Daily Slop – 20 Oct 23: Giants QB question; Commanders use ‘cinco’ package more than any other NFL defense

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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Bullock’s Film Room (post unlocked and free for all to read)

Explaining Jahan Dotson’s lack of production so far

Taking a closer look at why WR Jahan Dotson hasn’t quite produced the numbers we expected so far this season

No, he hasn’t regressed

Let’s start by debunking the myth that Dotson has regressed and is suddenly a poor route runner. This is not true at all. I’m sure this is only a very vocal minority of fans suggesting this, but it’s something I’ve seen doing the rounds on twitter so I wanted to just prove that it’s nonsense. He’s still very much a strong route runner capable of winning routes with quickness or with technique.

This play comes from the Commanders loss to the Bears a few weeks ago. Dotson begins the play lined up as part of a trips set to the right of the formation. Before the snap, he motions to the left and stacks behind tight end Logan Thomas. Jay Gruden and Sean McVay used to run this play all the time with Jordan Reed and Jamison Crowder and they called it quick seam. Kyle Shanahan calls it arches. I don’t know what the Andy Reid coaching tree calls it, but it’s a classic concept that every team in the league runs. Thomas releases inside first and runs a shallow cross, designed to grab the attention of any inside zone defender and vacate space.

That creates room for Dotson to work into. Dotson takes an outside release, angling his path outside towards the numbers in order to take his defender towards the sideline and open up the middle of the field. As soon as the defender opens his hips towards the sidelines, Dotson makes a sharp cut across his face and gets inside of him. Dotson is wide open for what could be a potentially huge gain after the catch, but unfortunately the pass is batted down at the line of scrimmage by a defensive lineman.

But while Dotson didn’t end up getting the ball there, you can see that he’s still a sharp route runner that is capable of creating separation and winning quickly.

Sports Illustrated

Washington Commanders May Face New York Giants QB Tyrod Taylor in Week 7

The Washington Commanders are preparing for two quarterbacks this week as New York Giants starter Daniel Jones may not play paving the way for Tyrod Taylor to get the start.

Washington may not have to face Jones this week as he recovers from a neck injury that forced him to miss the Giants’ close loss to the Buffalo Bills just last week, and that may pave the way for backup Tyrod Taylor to get the start in his place.

“I obviously want to be out there extremely, extremely badly,” Jones said this week. He also discussed his sideline role when and if he can’t play by saying, “We’re all there on the sideline and involved. I think most of the communication is between Tyrod and (quarterbacks coach) Shea (Tierney) and (offensive coordinator Mike Kafka) and (coach Brian Daboll). In spots where I thought I had an idea I offered it, but it’s mainly between those guys.”

In their careers, however, Taylor and Del Rio have faced each other twice. Both came when the quarterback was in Buffalo and the coach was with the Raiders.

They split those matchups, but Taylor threw for less than 200 yards and has one touchdown and one interception against Del Rio’s defense all-time.

Washington Post (paywall)

Commanders’ ‘cinco’ package gets more of their best defenders on the field

The package known as “cinco” is an important weapon for the Washington Commanders’ defense. Most snaps, the Commanders use four linemen, two tackles and two ends, but in cinco, they add a fifth lineman, a nose tackle over the center. Cinco creates one-on-one matchups for each lineman. Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio calls it mostly against run-heavy teams and in situations when a run is likely.

Most defenses rarely, if ever, use five-lineman sets. Del Rio uses them at the highest rate in the NFL (22 percent), and the only unit close to Washington this season is Cincinnati (19 percent). Del Rio loves cinco for an obvious reason: It means more snaps for his best players. Washington’s top four linemen are most often complemented by nose tackle John Ridgeway, who has over the past two years replaced injured 2022 second-round pick Phidarian Mathis.

In Atlanta, Del Rio called cinco on 27 of 79 snaps (34 percent), one of the highest rates of his tenure, and it derailed the Falcons’ run-first offense. Washington allowed just 2.7 yards per play, and when Atlanta Coach Arthur Smith countered cinco with play action, only once did his unit hit an explosive play.

