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Instant analysis | Commanders put together team win in 42-14 blowout vs. Cardinals
The pundits will look at the Commanders’ 42-14 win over the Cardinals and point to how impressive the offense looked in their third consecutive win, and they were. The unit put up 400-plus yards for the second time in four weeks and converted nine of 12 third down attempts. But in what was expected to be a high-scoring game against two of the NFL’s most efficient offenses, the defense showed up and largely shut down Murray and the Cardinals’ offense.
For the first time this season, the Commanders played a complete game, and it was a sign that the roster is starting to grow up. After the first four games, the team stands alone atop the NFC East.
After forcing just three punts in the first three games, Washington surpassed that total in one afternoon against the Cardinals with four forced punted. They even forced a turnover in the fourth quarter that took even more air out of the Cardinals’ sails.
All this took pressure off the Commanders’ offense to not score on almost every drive, although they still did it anyway.
Commanders.com
Five takeaways from Washington’s 42-14 win over Arizona
1. The defense showed up.
The Commanders had one of the worst statistical defenses heading into Sunday’s game. While head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. had seen some improvements, the unit still hadn’t performed up to their standards. The unit looked like the complete opposite by the end of the day at State Farm Stadium.
The Cardinals came into Sunday with a 1-2 record but boasted one of the league’s best offenses, ranking seventh in yards and fourth in points per game. They were one of the few teams better than the Commanders at converting third downs with a conversion rate of 45.5%. Because of that, many expected a matchup filled with offense.
The Cardinals didn’t hold up to that prediction. While they did score on their opening possession, they averaged just 4.6 yards per play on the rest of their drives and 5.1 on the day. They punted three consecutive times following Marvin Harrison Jr.’s two-yard touchdown and held to just four third-down conversions.
Another sign of Washington’s growth was that it rarely got beaten for explosive plays. James Conner had a 20-yard pickup as part of a 104-yard day, and Harrison grabbed a 19-yard completion on fourth-and-12, but there wasn’t the backbreaking play that has plagued Washington’s defense for years.
2. Jeremy McNichols filled in nicely for Austin Ekeler.
Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsburg was honest on Thursday when he said that Austin Ekeler being in the concussion protocol was a big loss for the offense, which would need to look for other answers to replicate Ekeler’s production.
Enter Jeremy McNichols, who was named a game captain ahead of Sunday’s game. McNichols made one of the key blocks on Jayden Daniels’ game-winning touchdown pass against the Cincinnati Bengals last week, but this week was all about the rest of his skill set. He carried the ball eight times for a career-high 68 yards and two touchdowns on top of making one reception for six yards.
McNichols’ best play came in the first quarter, when he escaped on the left sideline for a 27-yard run to the end zone, nearly being pushed out of bounds inside the 10-yard line but managing to keep his feet in while crossing the goal line. His next score officially iced the game, as he ran up the middle for a seven-yard touchdown to put Washington up 42-14.
The Athletic (paywall)
Jayden Daniels leads Commanders to dominant victory over Cardinals: Key takeaways
While Daniels didn’t post flashy numbers, he was effective under center, helping Washington to its first 3-1 start since 2011. Daniels, who leads the NFL in completion percentage, completed 26-of-30 passes for 233 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury focused on the run game, with Daniels, Jeremy McNichols, and Brian Robinson Jr. each scoring rushing touchdowns. Robinson led the Commanders with 101 rushing yards while McNichols found the end zone twice.
This week, defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. said his group is “not playing the brand of ball that we want.” That seemed like an understatement, since Washington ranked last in third-down conversion percentage allowed and was coming off a game in which Cincinnati scored 33 points without punting or committing a turnover. Whitt then added, “We’re closer than people think.”
It’s hard to argue that line is coach speak based on how the Commanders performed. The Cardinals were 3 of 11 on third down and gained 297 yards overall. The lagging pass rush sacked Kyler Murray four times. One came from Dorance Armstrong on fourth-and-1 with the Cardinals at the Commanders 35 inside the final minute of the first half.
Questions remain with the cornerbacks. Then again, the ridiculed group avoided getting picked on much after Marvin Harrison Jr.’s touchdown reception on the opening drive.
Washington Post (paywall)
Are the Commanders for real? Sure seems like it.
