A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders
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The Athletic (paywall)
Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr. expected to play vs. Eagles, CB Marshon Lattimore out
“Yeah, today was the day to get speed and so that was a good sign to see him and the rest of his teammates really get running,” coach Dan Quinn said. “It was a kinda ramp up, as you go, think of a slower Monday, a little fast yesterday, but today’s the day you hit the marks to go up, and so he did a good job with that.”
Robinson has been a key piece of the Commanders’ offense this season, totaling 461 rushing yards and six touchdowns in seven games.
While the Commanders will get their top running back in Week 11, they’ll still be without cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who the team acquired last week via a trade with the New Orleans Saints.
Lattimore was ruled out with a hamstring injury, but Quinn said on Tuesday that the cornerback has picked up Washington’s scheme pretty quickly.
Jayden Daniels is the engine for Washington’s high-scoring offense and wide receiver Terry McLaurin provides efficiency and flair. But it’s Robinson supplying the power as the Commanders’ leading rusher. That their two lowest rushing outputs came in games without Robinson is no surprise.
Robinson seeks contact and often wins the battle, as shown by his career-best 4.6 yards per carry. His presence also makes focusing on stopping Daniels far more challenging. The Eagles’ defense is second in yards allowed, but opponents run for a healthy 4.3 yards per carry.
ESPN
Commanders CB Lattimore out, RB Robinson to return vs. Eagles
Lattimore, acquired Nov. 5 in a trade with the New Orleans Saints, has not practiced yet with the Commanders but has worked with athletic trainers on a separate field. He has now missed three consecutive games, having sat out his final game with New Orleans on Nov. 3. The Commanders have not said when they anticipate him being able to practice or play.
Washington Post (paywall)
The Steelers slowed down Jayden Daniels. Can the Eagles?
Jayden Daniels ran just three times for five yards in the Commanders’ loss to the Steelers. The rookie QB’s legs hadn’t been neutralized like that in years.
Over the past three weeks, Daniels hasn’t run as often or as efficiently as he did to start his pro career, when his scrambles fueled the offense’s success. Some of the drop-off is intentional — the team has called fewer designed runs since he hurt his ribs Oct. 20 — and some of it is how defenses have schemed to pen Daniels in the pocket.
Undoubtedly, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will try to keep Daniels in the pocket as well. But he likes to play “shell” coverage with lighter boxes, and his front is better inside than outside — the opposite of Pittsburgh’s — so his unit might not have the numbers, talent or discipline to win as consistently. That could open running lanes and allow Daniels to reassert his rushing prowess. (To be clear: Daniels had moments of effective running since the injury, such as erasing second-and-longs against the Chicago Bears and converting fourth and one against the New York Giants, but they’ve been less frequent.)
For his part, Daniels dismissed concerns about his health and decrease in rushes, which he called a by-product of countering the Steelers’ scheme with “the right football play.” He praised the Eagles’ front, which features star defensive tackle Jalen Carter, but as usual he seemed unfazed.
“If nothing’s there in the pass game, I’ll take off and run,” he said.
Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)
Evaluating the Commanders protection plan against the Steelers
Breaking down the issues with the initial protection plan against Pittsburgh and how Kingsbury adjusted to find some success.
So did the Steelers find a formula to defend Daniels and what adjustments were made to get Washington going? There are two main answers to those questions. The first is the Commanders run game. The Steelers did an excellent job shutting down the rushing attack that has given so many teams issues this year. They took a different strategy with regards to the read-option. Most teams have employed the scrape exchange tactic, with the unblocked defensive end crashing inside on the run and forcing Daniels to keep it, only for a linebacker to scrape over the top and suddenly appear in the gap the defensive end vacated.
The Steelers took a different approach. They opted to have the unblocked defender attack Daniels and force the hand off inside instead, knowing they had the big defensive lineman inside to make up for the offense not having to block the defensive end. This meant that the Commanders offensive line, missing Andrew Wylie, Cornelius Lucas and with center Tyler Biadasz battling through multiple injuries would have to try and create rushing lanes against a very stout Steelers front that allows less than 90 yards rushing per game. The Commanders struggled to do that and that got them behind the chains constantly.
Being behind the chains is not where any offense wants to be, but particularly this offense which has been so efficient at staying on target and converting third and manageable situations. That leads into the second answer to the question of why the Steelers were able to get Daniels off his game: the protection plan. This is something I’d like to dive into detail on. The protection plan for the Commanders to start this game deviated somewhat from what has made them so successful this season. They’ve done such a good job providing lots of help to the offensive line, using chips from running backs, tight ends and even wide receivers on most plays to help out. They’ve also used things like play-action and tempo to try and slow down the rush.
The Commanders knew that the Steelers were going to sell out to try and stop the run game and to do so, they were likely going to play a lot of man coverage. By playing man coverage, the Steelers can commit extra bodies in the box to defend the run. The downside to using multiple chips on the edge is that it takes away eligible receivers from running routes down the field as they have to stay in to chip before releasing into shorter checkdown routes underneath. Early in the game, the Commanders clearly wanted to get as many eligible receivers out into routes as possible to try and generate positive matchups against man coverage, but this meant the protection plan that has worked so well for them had to change.
