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Washington Post (paywall)
In blending past and present, the Commanders aren’t afraid to ‘Raise Hail’
After the name change, Washington’s NFL team struggled to build an identity. It’s beginning to take shape under new ownership.
The organization can literally connect the past and present when more than 150 former players are expected to return for alumni weekend, which will culminate Sunday at halftime against the Carolina Panthers with a celebration of legendary cornerback Darrell Green and the retirement of his No. 28.
But it’s tricky. In 2022, he pointed out, the Commanders’ alumni weekend was “rather clumsy.” Despite the team’s apparent desire to avoid all references to its old name, which is a dictionary-defined slur, a pair of executives appeared to go off-script to appeal to the crowd.
Less than a year later, the Snyders sold the team to a group led by private-equity billionaire Josh Harris. It’s now Harris’s task to win back some fans.
“It’s important that everybody connected to the franchise from top to bottom be on the same page about what this messaging opportunity is,” Conway said. “It’s not an opportunity to look back and say, ‘Oh my gosh, I wish we still had this Redskins name.’ It’s really to recognize the individuals, whether they played for the Redskins or the Commanders or the Washington Football Team. … [The fan base] is a blended family, and this is their challenge: How do you make everybody in the blended family feel good and feel represented and respected?”
In December 2020, five months after retiring the old name, Washington took its first major step toward strengthening its ties to the past by hiring former running back Tim Hightower as the director of alumni relations.
Some former players were reluctant to embrace the change. They worried they wouldn’t fit into the new chapter or be able to wear their old gear. Hightower told them to wear whatever.
“I didn’t feel like I was part of the Commanders community,” said tight end Vernon Davis, who grew up in D.C. and played for the team from 2016 to 2019. Then he got a call.
“If you can find a way to merge those two together, past and present, I think you have something really amazing,” Davis said. “The fans, they feed off of that, especially the guys [from the glory days] because … they just bring that energy of what the team used to be into what the team is now.”
Despite the excitement on the field, the team’s identity remains a source of division among fans.
What is the message Arthur, the marketing executive, has for fans who have vowed to never support the team?
“We would love to have them back when they’re ready,” he said. “Honestly, it’s on their terms. As our ownership has said, we’re not going back to the old name. That’s not something we’re able to do. But we’re going to carry as many traditions [as we can], and a lot of what we do [is] going to honor the past. And when they’re ready to come back, we can’t wait to have them, whether it’s wearing our merchandise or wearing the old gear.”
ESPN
NFL Week 7 picks, schedule, odds, injuries, fantasy tips
Panthers (1-5) at Commanders (4-2)
Panthers storyline to watch: This is a nightmare matchup for the Carolina defense even if it does get back three players (ILB Josey Jewell, OLB Jadeveon Clowney and S Sam Franklin) from injuries. The Commanders rank fifth in total offense (378 yards per game) and rush offense (157.3) and are second in scoring (29.7 points per game). The Panthers rank 29th in total defense (379.8 yards per game), 30th against the run (153.5) and last in points allowed (33.8 points per game). Rookie QB Jayden Daniels’ ability to make off-schedule plays creates even more of a problem for Carolina. — David Newton
Commanders storyline to watch: Washington has been hit hard by injuries along the defensive line, with DT Jonathan Allen (pectoral) out for the year and DE Dorance Armstrong dealing with a rib injury that might sideline him Sunday. Rotational DE Javontae Jean-Baptiste (ankle) was just placed on injured reserve. That could lead to a tricky game Sunday. In the past four games with QB Andy Dalton starting, the Panthers rank eighth in rushing yards per game (130) and seventh in yards per carry (5.0). Dalton is 10th in QBR during this period. — John Keim
Stat to know: Commanders QB Jayden Daniels has gone four straight games with 70-plus Total QBR, which is tied for the second-longest streak by rookie starting QB since 2006, when Total QBR was introduced (only longer streak was six games by Matt Ryan in 2008).
Bold prediction: Panthers WR Xavier Legette will record a career high in receiving yards (66). The Commanders are weak at corner, and that should present an opportunity for the rookie. — Walder
Injuries: Panthers | Commanders
Fantasy X factor: Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard. He’s making fantasy managers forget Carolina drafted Jonathon Brooks with the way he’s playing. Hubbard has logged 22 or more touches in three of his past four games, and he has scored 17 or more fantasy points in each of those contests. See Week 7 rankings. — Moody
Betting nugget: The Commanders have covered five straight games, which is tied for their longest cover streak in the past decade (2020). Read more.
Commanders.com
Three keys to Washington bouncing back against Carolina
1. Keep Chuba Hubbard contained.
The Panthers have struggled in the first season of Dave Canales’ tenure. There’s plenty of talent at certain positions, but it’s clear that they are still trying to figure out how to play efficiently together. As a result, their offense is near the bottom of the league in several categories.
Running the ball, however, is one area that they have started to grow in, mostly because of how Chuba Hubbard is playing right now behind an offensive line that is clearly the most consistent position on the team. Hubbard is third in rushing yards through six weeks, second only to Derrick Henry and Jordan Mason. He’s also averaging 5.6 yards per carry despite ranking 10th with 86 carries.
Hubbard only has three runs of at least 20 yards but has been a physical force on the ground. He’s eighth in the NFL with 187 yards after contact, which has helped him rank fifth in rush yards over expected production.