It’s safe to invest your emotions in this team, which is building something real and sustainable.
It’s too soon to make grand declarations about the Commanders. It’s too soon to get carried away about any team’s early success. One month doesn’t make a contender. But with Washington residing in first place in the NFC East, this fast start — and the manner in which the team is growing under Coach Dan Quinn — means you can follow the Commanders without trepidation.
It’s not too soon to invest your emotions in this team. It’s not even about where it currently stands. It’s about where it’s headed. It’s on to something here. You can see an identity forming. You can see the Commanders’ cohesion, their commitment, their professionalism, their enthusiasm. And atop all of those good signs, there is a budding franchise quarterback to amplify it all.
Surely, harder times will come. That may start the next two weeks against physical AFC North foes Cleveland and Baltimore. But the Commanders are operating from a strong foundation now. The way they have learned and improved in September inspires belief they will be able to adjust in the future.
September couldn’t have gone any better. Quinn’s leadership style is bearing immediate results. The locker room is engaged and full of belief. And while there are plenty of checkpoints remaining before we can call Daniels a superstar, he has done everything possible to legitimize the hype.
He’s also delightfully understated, the perfect temperament for a 23-year-old who must operate under intense scrutiny and expectations. He’s completing 82.1 percent of his passes this season, a record-setting start. Against Arizona, he was 26 for 30 for 233 yards. He threw his first NFL interception, but he also passed for a touchdown and ran for another. Ask him how his day went, and he deflects.
“We won,” he said with a shy laugh. “It went pretty well.”
Washington Post (paywall)
In a raucous locker room, the Commanders roar for Kliff Kingsbury
The former Arizona Cardinals coach helped the Commanders cruise to a 42-14 victory and was the center of attention afterward.
[I]n a video shared by the Commanders, the locker room erupted when Coach Dan Quinn praised his team — “We said anybody, anywhere, any motherf—-ing time, so we did what we came to f—-ing do!” — and promised that multiple players would soon receive honorary game balls.
Then he turned to his offensive coordinator.
A chorus of “KLIIIIIIIIFFFFF!” reverberated across the concrete walls of the stadium’s bottom level. As Kingsbury made his way to the center of the room.
[T]hey all knew how much Kingsbury wanted this one. “I know it meant a lot to him,” Daniels said.
But as the players enjoyed the moment and music blared in the locker room, Kingsbury made his way to the team bus like a man who had completed his mission.
On to the next.
Kliff Kingsbury walking out of Cardinals stadium, to steal a phrase from Dan Quinn, like a G! pic.twitter.com/IW3rW3EtWW
— Mitchell Tischler (@Mitch_Tischler) September 29, 2024
Washington Post (paywall)
Four big moments from the Commanders’ 42-14 win over the Cardinals
Washington’s Jeremy McNichols breaks free: On second and four from the Arizona 27 early in the second quarter of a tie game, McNichols took a handoff from Daniels, broke to the outside and slipped through a diving attempted tackle by safety Budda Baker before tiptoeing the final few yards into the end zone. It was the running back’s first touchdown since 2021, and it gave Washington a 14-7 lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
Entering Sunday’s game, McNichols had one carry for one yard, and his biggest contribution this season was picking up Germaine Pratt’s blitz and treating the Bengals linebacker like a rag doll on Daniels’s fourth-quarter touchdown pass to McLaurin in Monday’s win. With running back Austin Ekeler out with a concussion against the Cardinals, McNichols made the most of his larger workload. A fifth-round pick out of Boise State in 2017 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he finished with eight carries for 68 yards and two touchdowns. He was an excellent complement to Brian Robinson Jr., who had 21 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown.
Tiptoed for the touchdown
#WASvsAZ FOX pic.twitter.com/BY2raTYL7E
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) September 29, 2024
Washington Post (paywall)
Jayden Daniels tracker: An encore in Arizona shows he’s the real deal
We’re tracking Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels through stats, stories and quotes during his anticipated rookie season.