The problem spot for the Commanders here is back up right tackle Trent Scott working against Steelers star pass rusher T.J. Watt. Obviously the Commanders don’t want to leave Scott on an island against Watt, so they slide the line his way to try and help out. Right guard Sam Cosmi initially works to the defensive tackle on his right shoulder to slow him down before peeling off to slide outside and help Scott handle Watt. Center Tyler Biadasz then slides across to pick up the defensive tackle left by Cosmi. That’s a good plan to help Scott with Watt, however it does have an issue.
With Biadasz and Cosmi sliding to help Scott deal with Watt, the left side of the line has no help. Left guard Nick Allegretti has to try and block Cam Heyward, one of the best interior defensive lineman in the NFL for the last decade, one-on-one. Rookie left tackle Brandon Coleman is also left one-on-one against Alex Highsmith, who goes under the radar because Watt takes the national attention but he has developed into a very good rusher in his own right. Heyward drives Allegretti back significantly off the snap, but Allegretti does battle to stay in front of him. Coleman, however, loses his battle with Highsmith on the edge. Highsmith dips under Coleman’s hand flash move and bursts by him on the way to hitting Daniels.
[A]s the game progressed in the first quarter, the Commanders looked to get every eligible receiver out into routes, leaving the offensive line without any help. The Steelers saw this and looked to attack, consistently sending a fifth rusher to try and generate as many one-on-one matchups in pass protection as possible.
Clearly this protection plan wasn’t working for the Commanders and it was having a negative impact on Daniels. He’s been very efficient against pressure this season, but in this game he struggled early against this pressure. That speaks to a lack of trust in the protection plan, which was a plan that deviated from what had worked so well for Washington this season. So after struggling for multiple drives early on, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury made the adjustment to go back to the protection plan that had been so successful for Washington so far this season.
The Athletic (paywall)
Commanders notebook: Evaluating wide receiver production post-Jahan Dotson
Dotson, the 16th player selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, led Washington with seven receiving touchdowns as a rookie despite missing five games. His 2023 numbers weren’t impressive (49 receptions for 518 yards and four touchdowns), but they were far better than Dotson’s stats with Philadelphia: Eight receptions for 98 yards and zero touchdowns in nine games.
Eight Washington players have more receptions than Dotson, including all five receivers on the active roster. McLaurin has matched or topped Dotson’s 98 total receiving yards in five different games. Dotson’s catch percentage (receptions divided by targets) is 53.3 (8-of-15). Of Washington’s eight players with at least 12 targets, all are 65.8 percent or higher.
Trading Dotson didn’t automatically lead to the Noah Brown addition, but a vacancy sign existed. Brown has emerged as the de facto WR2; he matched McLaurin’s 57 (of 64) offensive snaps against Pittsburgh. The rugged 6-foot-2 target is also tied for the league lead in drawing pass interference penalties (five). Like the entire room, Brown is a willing blocker.
To recap: The Commanders lost no production at receiver, used assets from the trade to address a position of need and still have a full complement of 2025 draft picks for a player seemingly out of the rotation for a division rival Washington plays next. So far, so good.
Commanders.com
Three keys to Washington getting a win over Philadelphia
Control the clock.
It’s inadvisable to compare two games against teams with almost completely different rosters separated by the almost two full seasons, but there is something this version of the Commanders can take from the last time the team played the Eagles in primetime back in 2022: control the clock and keep the momentum in their favor.
Back in 2022, when the Commanders traveled to Philadelphia to upset the undefeated Eagles on Monday Night Football, the Burgundy & Gold dominated the time of possession, 40:24-19:36. Some of that was a credit to the Eagles committing four turnovers, but the way the Commanders ran the ball — 152 yards on 49 carries — was just as much of a factor.
It’s unlikely that Washington will commit to the run that much in Thursday’s game, but controlling the clock is something that it could get back to this season. It was a top 10 team in time of possession for most of October and even ranked as high as fifth heading into Week 6. They are currently 15th overall but rank 25th over the last three weeks.
Some of that stems from the Commanders playing quality defenses like the Steelers and the absence of Brian Robinson Jr., who said he feels like he has a good chance of playing on Thursday. Injuries at other positions, such as the offensive line, have contributed to the Commanders slipping in the run game — a key piece of what makes their offense so successful.
But as the playoffs inch closer and games start to carry more weight in terms of seeding, the Commanders must find ways to sustain drives and finish them in the end zone.
Upcoming opponent
Bleeding Green Nation
Jack Stoll won’t be returning to the Eagles
Philadelphia’s No. 3 tight end was claimed off waivers.
Jack Stoll, who was waived by the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday to open a roster spot for the team to activate Jordan Mailata from injured reserve, was officially claimed by the Miami Dolphins on Wednesday.
The Dolphins had the No. 10 spot in the waiver wire claiming order, which mirrors the current 2025 NFL Draft order.
There was thought that Stoll might return to Philly on the Eagles’ practice squad if he passed through waivers unclaimed. Alas, that won’t be the case.