Hubbard and the running game should be an interesting challenge for the Commanders, who have had to find a replacement for Jonathan Allen now that the defensive tackle is done for the year. The Commanders have also struggled to defend against ground attacks, allowing 137.7 yards per game.
It’s not an ideal time to lose a Pro Bowler, but it will be imperative for Washington to shut down the Panthers’ running game. Doing so would make the Panthers have to rely on Andy Dalton and their receivers, and while they do have weapons, their 23rd-ranking passing game doesn’t create much enthusiasm.
Commanders Wire
Former Eagles linebacker on Jahan Dotson: ‘Return to sender’
How is Dotson doing? In five games, Dotson has six receptions for 35 yards on 12 targets. Philadelphia acquired Dotson, hoping he could be the third wide receiver behind A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith.
While early, the trade looks like a huge win for Peters.
This week, former Eagles linebacker Ike Reese, now a radio host on 94WIP in Philadelphia, joined “BMitch and Finlay” on 106.7 The Fan and discussed Dotson.
“I wanted to call you bro…return to sender!” Reese told Brian Mitchell, his former teammate with the Eagles, via Lou DiPietro of Audacy. “You know how you get a gift, and you’re like, ‘Okay, I thought this was a good gift, man; where is the return slip so I can send this gift back?’”
Ouch.
“Seriously, I shouldn’t be hard on Jahan, but I will say this, B: you kept it real with us,” Reese said. “You told us that there was just something there that ain’t clicking, and there is a sort of a ‘how bad do you want it, and how great do you want to be’ facet that could be missing from the young man.”
Upcoming opponent
Cat Scratch Reader
Brian Answers: Wheeling and dealing in trade questions.
Answering all your questions in this week’s CSR mailbag!
DexterousDexter: What players are valuable enough to trade? How much can we ask in return for them? What teams would be interested?
Diontae Johnson, Chuba Hubbard, and Jaycee Horn are the obvious candidates. You could possibly make an argument for Jadeveon Clowney, Adam Thielen, and Josey Jewell if you squint hard enough. I wouldn’t expect any of the offensive linemen to be on the table, since the Panthers need to have a strength somewhere.
I don’t expect anyone except Horn to fetch anything more than a mid round pick or something conditional depending on the results of the season. I don’t really have a list of teams that might be interested as these kind of trades don’t necessarily happen for a team with a huge hole somewhere.
schrodingersblackcat: Assuming we could re-sign him without using the franchise tag (for the love of God, not the franchise tag…), which do you see as more valuable to us, re-signing DJ5 prior to the trade deadline or selling high right at the deadline?
Diontae Johnson wants to get paid, and I think he would actually stay if the Panthers gave him what I would call market value for a free agent wide receiver. I think if they go to re-sign him, that’s a conversation for the off-season. But to answer the second part, re-signing him prior to the trade deadline would probably be more valuable, since the longer you wait the more likely we’ll see the next high end WR2-to-WR1 contract hit the books, so signing soon would save some money. I wouldn’t expect Johnson to fetch much more than the capital the Jets gave up for Davante Adams, which was a conditional 4th that could go as high as a 2nd round pick.
schrodingersblackcat: Does it make sense to sell high on Chuba ahead of the trade deadline rather than let him walk at the end of the season, and what would that mean for our run-centric offense for the remainder of the season after week 9? Who would get the RB1 share of carries?
I think it actually does make sense to sell high on Hubbard at the deadline, but that’s only if the Panthers don’t intend to re-sign him, which he’s making a strong argument for. The RB1 share would likely be split between Miles Sanders and Raheem Blacksheer going forward, and I think in this scenario you’d see Jonathon Brooks continue to add to his workload every week once they actually start giving him snaps. For what its worth though, I don’t expect Carolina to trade Hubbard. Canales wants to evaluate this offense and taking away their most productive piece kind of kneecaps that idea.
Good_Ol_Boy: Think we could trade BY to the Dolphins for picks and/or a defensive player? I mean, they’re getting pretty desperate.
Not particularly, based on the recent reports Tua is going to return in the near future. Trading for Bryce doesn’t really give them a better option since he would need to learn an entirely new offense midway through the season. And I don’t think they would give the Panthers enough draft value to make the trade worth it anyway.
Podcasts & videos
Andrew Wylie All-22 Film Study From Weeks 1-6: How Much Has He Improved? | #WatchinFilmWithPhil #RaiseHAILhttps://t.co/IB0ORQGx4X
— The BnG® (@PhilipHughesNFL) October 19, 2024
Episode 934 – #CARvsWAS preview.
– is Jayden Daniels gonna shred Panthers’ bad defense?
– Kliff Kingsbury talks Daniels & LT rotation
– Joe Whitt Jr. details defense’s problems
– Rhyming Keys for #Commanders winI also talk #Hokies & #ALLCAPS wins & more.https://t.co/hoZ4chNHvY
— Al Galdi (@AlGaldi) October 18, 2024
Washington is hurting in the secondary
‘Commanders-Panthers Preview/Week 7 Breakdown ‘ by The Bram Weinstein Show https://t.co/zMCdumjkVu
— Bram Weinstein (@RealBramW) October 18, 2024