What we wrote
“In another impressive outing following his record performance in Week 3, Daniels methodically picked apart the Arizona Cardinals in a 42-14 win Sunday with a mix of quick throws, elusive runs and sound decision-making that extended Washington’s winning streak to three.” — Nicki Jhabvala
“If you animated his postgame remarks, you’d be tempted to include a steady stream of shrug emojis. Rookie quarterbacks aren’t supposed to be this accurate. Veterans quarterbacks don’t even command offenses like this. But Daniels is so impressively unimpressed by it all.” — Jerry Brewer
What he said
“ We won. It went pretty well.”
Riggo’s Rag
Commanders offense bordering on historically efficient with rookie Jayden Daniels
Daniels looks like a stud.
The Commanders currently have the ninth-most-effective offense in the NFL through four weeks since the 2016 season, coming in right alongside teams led by Drew Brees, Jared Goff, and Patrick Mahomes in their primes. Oddly enough, Kingsbury’s 2021 offense in Arizona was also on that list.
Heading into SNF, the Commanders offense currently ranks 9th in offensive success rate thru the first 4 weeks of the NFL season (since 2016, per @NextGenStats).
Bills currently sit at 7th, just behind… the 2021 Arizona Cardinals. pic.twitter.com/2YLlrEmyDy
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) September 29, 2024
Daniels, who has four passing and four rushing touchdowns, has completed a mind-boggling 82.1% of his passes. This has set a new NFL record for completion percentage through a team’s first four games.
Commanders Wire
Josh Harris deserves [some] credit for Commanders win over Cardinals
Think about it: The Commanders were 1-1 preparing for the Bengals game in Cincinnati. Imagine the conversation as Dan Quinn suggested to Harris that he thought the team should not return to Ashburn but travel to Arizona and spend Tuesday through Saturday nights to best prepare for this game.
Have you considered how much this must have cost Harris? The 53-man roster, plus the 17-man practice squad. But that is not all that Harris spent money on. Think of all the coaching staff, the trainers, the equipment personnel, and the hotel bill for all of those people.
Then consider each person who would have been paying for their own meals back home in Ashburn, eating from their own refrigerators. But Harris chose to feed them all this week, and he did it in preparation for only the fourth game of the season? And how much do NFL linemen eat in a week to maintain their mass, which is needed for their best performance?
Dan Quinn is to be thanked for having the foresight to see why this could be a good thing. The team spending all week together was an opportunity to bond further and unite at the possibility of not falling back to 2-2 but rising to 3-1.
Upcoming opponent
Dawgs by Nature
Browns lose 20-16 in Las Vegas, as the Cleveland continues to shoot themselves in the foot
Cleveland’s self-inflicted mistakes continue.
The Cleveland Browns are anything but inspiring this season. The crazy thing about this week is that Deshaun Watson played pretty well, and it wasn’t enough to dig this team out of its funk.
For the second week in a row, Cleveland had a jolt in the fourth, but couldn’t finish it due to more self-inflicted mistakes, including a questionable hold that wiped away a go-ahead touchdown, and then a snap when the quarterback wasn’t looking to pin them back as they tried to go for the win. There was also the missed extra point earlier that could’ve led to this game being pushed to overtime.
The Browns are 1-3 despite having one of the softer schedules thus far to begin the season. You are what your record is.
Up next, the Browns head to Washington to take on the Commanders.
Podcasts & videos
Washington Commanders Run Past Arizona Cardinals 42-14 in Dominant Week 4 Win
Beltway Football: Cardinals post-game pod
Photos
this duo pic.twitter.com/4mXeR6zLDr
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) September 30, 2024
NFC East links
Bleeding Green Nation
Eagles vs. Buccaneers: The good, the bad, and the ugly
Highlights and lowlights from Philadelphia’s Week 4 loss.
This rekindled the ghosts of Tampa Bay’s past. It forced you to think back when Troy Aikman told the nation in the Eagles’ 32-9 Wild Card playoff loss to Tampa Bay last season that the Eagles were a … “a defeated team and they were when they came in. And there’s been no life to this group really throughout the entire ball game.”
Being labeled “quitter” is a grime that does not easily rinse off.
This time, it seemed, the Eagles quit before they even arrived at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, losing 33-16 to the Buccaneers, and it did not even seem that close.
The lack of effort may raise red flags as to whether this team has quit on head coach Nick Sirianni.
Want to use heat as an excuse?