This week, Del Rio seems likely to use cinco against the New York Giants no matter the health of quarterback Daniel Jones, who has been battling a neck injury. In each of the Commanders’ past four games against the Giants, Del Rio has called cinco at least 10 times, and if Jones is out, Giants Coach Brian Daboll might feel compelled to lean even more on star running back Saquon Barkley.

The Athletic (paywall)

Ron Rivera still believes in Emmanuel Forbes, but how long will he ride the bench?

Amid a three-game losing streak and with the rookie coming off two games with a litany of coverage and tackling breakdowns, the coaches sat Forbes. They extended the benching from the prior loss, a shocking 40-20 beatdown against a Chicago Bears squad that delivered one chunk play after another.

In related news, Washington’s defense avoided allowing splash plays against the Falcons and intercepted quarterback Desmond Ridder three times in a 24-16 victory.

Rivera has encountered comparable moments with other first-round picks in Washington, like quarterback Dwayne Haskins and Jamin Davis, weighing whether to play or sit them.

Pressing pause on Forbes’ playing time was understandable. According to Pro Football Focus, even after sitting out the Atlanta game and part of the second half against Chicago, Forbes has allowed the second-most receiving yards among all defenders this season (401). He has allowed an average of 20.1 yards per catch — with 20 receptions on 27 targets — the highest among corners who have played at least 175 snaps.

The rail-thin defender doesn’t play special teams, either, which meant the most brutal hit he took in Atlanta was arguably to his ego. Of this year’s 31 first-round picks, Forbes is the only player to sit out a game despite being healthy.

Asked about his role this week, Forbes said, “No clue yet.” Starting corner Kendall Fuller did not participate in Wednesday’s practice because of a knee injury.

Inside the winning locker room Sunday, cornerback Benjamin St-Juste cited more discipline and a detailed-oriented focus as keys to success.

“There was nothing that changed from the previous week,” St-Juste said.

That might be accurate with the scheme, but not personnel. The coaches might choose the status quo against the Giants, even though that wouldn’t reflect a change in how Rivera and others feel about Forbes long term.

Commanders.com

Practice notes | Commanders want to protect Howell, limit sack total

The reasons why sacks occur are more nuanced than blaming one player or position group, particularly when the number is that high. Sometimes it’s the offensive line; other times the pressure may come for another reason. Either way, the Commanders know it cannot continue at that rate.

“It’s tough, but it’s just something that I’ve got to continue to get better at,” Howell said. “I think that’s the next part of my game where I really need to show growth and development. I feel good about my ability to do that. It’s just a matter of going out there in the games and doing it.”

He’s not wrong, either. He tends to hold onto the ball for too long in the pocket, and when that happens, he either gives the pass rush more time to get to him or runs into the sack himself. Howell said that taking a sack will “kill the drive,” and that’s true, too. According to ESPN’s John Keim, the Commanders have scored a touchdown on just two of the 26 drives where Howell has taken a sack.

Washington faces an interesting challenge on Sunday against the Giants’ defense. They currently have the fewest sacks in the league, but Wink Martindale is known for bringing pressure to confuse quarterbacks. That could be dangerous, considering Howell’s tendency to hold the ball.

Then again, the Giants are 27th in yards allowed this year. If Howell and Washington can get past the blitzes, there should be opportunities to move down the field with ease.

“It’s our job to make sure that we’re giving the quarterback answers right away,” Bieniemy said, “so now he doesn’t have to think as much. Now he can go out there, react and play.”

Washington Post (paywall)

Bowser outlines vision for RFK Stadium site to skeptical residents

Her administration this week also selected a pair of contractors for a $394,000 ‘sports study’ to evaluate funding structures for a potential NFL stadium

“I listened to some of the things that community members said they wanted, and I agree with all of them. And I know that on 174 acres, they are all possible,” Bowser said in response. “And so if you ask me what my vision is, I’ve said long and frequently that it is not to have a stadium surrounded by asphalt, but to have a mix of uses that serve the District of Columbia.”

Bowser has made clear that she wants to transform RFK’s campus into a new stadium for the Commanders as well as a mixed-use development, but she emphasized several times Wednesday that the city’s core focus was on getting control of the land from the federal government. A bill that would extend D.C.’s lease of the site for 99 years and allow for a multitude of uses beyond sports, including the construction of housing, advanced out of a House Oversight Committee last month — but the bipartisan bill still needs to pass through the Senate and House, which at the moment is without a speaker.

