Daily Slop – 31 Oct 23 – Bullock: Sam Howell “corrected mistakes from earlier in the season”

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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Sam Howell shines as Commanders fall to Eagles

Breaking down how Sam Howell performed in the Commanders loss to the Eagles.

Howell completed 39 of 52 passes for 396 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.

One of the points Eric Bieniemy has made consistently about Howell is that each time Howell does something, it’s probably the first time he’s doing it. It’s a point that emphasizes his inexperience and how each play that he runs is likely to be the first time he runs it in a certain situation or against a certain coverage. That naturally leads to a lot of ups and downs, as we’ve seen from Howell this season. This game, however, was the first time Howell was facing the same team for a second time, having already had a strong outing against the Eagles earlier this season.

So with Howell having already seen a lot of what the Eagles do defensively and how their personnel likes to play certain situations, this game was an interesting case study into how Howell responds to his second time around with more experience under his belt. It’s safe to say, the results were promising. Let’s take a closer look at his performance.

Signs of Growth

The most encouraging aspect of this performance was that Howell showed consistent signs of growth. He made a number of plays where he corrected mistakes from earlier in the season.

This clip shows the Commanders running the exact same concept, once against the Giants last week and once against the Eagles this week. The play combines a stick concept to the right of the formation with a double slant to the left. The back also is sent in motion and swings out to the flat underneath the slants to the left. On both of these plays, the opposing defense plays man coverage, so at the snap Howell immediately works to the double slants to his left.

On the first play of the clip, you can see the Giants linebacker rushing out to the flat to try and match the running back, giving an obvious man coverage tell to Howell. He then looks to tight end Cole Turner in the slot, who wins his route and should really get the ball. For whatever reason, Howell opts against taking that quick slant to Turner and instead decides to scramble. The scramble wasn’t bad in terms of the result, but it was entirely unnecessary because the throw was available and you never want your quarterback passing up on an open receiver to then scramble.

However, Howell clearly corrected this mistake. The second play of this clip was actually the Commanders first play of the game against the Eagles. It’s the exact same concept, just run with different personnel. This time, Howell spots the linebacker sprinting out to the flat to match the running back, understands its man coverage, and quickly gets the ball out to the slant route for a nice solid gain.

Commanders.com

Players take accountability for missed opportunities vs. Eagles

The lack of execution for four quarters was at its most blatant on Sunday, when the Commanders had multiple opportunities to keep the pressure on an Eagles team they were close to beating at the start of the month.

The players insist they’re close to putting things together. Perhaps that’s true, but the last hurdle in that challenge — capitalizing on every opportunity — has been difficult for them to overcome.

“We just didn’t make the plays necessary to win the game,” Terry McLaurin said after the game. “That’s where it starts for me.”

In many ways, the Commanders got exactly what they wanted back in Week 4. The offense scored on its first two opening possessions, and the defense kept the Eagles in check to start the afternoon. The problem was that it didn’t stay that way, as a lull to start the second half led to the Eagles climbing back from a touchdown deficit and taking the lead.

Yes, the Commanders did come back to tie the game in thrilling fashion, and yes, the review on the McLaurin non-catch in overtime was tough. But the Commanders also had a seven-point lead against a division opponent on the road and punted on three of their last five drives in regulation.

Four weeks later, the rematch between the Commanders and Eagles followed a similar flow. The offense jumped out to a double-digit lead with a pair of scores from McLaurin and Dotson, and the defense was doing enough to hold the Eagles to just three points. Once again, the Commanders got exactly what they needed to give themselves a chance.

“I wasn’t my best when my best was needed and it hurt the team today,” Howell said during his press conference.

“If I make one of those plays, it’s a first down and we’re still rolling and have a chance to score points,” McLaurin said. “I’m not going to speak for other people. I can only speak for myself. I have to be better, and I’m going to be better.”

Washington Post (paywall)

Hail or Fail: Potential trades can’t make the Commanders’ defense much worse

NFL teams that score 31 points and rack up more than 450 yards — especially teams that have spent first-round draft picks on defenders in six of the past seven years — are supposed to win, and indeed Washington was 8-2 before Sunday when hitting those benchmarks dating from 2005. Amid speculation that the Commanders might look to trade one of their defensive linemen on expiring contracts for draft picks ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline, Del Rio’s unit was shredded again. Washington’s defense started strong, forcing a three-and-out on the Eagles’ first possession and limiting Philadelphia to 10 first-half points, but fell apart in the second half.

If not for a pair of lost fumbles near the goal line, the Eagles might have scored 50 point. Washington only sacked Jalen Hurts, who was clearly hobbled by a knee injury, twice. A.J. Brown repeatedly torched defenders and made Del Rio look foolish for having rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. attempt to cover him. Fellow wideout DeVonta Smith got wiiiide open for the easiest 38-yard touchdown pass you’ll ever see

Fail: Ron Rivera’s non-challenge

The Commanders had plenty of opportunities to win after the Eagles tied the score at 17 on Brown’s second touchdown catch with 4:17 remaining in the third quarter, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that Rivera made an egregious mistake by not challenging what was ruled a fourth-down catch by Smith to extend the drive three plays earlier. Hurts’s pass appeared to hit the ground before Smith completed the catch, which came in front of the Commanders’ sideline and prompted several Washington players in the vicinity to signal that it was incomplete. Philadelphia hurried to the line and snapped the ball before Rivera challenged the call.