Both teams were playing in the oppressive heat and it did not appear to slow the Bucs. They entered the game going 20-straight games without scoring a touchdown on their opening drive, which was the NFL’s longest streak. The Eagles changed that.
NFL.com
2024 NFL season, Week 4: What We Learned from Sunday’s games
Rough start dooms Eagles. Philadelphia stared at 24-0 deficit midway through the second quarter before even converting a first down in the game. Three consecutive three-and-outs and surrendering scores on four of Tampa Bay’s first five possessions put the Eagles in a peculiar position that wasn’t ideal considering their top two receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith didn’t suit up. While the Eagles weren’t equipped for a shootout, Saquon Barkley did his best to make it a one-man show, leading the team in scrimmage yards (116 yards; 84 rushing, 32 receiving) and breathing life into a potential comeback to begin the second half with a 59-yard TD gallop. But the Eagles gave up a TD drive on the Bucs’ next possession, and despite the special teams unit scoring a two-pointer off a blocked extra point to make it a 14-point game midway through the third, Jalen Hurts’s struggles (18 of 30 for 158 yards; passing TD, rushing TD) persisted in the second half as the Buccaneers pinned their ears back. The Eagles’ passing attack wasn’t at full strength and the defense was quickly spent thanks to the Bucs’ proficient day – not to mention the Florida humidity – but Philadelphia enters a much-needed bye week following a disappointing performance overall.
The Jayden Daniels Show rolls on in the desert. The rookie quarterback continues to shine, improving by the week and completing nearly all of his passes. Daniels rarely makes a bad decision. His increased ability to keep plays alive to throw instead of scamper has made the Commanders offense a dangerous operation. Through four games, Daniels is completing a ridiculous 82.1 percent of his passes — the highest percent by any player in any four-game span since at least 1950 (min. 100 pass attempts). On Sunday, Daniels flashed anticipatory throws, layered darts to every level, and diced up an overmatched Cardinals D. He went 26 of 30 passing for 233 yards with a touchdown and one INT. On Sunday, Daniels threw his first interception of the season and punted for the first time since Week 1, and the offense STILL rolled over Arizona with ease. Credit coordinator (and former Arizona HC) Kliff Kingsbrury for mixing up his calls, keeping the defense off balance and giving easy reads for his rookie quarterback. With 216 rushing yards and four ground scores, Washington generated 449 total yards of offense while gobbling up 29 first downs. It’s wild to see an offense this efficient led by a player four games into his pro career. Daniels’ impressive play has the Commanders alone atop the NFC East after a month of games.
Dan Quinn’s defense begins to surge. The defense isn’t the strongest unit in D.C., but Quinn’s squad played complementary football on Sunday. The defensive front generated four sacks, including 1.5 from Dorance Armstrong. Quinn’s D did a good job hemming in Murray and not allowing the slippery QB to escape for big plays. Murray ran just once for three yards. The Commanders stuffed the run during the second quarter, which allowed the offense to extend its lead. Even after a quick change of possession following Daniels’ first interception, Washington forced a three-and-out. There were no communication breakdowns on the back end like we’ve seen earlier in the season. Washington held the Cards to 4 of 11 on third down and 5.1 yards per play. With an explosive offense, Quinn just needs a defense that plays sound. Sunday, they showed that they could do that for stretches.
Next Gen Stats Insight for Commanders-Cardinals (via NFL Pro): In the third quarter, Jayden Daniels threw his first incompletion on a pass under 15 air yards since the 1:12 mark in the fourth quarter of Week 2. Daniels had completed 35 straight passes of 15 air yards or less between incompletions (100 minutes and 5 seconds of game clock). The odds of Daniels completing every one of his 35 pass attempts under 15 air yards based on the completion probability of each pass was 1 in 4,545 (0.02%).
NFL Research: Daniels has had a 70+ completion percentage and 35-plus rush yards in each of his first four NFL games. Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (four-game streak in 2019 MVP season) is the only other player in NFL history with such a streak at any point in their career.
Blogging the Boys
Report: DeMarcus Lawrence foot injury timeline between 4-8 weeks, IR likely
DeMarcus Lawrence could reportedly miss 4-8 weeks due to his foot injury.
When news of Lawrence’s injury first came out on Friday the verbiage associated with his absence was “multiple weeks.” Clearly 4-8 weeks fits that bill, but that is quite the wide range.