Adding to the pressure for Bowser as she competes with leaders in Virginia and Maryland in pursuit of the Commanders are the city’s other top professional sports franchises, who are jostling over a limited pool of city funds for major renovation projects at Nationals Park and Capital One Arena. Monumental Sports — which owns the Wizards and Capitals — has even floated leaving D.C. for Northern Virginia.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Bowser said that her administration this week selected a pair of contractors for a $394,000 “sports study” to evaluate funding structures for a potential NFL stadium — and to come up with a plan to address the financial needs of the city’s existing professional sports franchises.

Riggo’s Rag

4 huge changes the Commanders should consider in Week 7 at NY Giants

This is another big one…

Commanders should run more high-tempo offense

Howell is getting hit too much and not all of it is on the offensive line. The former fifth-round selection needs to recognize pressure and pre-snap packages with more efficiency and react far quicker than what we’ve seen over five weeks.

The same thing happening over and over gives the indication things might not change overnight. Therefore, running more no-huddles could be the schematic key to avoid further complications moving forward.

Simplifying the calls for Howell, making it difficult for Wink Martindale’s defense to make substitutions, allowing the North Carolina product to keep the chains moving with quick releases, and getting playmakers heavily involved might be the best way to go about things offensively versus the New York Giants.

Commanders.com

Five things to know about the New York Giants

4. Injury, on injury, on injury.

Quarterback and offensive line aren’t the only positions on the Giants’ roster that have struggled with injuries.

Just as the Giants seem to pull together a healthy lineup and establish momentum as a team, another injury comes along and leaves coaches and players scrambling. All these changes leave little room for adjustment in a lineup and continue to worsen as the status of so many players remain in the air until gameday.

Without even watching Giants games, it’s still abundantly clear they’re seriously aching in the scoring department this season. In Week 6, the Giants had 18 players on their injury report, representing 34% of their active roster. This week’s list is not as extensive, but 15 players is still a concerning number. Nine of the injured players are on offense, and kicker Graham Gano is also dealing with a left knee injury.

The frequent injuries and changing in lineup places them with a significantly low scoring average at just 11.8 points per game, second to last out of the entire league. Heading into this Sunday’s game, the Commanders must emphasize the sense of inconsistency and underscoring that remains on the Giant’s side of the ball.

Podcasts & videos

Why the over could be a safe bet for Commanders-Giants

Photos

Commanders.com

PHOTOS | Commanders practice, 10/19

Check out the best photos of the Washington Commanders going through Thursday’s practice as they get ready for the New York Giants.

Tweets

NFC East links

Pro Football Talk

As trade deadline approaches, Saquon Barkley wants to stay with Giants

The trade deadline is approaching at the end of the month, and with the Giants sitting 1-5, the team could be sellers.

“Everyone knows how I feel,” Barkley said Thursday, via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. “Everyone knows I don’t want to get traded.”

There are no guarantees for Barkley this season or beyond as he is scheduled to become a free agent after this season. The sides couldn’t work out a long-term contract before the franchise tag deadline, so who knows if they could come to agreement with a second try.

But Barkley wants to stay with the team that drafted him in the first round in 2018 for now and for the future.

“Obviously, I’ve been vocal and public about how I feel about this organization and where I want to be,” Barkley said. “Knowing the business and seeing that side of it, there’s a lot of things I can’t control. I don’t think anybody in their right mind would want to get traded anywhere. It’s not an easy thing to do. You’ve got to move. I have a family. I would love to be here.”

Big Blue View

NFL Week 7 picks: Will the Giants beat the Commanders?

Here is what BBV staff writers think

Rivka Boord

The Giants played well against the Bills and would have won the game if not for two plays at the end of each half. Still, with Daniel Jones’ status very much in doubt and yet more offensive line injuries, it’s hard for me to pick the Giants in any given game. I wouldn’t be shocked if they pulled it out, but my money would be on Washington.