“I didn’t see it on the screen,” Rivera explained afterward. “I was looking up at the screen to see if there was something that could help me with it. Then I was waiting to hear somebody upstairs on if they had seen it or not. We hadn’t seen the replay, so we weren’t sure.”

Commanders owner Josh Harris bolstered the team’s analytics department by hiring Eugene Shen last week, and that’s all well and good, but could he please find someone to let Rivera know when to throw his red challenge flag, or maybe ask the scoreboard operator to show replays in a more timely fashion?

Riggo’s Rag

4 huge disappointments from the Commanders’ loss vs. Eagles in Week 8

The Commanders went close but fell just short.

Commanders ghosted the running game

Sunday was one of the better-called games of Eric Bieniemy’s time as Washington Commanders offensive coordinator. However, he continues to abandon the run too quickly.

Let’s not forget that Bieniemy doesn’t have Patrick Mahomes throwing the ball anymore. Having a young quarterback in Sam Howell distributing 40-50 times per game is really not putting him in the best situation.

Yes, he was only sacked once against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8. But one of the reasons that Howell is leading the league in sacks is due to the number of times he is being asked to drop back and throw the ball.

The Commanders lead the league in team passing play percentage and have averaged a 69.4 percent passing play percentage over their last three games. That number is actually skewed down by the Atlanta Falcons game, as the team ran a more balanced attack in that contest with 28 passes to 22 runs.

Even the Kansas City Chiefs have a passing play percentage of 60 percent this season, after averaging 62.36% in 2022. If your team – with a quarterback that boasts less than 10 career starts – is throwing the ball more than Mahomes, you’re doing something wrong.

Teams that throw 40-plus pass attempts don’t have the best winning record.

Howell has surpassed that milestone four times this season – his record is 0-4 in those contests.

Brian Robinson Jr. has continued to show burst and had a career-high 29-yard run against the Eagles. Chris Rodriguez Jr. – after averaging 4.9 yards per carry over the last two games – got zero touches on Sunday.

The ironic part in all of this is that Bieniemy is a former running back. Run the ball.

ESPN

Commanders could shake up roster at Tuesday trade deadline

a source said, they also wanted to see how Young’s knee responded after his 2021 surgery to repair a torn ACL and ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee. He returned to play the final three games of 2022. Washington would have entertained a trade for him before the draft, one source said, but the Commanders did not receive offers on Young.

One league source said some teams might still be wary of how his knee will hold up over the course of a season. The source said that could depress his value. However, Young has five sacks in sacks in seven games played. He also has the highest pass ruh win rate among the defensive linemen at 24.8 %; Sweat’s rate is 7.6%.

“My job is to play football and that’s what I’ll continue to do,” Young said. “I don’t worry. That’s why you’ve got God. I don’t worry about nothing.”

Young, who grew up in the Washington, D.C., area, said he still likes playing in his hometown.

“For sure. I love Washington,” he said.

Quarterback Jacoby Brissett also could draw interest because of his position. However, it’s hard to imagine Washington trading Brissett, even though he, too, is a free agent after the season. One team source said they prefer to keep him for two reasons: He’s a strong mentor to quarterback Sam Howell, and they haven’t abandoned the idea of making a playoff push, even if they’ve lost five of the last six games. After all, in each of the past three seasons Washington has made a strong push during the middle of the season to climb into playoff contention.

So, if something were to happen to Howell, they want to make sure they’re covered.

Commanders Wire

Report: Commanders not likely to deal safety Kamren Curl

According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, safety Kamren Curl — who is in the final year of his rookie contract — is not expected to be traded. Washington would prefer to sign Curl to a long-term deal.

Head coach Ron Rivera has mentioned multiple times in the past he’d like to re-sign Curl. However, Rivera’s job security is tenuous under new owner Josh Harris. But Rivera and the current front office have clearly placed a high value on Curl.

Sports Illustrated

Should Minnesota Vikings Trade for Washington Commanders QB Jacoby Brissett After Kirk Cousins Injury?

Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles, which could prompt a trade between the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Commanders for quarterback Jacoby Brissett.

The Minnesota Vikings are in need of a quarterback after Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles in Sunday’s win against the Green Bay Packers.

While the team could have plans to start sixth-round rookie quarterback Jaren Hall from BYU, Minnesota could look into adding a veteran to help the team out in the stretch run.

Enter Washington Commanders veteran Jacoby Brissett.

The Vikings are 4-4 and currently are tied for the third and final Wild Card spot in the NFC standings. The Commanders are one of those teams on their heels at 3-5, but Brissett is likely not in Washington’s plans to start this season given Sam Howell’s success as the starter.

It would not cost the Vikings too much to acquire Brissett, likely a late-round pick. Given the fact that he’s on a one-year deal, the Vikings can see what they have in Hall and Brissett while both weighing the future and competing for a potential playoff spot this season.