The Eagles are moving forward with just two tight ends on their active roster: Dallas Goedert and Grant Calcaterra.
They also have two tight ends on their practice squad: E.J. Jenkins and C.J. Uzomah. Jenkins is out of temporarily elevations while Uzomah still has three remaining.
Bleeding Green Nation
Eagles opposing player to stop, Week 11 edition
Philadelphia’s defense is facing a major test.
Daniels’ play is a large reason why the Commanders are 7-3. Through 10 games, he has completed 180 of 262 for 68.7-percent and is 12th in the NFL with 2,147 yards passing. He is averaging 214.7 yards passing a game and has not thrown an interception over his last 151 passes. He’s shown poise, leadership, and an advanced ability to see the field beyond his years.
What the Eagles will need to do is show Daniels varied looks. In Pittsburgh’s 28-27 win over the Commanders on Sunday, Daniels was held to a season-low 5 yards rushing. The Steelers sometimes showed blitz, sometimes they backed out, leaving Daniels guessing.
“Yeah, they rushed a lot of guys,” Fangio said. “When I say a lot, they rushed five a good bit, or four. Pittsburgh is pretty good. You’ve got [T.J.] Watt and [Alex] Highsmith on the outside. They’re good guys. [Cameron] Heyward is still on the inside. They’re a good defense.”
Washington runs a lot of zone read, which the Eagles have not seen much of this season.
“Yeah, we’ve got to be assignment sound, make sure we always have a guy available to play that quarterback if he pulls it,” Fangio said. “[Daniels] will pull it sometimes with blockers. He’ll pull it sometimes with just himself there if you overplay the run. You’ve got to be assignment sound.”
Hogs Haven
Washington Commanders vs Philadelphia Eagles: Five Questions with Bleeding Green Nation
Who is one Eagles player on offense and one player on defense that Washington fans probably don’t know much about, but should?
Offense: Johnny Wilson. The rookie wide receiver logged his first touchdown catch last week. He also had another in Week 9 that was called back due to a questionable offensive pass interference penalty. Standing at 6’ 6⅜”, 231 pounds with 35⅜” arms (99th percentile), he has the potential to be a red zone weapon for the Eagles. Less of a concern for the Commanders if Wilson gets matched up on the 6’3” Benjamin St-Juste but it could be an issue if mighty but small 5’10” Mike Sainristil finds himself going up against his fellow rookie.
Defense: Does Zack Baun count as unknown? Formerly a role player on the New Orleans Saints, Baun has elevated to stardom as an inside linebacker in Philadelphia. The reigning NFC Defensive Player of the Week has been such a beast for the Eagles this season. He leads all linebackers in “stops” – tackles that constitute a failure for the offense. He ranks tied for second among all linebackers in forced fumbles with three, only behind Fred Warner’s four. He ranks second among all linebackers in Pro Football Focus’s coverage grading, only slightly behind Fred Warner in the top spot. At his current pace, Baun deserves to make the All-Pro team this season. If the Eagles are able to slow down the Commanders’ top-notch offense, I suspect do-it-all Baun will have played a major role. I’m wondering if the Eagles might use him as a spy to account for Jayden Daniels’ mobility.
Bleeding Green Nation
Zack Baun is NFC Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career
Philadelphia’s inside linebacker is a total beast.
Baun was an absolute BEAST in the Philadelphia Eagles’ win over the Dallas Cowboys. He logged a team-high eight total tackles (three solo), two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one tackle for loss.
We raved about Baun in this week’s edition of Winners-Losers-IDKs:
The thought struck me on Sunday afternoon: is Zack Baun the best Eagles linebacker … ever?!
I’m aware it sounds hyperbolic. And, look, I was born in 1991, my memory of watching the Eagles goes back to the early 2000s.
But I feel like Baun is the best Eagles linebacker I’ve ever watched.
He’s an absolute beast.
Really, is there anything he can’t do?
Baun has looked great in coverage. So much so that I nearly mistook him for a defensive back the way he gained depth to break up a pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. He’s allowed just a 72.6 passer rating when targeted. Pro Football Focus has him graded as their second-best linebacker in coverage this season … only slightly behind FRED WARNER.
Baun is dominant against against the run. He leads all NFL linebackers in defensive stops, which are tackles that constitute a failure for the offense. He has 40. Three players are tied for second with 36 … and they’ve all played one more game than Baun has.
Safe to say the Eagles really nailed this free agent signing. Speaking during his Tuesday press conference, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Howie Roseman put Baun on his radar … but it was Fangio who foresaw a position change maximizing Baun’s strengths.
Podcasts & videos
‘London Fletcher on DC, John Kincade on Philly ‘ by The Bram Weinstein Show https://t.co/Dvo2fDRlYt
— Bram Weinstein (@RealBramW) November 13, 2024
On video with 5 things: why Dante Fowler is rushing so well (one huge change for him); on the run game (Robinson back); scouting the Eagles with @Tim_McManus. More. @ESPNRichmond https://t.co/MsbzvGS8oX
— John Keim (@john_keim) November 13, 2024