Pick: Washington

Tony DelGenio

Giants-Commanders games are almost always close. Predicting the outcome depends on whether Sunday night was a turning point in the Giants’ season or a one-off valiant effort. Washington’s LBs and DBs can be had…if you can hold off their formidable DL. I’ll assume that the Justin Pugh magic lasts another week and whoever starts at QB can exploit Washington’s second and third levels, which cannot match up with Darren Waller and Jalin Hyatt. On the other side, Sam Howell is a nice young QB who can hurt a defense and his own team in the same game. I’ll count on Dexter Lawrence getting the best of Nick Gates, Bobby and Micah limiting the Robinson/Gibson running tandem and Logan Thomas, and finally the presence of a CB who can cover Terry McLaurin in Tae Banks.

Pick: Giants

Nick Falato

The Giants’ defense helps propel the Giants to victory as they previously did in Week 15 of 2022.

Pick: Giants

Valentine’s View

The Giants can win this game. They need to win this game. They might win this game. I can’t pick them to win this game. They haven’t scored an offensive touchdown since Week 3. The offensive line is still a mess. Daniel Jones probably won’t play. The fact that I run a Giants’ website isn’t a good enough reason to pick the Giants to win.

Pick: Washington

NFL league links

Articles

The Athletic (paywall)

Rating every NFL starting QB so far this year. Who’s better than expected? Most concerning?

Life on the week-to-week NFL roller coaster can be disorienting. Every so often, I like to step back, regroup and reframe in my mind how I feel about teams, players, coaches and situations.

I’ve done that with the 32 starting quarterbacks, reconciling preseason expectations with the general feel one-third of the way through the 18-week regular season. Five quarterbacks are faring better than expected. Four aren’t as bad as feared. The past six weeks have amplified questions surrounding quite a few others.

2. Not as bad as feared

It seemed like just about everyone expected the worst, but these QBs have not lived down to those expectations.

Sam Howell, Washington Commanders: Despite the 34 sacks he has taken, it’s tough to say Howell is dooming a 3-3 team that ranks 11th in offensive EPA per game, compared to 25th on defense and 30th on special teams.

4. Awaiting next step

These rising young star quarterbacks have not lit it up out of the gates, but there’s still hope they can ascend into the top tier.

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles: Hurts has the same number of turnovers through six games (eight) as he had all last season, but the Eagles still have a top-six offense by EPA, partly on the strength of their rushing.

5. Environmental concerns paramount

These teams know what they have and should be fine with it, but their QBs could use more help.

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys: Prescott was at his best when the Cowboys had a strong ground game. This season, their running backs have hit Prescott-era lows for yards per rush, success rate, EPA per rush and explosive rush rate.

7. Concerning for various reasons

The first six weeks have amplified question marks these quarterbacks carried into the season.

Daniel Jones, New York Giants: Two touchdown passes, six interceptions and 28 sacks in five games would raise concerns for anyone.

Pro Football Focus

Buy, sell or hold: What should each NFL team do at the 2023 trade deadline?

Dallas Cowboys: Hold

Dallas made veteran additions via trade this offseason when they brought in wide receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Stephon Gilmore, and we saw their massive impact in Dallas’ most recent win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Injuries to cornerback Trevon Diggs and several linebackers could make an addition at those spots prudent, particularly at linebacker with the Minnesota Vikings ‘Jordan Hicks or the Denver Broncos‘ Josey Jewell. No big splashes are necessary, though; Dallas just needs more from recent draft picks over the past two years.

New York Giants: Sell

A year after winning a road playoff game, the Giants don’t need to completely tear things down, with so many recent draft picks playing big roles and taking steps on both sides of the ball. But pending free agents should be shopped.

Wide receiver Parris Campbell, cornerback Adoree’ Jackson and safety Xavier McKinney could all help a handful of teams. McKinney would require a strong offer, and New York doesn’t have much depth at safety.

Philadelphia Eagles: Buy

The Eagles are all in on 2023, and we’d be surprised if they don’t make at least one move, if not several. They added legendary wide receiver Julio Jones this past week and could still use reinforcements in the secondary and potentially still at wide receiver.

Washington Commanders: Sell or Hold

We keep bringing up the Chase Young/Montez Sweat dynamic simply because Washington has only one franchise tag at their disposal for two very talented young players Things will also get interesting if they pay all four defensive linemen top dollar, but there’s no real reason to not just stick with what they have and continue to improve around quarterback Sam Howell. There’s reason for optimism in Washington, both on the field and with new ownership.

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