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Daily Slop – 13 Nov 24: WR Luke McCaffrey ranks 2nd in NFL in beating coverage to get open per PFF

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Washington Commanders v Cincinnati Bengals
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A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders

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Washington Post (paywall)

Terry McLaurin often tortures the Eagles, but they have a new wrinkle

The Commanders wide receiver typically tangles with Philadelphia cornerback Darius Slay, but a matchup with rookie Quinyon Mitchell could be in store Thursday.

If there’s any truism about Washington’s NFL team — amid coaching changes, personnel changes, scheme changes and even name changes — it’s that it always seems to get up for the Philadelphia Eagles.

In the 2020 regular season finale, quarterback Alex Smith, with just one fully functioning leg, guided the Washington Football Team to a division-clinching win at Lincoln Financial Field. Two years later, on “Monday Night Football,” the Commanders handed the host Eagles their first loss after an 8-0 start. And last season, even though the Commanders got swept, they took the Eagles to overtime on the road, then lost by one score at home after Sam Howell set career highs with 397 passing yards and four touchdowns.

“Man, don’t even get me started,” Eagles cornerback Darius Slay said after the teams’ Week 8 meeting last season. “… They for real be having their best games against us every time.”

That includes wide receiver Terry McLaurin, whose semiannual matchups with Slay have been must-see over the past four seasons.

Since entering the NFL in 2019, McLaurin leads all players in catches (164) and receiving yards (2,150) against NFC East opponents. He posted 125 and 130 yards in his first two career games against the Eagles. This year, with rookie Jayden Daniels at quarterback, McLaurin is on pace for a career high in receiving yards, and his six touchdown catches are his most since he had seven as a rookie.

But this year — starting with Thursday night’s matchup in South Philadelphia, where the NFC East lead will be up for grabs — that duel could look different.

The Eagles, with coordinator Vic Fangio now in charge on defense, drafted cornerback Quinyon Mitchell in the first round and plugged him in as a starter. Mitchell primarily has lined up at right cornerback; that would put him opposite McLaurin, who has played more than 93 percent of his snaps at wide receiver on the left side.

Mitchell’s speed — he ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine — and pro-ready skill set made him an intriguing option in the draft, and his quick grasp of Fangio’s scheme helped him win the starting job.

Pro Football Focus

Why your NFL team won, lost in Week 10

Pittsburgh Steelers 28, Washington Commanders 27

Why the Steelers won: The Steelers defense did a great job of holding Jayden Daniels in check. Daniels was pressured on 29.7% of his dropbacks and completed just 1-of-8 passes under pressure for 28 yards, notching a 64.6 passing grade. What’s more is that the Steelers kept Daniels in the pocket for most of the game. He had zero scrambles, and Pittsburgh hampering his mobility and ability to extend plays helped it to victory.

Why the Commanders lost: Simply put, mistakes cost the Commanders in this game. The offside penalty on fourth-and-1 to kill the game was the pivotal moment, but Washington struggled to wrap up ball-carriers in the run game: The Commanders missed 10 missed tackles against the run and had 14 in the entire game. The defense had six players with at least two missed tackles, too.

Pro Football Focus

Week 10 Separation Report: Best receivers at beating coverage to get open

Separation percentage measures how often a receiver beats the coverage to get open rather than benefiting from a defense more focused on limiting yards after the catch or stopping them short of the first down.

This metric is not limited to just targeted routes. Instead, it looks at all routes run where a defense tries to prevent a receiver from getting open.

NOTE: For 2024 season, Luke McCaffrey ranks 2nd in the NFL for this metric


Front Office Sports

RFK Stadium Bill Could Clear Congress in Lame-Duck Session

A Senate committee could help make D.C. a player for the next Commanders stadium with an upcoming vote.

The RFK Stadium bill has been stuck in the Senate National Parks Subcommittee since the legislation was passed in the House in February, but it is slated to come up for a vote along with dozens of other bills on Nov. 19. Sen. Steve Daines (R., Mont.), the ranking member of the subcommittee, has threatened to block the bill unless the Commanders properly recognize Walter “Blackie” Wetzel, who helped create the team’s former Native American imagery logo.

Earlier this season, the Commanders held a private ceremony which included the unveiling of a plaque to commemorate Walter Wetzel’s logo design that is now on display on the 300 level of the stadium.

It’s unclear what—if anything else—would be needed to satisfy the family and Daines.

The Wetzel family and the Commanders were set to commemorate the creation of the former logo at a game earlier this season with a plaque unveiling, but that event was put on hold.

The RFK Stadium legislation would grant D.C. a 99-year lease for the land where the team’s former home stadium is still being torn down. The approximately 174 acres are currently controlled by the National Park Service and even if the Senate passes the legislation and President Biden signs it into law before his term expires in January, that doesn’t guarantee the Commanders will return to D.C.

The Athletic (paywall)

Commanders in midst of record stretch of facing Heisman Trophy winners

Several winners of college football’s prestigious award play in the NFL from year to year. In 2024, the total number is 11. Setting aside Washington’s pair — Daniels (2023) and Marcus Mariota (2014) — Thursday night’s matchup at Philadelphia against wide receiver DeVonta Smith (2020) means the Commanders will have battled the other nine active Heisman Trophy winners this season.

According to Elias Sports, that’s the most Heisman winners faced in a single season in NFL history. The Commanders set the mark with eight in their Week 8 contest against Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears. Five teams held the record at seven, with the 2019 Los Angeles Rams being the most recent.

Washington’s 2024 journey:

  • Week 1 — Baker Mayfield (2017)
  • Week 3 — Joe Burrow (2019)
  • Week 4 — Kyler Murray (2018)
  • Week 5 — Jameis Winston (2013)
  • Week 6 — Derrick Henry (2015), Lamar Jackson (2016)
  • Week 7 — Bryce Young (2021)
  • Week 8 — Caleb Williams (2022)
  • Week 11 — DeVonta Smith (2020)

Players must have taken snaps in the game to count rather than only be on the opposing roster. Washington helped its cause here. One-sided victories over the Cleveland Browns in Week 5 and Carolina Panthers in Week 7 led to the insertion of Winston and Young.

Upcoming opponent

Bleeding Green Nation

Eagles Injury Report: Jordan Mailata listed under full participation again

The Eagles listed four players under LIMITED PARTICIPATION: DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Darius Slay, and Nakobe Dean.

All of these players were previously listed under DID NOT PARTICIPATE on Monday. That they’ve been upgraded to limited seems like a good sign for their playing chances. We’ll get more clarity when the final injury report comes out on Wednesday.

The Eagles listed two players under FULL PARTICIPATION: Jordan Mailata and Bryce Huff.

Mailata told SportsRadio 94WIP on Monday evening that “there’s a chance” he plays on Thursday night. That answer hardly guarantees he’s playing but it seems like a positive sign that he wasn’t more ambiguous about his status. He’ll replace Fred Johnson at left tackle if he’s indeed able to suit up.

PhiladelphiaEagles.com

Spadaro: No time to waste with prime-time NFC East showdown with Commanders awaits

Roughly 91 1/2 hours after landing home from their 34-6 win over the Dallas Cowboys, the Eagles will take on Washington in a key NFC East game at Lincoln Financial Field. The Thursday night tussle is a huge one – streaming around the country on Amazon Prime to kick off the NFL’s Week 11, the team’s Salute To Service game for 2024, the top of the division at stake – so what the players and coaches do between now and then is of paramount importance.

There are no hours to waste. Washington is an impressive 7-3 with a new coaching staff, a new quarterback, and extreme confidence. The Commanders are the real deal and they are not to be lumped with any Washington teams of recent seasons.

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