousuf (Cowboys): It’s between the red zone offense and the rush defense. The latter is a bit hard to gauge because three of the four games have been blowout wins for the Cowboys, so it removes the running game for the opposition pretty quickly from the equation. That’s why the Cowboys are middle of the pack in rushing yards allowed at No. 16, but they’re 27th in yards per rush. However, the red zone offense would supersede the rush defense as the biggest concern. Dallas is 30th in the league in red zone efficiency at 36.8 percent. The offense is working in between the 20s, as proven by the Cowboys’ being tied with the Buffalo Bills for the most red zone drives (19) in the NFL through four weeks. But through a combination of self-inflicted errors and personnel adjustment, they’ve had trouble punching the ball into the end zone.
Pro Football Talk
Evan Neal apologizes: I was wrong for lashing out at fans
Neal gestured to the crowd as they were booing, saying Wednesday he was encouraging them to “boo louder.”
“The person that’s commenting on my performance, what does he do? Flip hot dogs and hamburgers somewhere? “ Neal said. “Most critics really don’t understand the game of football to the level that we understand it in this building. So why would a lion concern himself with the opinion of a sheep?”
He posted an apology on social media.
“I was wrong for lashing out at the fans who are just as passionate and frustrated as I am,” Neal wrote. “I let my frustrations in my play plus desire to win get the best of me. I had no right to make light of anyone’s job and I deeply regret the things I said.
“We are working day in and day out to grow as a team and this was an unnecessary distraction. I apologize.”
NFL league links
Articles
Washington Post (paywall)
Inside the NFL’s careful, complicated embrace of sports gambling
Las Vegas, once an NFL pariah, is set to host the Super Bowl, and legal sports betting is big business for the league. What about competitive integrity?
In the early 2000s, during his nascent days as mayor of Las Vegas, Oscar Goodman asked for a meeting with NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. He envisioned a franchise in his city, which at the time professional sports leagues treated as a third rail. Vegas meant gambling, and gambling meant a threat — whether perceived or real — to fans’ trust in the integrity of the games. Tagliabue met with Goodman, but he made clear that Goodman’s vision would never happen.
“We were poison,” said Carolyn Goodman, who replaced her husband as Las Vegas’s mayor in 2011. “It was solid steel never, no. There was no wiggle room there. The door was closed, locked, sealed.”
The city would discover just how firmly the NFL stood against it. In 2003, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority attempted to buy airtime for a Super Bowl commercial. The league refused, a fortification of the barricade it had erected between itself and gambling. “The NFL has a long-standing policy that prohibits the acceptance of any message that makes reference to or mention of sports betting,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy explained at the time.
But in the five years since the federal ban on sports betting fell and states widely legalized it, the NFL has changed with America at dizzying speed. Gambling has driven the NFL’s popularity since its earliest days, but the league always repelled any sanctioned connection. It has now wrapped its arms around sports wagering, holding dollars in both fists. The league has three official sports betting partners. Sportsbooks operate next to — or, in the case of the Washington Commanders, inside — stadiums. This year’s Super Bowl will be played in a city whose existence the league once refused to acknowledge during Super Bowl commercial breaks.
Sports Illustrated
NFL Owners Need to Evaluate Head Coaches Based on Who They Are
The best-run franchises know how to judge job performance beyond just looking at the standings. Organizations like to make the playoffs, but not everyone understands how to keep doing it.
238 of the last 241 head coaches who wanted to come back did come back.
Meanwhile, 33% of teams that missed the playoffs changed coaches.
“One hundred percent, I feel like if you make the playoffs as an NFL coach, you survive to live another day as the head coach,” says former Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff
[T]he way they tie coaching changes to playoff berths is simplistic and self-defeating. It is a window into how too many owners view their business, the job of a head coach and the game of football.
There are many ways to look at an NFL head coach. A “leader of men.” The face of a franchise. An organizational tone-setter. The one whose vision drives every move the team makes.
Any one of those views makes change a little scary. Players are drafted and signed to fit specific schemes. They must memorize complex offensive and defensive terminology, and execute strategies that are much more complicated, and executed at a much higher pace, than in, say, baseball.
“You spend a lot of money, a lot of time in developing players that fit into a scheme, and then all of a sudden, there’s a firing and a new coach comes in,” Dimitroff says. “That can be a massive drain on the organization from an energy standpoint, but also from a cap standpoint.”
In other sports, it is commonly accepted that good coaches are sometimes stuck coaching bad teams—and bad coaches sometimes end up with good ones. Coaches are far more likely to be evaluated based on their contributions to the result, instead of solely on the results with no context.
Essentially, football is so complicated that many owners don’t really understand it well enough to thoroughly evaluate coaches. So they simplify it to the point where they can understand it—and then make decisions based on that simplified view.
When that is how you operate, the equations are easy.
Playoffs = success = good coaching job.
Missing playoffs = failure = bad coaching job.
Everybody likes to make the playoffs. Not everybody understands how to keep doing it.