Under such a scenario, Washington could then sign a veteran free agent like Colt McCoy or Nick Foles as a backup to replace Brissett and sit under the established starter Howell.

Bleeding Green Nation

Eagles at Commanders: 10 winners, 4 losers, 5 IDKs

Final thoughts from Philadelphia’s Week 8 win.

LOSERS

SEAN DESAI

In Week 7, the Commanders’ offense managed just seven points (assisted by a short field after a muffed punt) and 273 yards against the New York Giants.

In Week 8, the Commanders’ offense managed 31 points and 472 yards against the Eagles.

The same Eagles team that surrendered just one touchdown and 244 yards to the top-ranked Miami Dolphins offense the week prior.

What gives?

Eric Bieniemy and Sam Howell apparently have Desai’s number:

Pretty annoying!

Going up against a team allowing the most sacks in the NFL, the Eagles took down Howell just once (twice if you count the intentional grounding) and only hit him four times. Part of that had to do with the Commanders getting the ball out quick; Howell had the seventh-fastest average time to throw in Week 8 at 2.54 seconds (per NFL Next Gen Stats).

Some of the tightening up towards the end was aided by unusually good fortune, though. Howell had two off-target throws to Terry McLaurin on back-to-back plays and the star receiver somehow dropped both.

Fortunately, the Eagles don’t have to see Howell again this year.

NAKOBE DEAN

Dean led the team in tackles with 12. Of course, tackles aren’t always a good stat. But PFF’s “stops” metric helps to contextualize impact tackles that constitute a ‘failure’ for the offense and he had four of those, which was a team-high.

Dean also logged two pressures, including the one where he blitzed to help Carter in preventing a deep touchdown.

But whereas Dean positively contributed as a run defender and occasional pass rusher, he struggled in coverage. The Commanders clearly saw him as weak point; Dean was targeted eight times and he allowed eight catches for 81 yards and a 108.9 passer rating.

Podcasts & videos

ROOSTER: Jay Gruden would keep one of the two pending free agent DE, but ‘Atlanta is a good spot’ for Montez Sweat

Washington Commanders NFL Trade Deadline: Montez Sweat, Chase Young, Jonathan Allen and More

NFC East links

Bleeding Green Nation

Eagles-Falcons trade: Kentavius Street sent to Atlanta

This was not unforeseen.

But the Birds decided to make a move with more of a long-term view in mind. The terms …

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES RECEIVE: 2024 sixth-round pick (conditional)

ATLANTA FALCONS RECEIVE: Kentavius Street, 2025 seventh-round pick

The condition to be met is Street playing in at least six games, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. Barring injury, it seems like there’s a good chance that happens since the Falcons are going out of their way to acquire him in the aftermath of Grady Jarrett suffering a season-ending ACL injury.

Unpacking some quick thoughts in bullet point form:

• Street has played the fifth-most snaps of any Eagles DT this season with 87. He’s logged four tackles but zero sacks, zero TFLs, and zero QB hits.
• Trading Street speaks to the Eagles having confidence in Carter and Davis not being seriously injured.
• Street’s departure means Tui moves up to DT5 and Ojomo goes from being a healthy scratch as DT7 to active as DT6. Clearing the way for Ojomo to contribute is nice since the rookie showed some potential during the summer.
• The Eagles did well to sign Street to a minimum free agent deal and then flip him to improve their draft capital, albeit slightly. Getting a 2024 sixth-round pick would help offset what it cost to get Kevin Byard, which was a 2024 fifth-round pick and a 2024 sixth-round pick.

NFL league links

Articles

Washington Post (paywall)

Kirk Cousins suffered torn Achilles’ tendon, MRI exam results confirm

The team announced the test results on social media and added: “The timeline and details of his upcoming surgery will be determined this week.”

Cousins, 35, who was having a highly productive season to put himself in position to sign another lucrative contract in free agency in the offseason, suffered the injury during the Vikings’ victory Sunday afternoon over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

He lost his footing on a fourth-quarter play and was sacked. Immediately afterward, he was helped to the Vikings’ sideline and then hopped to the bench.

Cousins’s season probably is over, given the timing of his injury. He is scheduled to be eligible for unrestricted free agency in the offseason, with the remaining seasons on his contract slated to void.

Cousins has never missed a game due to injury in his NFL career. He missed one game during the 2021 season under the NFL’s coronavirus protocols.

Washington Post (Paywall)

Steelers are left grousing after losing their footing and their QB

Diontae Johnson…expressed his displeasure about the officiating. He seemed particularly miffed about the Steelers being called for lining up offside on their own field goal attempt in the closing seconds of the first half.

“Refs [were] killing us the whole game,” Johnson said in the locker room. “… But at the end of the day, it’s not on them. We can’t keep complaining about the refs. Like [Tomlin] says, we can’t worry about the refs, whatever. But everybody’s different. I didn’t like the refs today. They must have got paid good today or something. That field goal, that hurt us coming into the half. We needed that.”

The Steelers also were called for a questionable roughing-the-passer penalty after a first-quarter hit on the Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence. Jacksonville was not penalized for roughing the passer during the second-quarter play on which Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett suffered a rib injury.

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