It came as no surprise then on Saturday when it was reported that Dallas was exploring adding a veteran pass rusher (that Micah Parsons has a high-ankle sprain only complicates matters all the more). Needless to say the Cowboys would be up quite the proverbial creek if Lawrence wound up missing closer to eight games.
The bye week is involved over the next eight-week stretch, but we are talking about then a possibility where Lawrence misses 3-7 games.
NFL league links
Articles
Washington Post (paywall)
What to know from NFL Week 4: Aaron Rodgers and the Jets are a mess
The Jets’ offense isn’t working, Jalen Hurts needs to be better for the Eagles, and Anthony Richardson better take care of himself.
The Washington Commanders have a transcendent rookie quarterback allergic to incompletions, a 3-1 record and control of the NFC East. The surprising Minnesota Vikings have dominated on their way to 4-0, and the regal Kansas City Chiefs have wobbled there. Aaron Rodgers’s team did not score a touchdown Sunday, and Trevor Lawrence’s team does not have a win this year. Almost one quarter through a season not going to plan, here is what to know.
The rookie quarterbacks are all right
Starting a rookie quarterback is supposed to be a painful process, but the teams that handed over their offenses to first-year passers have succeeded early. They have done it with varying levels of impressiveness — Caleb Williams and Bo Nix have leaned on excellent defenses, while Jayden Daniels has instantly remade his franchise.
The trio could get company next week. The New England Patriots are circling the drain with Jacoby Brissett. After the 49ers shellacked them, 30-13, on Sunday, their schedule softens with a home game against the Miami Dolphins next week. It would be a logical moment to give No. 3 pick Drake Maye his first start.
Jalen Hurts needs to be better
The Eagles ended last season with a humiliating playoff defeat in Tampa Bay that convinced Philadelphia management to overhaul Coach Nick Sirianni’s staff. How much progress can they say they have made after Sunday? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers embarrassed them again, 33-16, taking a 24-0 lead before the Eagles recorded a first down.
Hurts wilted Sunday, throwing for 158 yards on 18-for-30 passing while taking six sacks and losing one of the two fumbles he committed. He was indecisive in the pocket and lacked explosiveness when he escaped it.
The Vikings are lapping the field
One month ago, the Minnesota Vikings were widely viewed as an NFC North also-ran, stuck in a holding pattern as they used a journeyman quarterback as a bridge to injured first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Even more surprising than their 4-0 record is the manner in which they have achieved it. The Vikings have not eked past opponents. They have destroyed them.
Anthony Richardson is close to becoming a cautionary tale
Anthony Richardson, the wildly athletic Indianapolis Colts passer drafted fourth last year, has as much raw talent as any quarterback in the NFL. He has not been able to stay on the field long enough to display or develop it. Richardson needs to better protect himself, and he needs more help from his own team in doing so.
Richardson has played in eight NFL games. He has been unable to finish three of them after he exited Sunday’s 27-24 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
NFL.com
NFC hierarchy: Minnesota Vikings lead pack after unpredictable first month of NFL season
On Sunday, Minnesota’s offense opened a four-touchdown lead by the second quarter, but then went ice cold, going five straight drives without a score and eking out only a field goal in the final 35 minutes and 28 seconds of the game. The defense, despite putting unrelenting pressure on Love, whose mobility was clearly compromised by his knee injury, nearly allowed the Packers to complete the comeback, ceding more than 17 points for the first time this season. Love threw for 389 yards and four touchdowns. The Packers had 314 yards of offense in the second half. What saved the Vikings? Love struggled against the blitz, completing just 16 of 25 attempts for 157 yards, with two of his three interceptions coming on such plays, according to Next Gen Stats. The Packers also fumbled and had and a continuation of their kicking woes
Still, the Vikings got the stops when they needed them, and moved the ball when they absolutely had to get it back to a two-score game midway through the fourth quarter.
the only team that can rival the Vikings as a happy surprise are the Washington Commanders, who lead the NFC East at 3-1 after smashing the Arizona Cardinals on the road, 42-14, just six days after beating the Bengals in Cincinnati. Quarterback Jayden Daniels is the early front-runner for Offensive Rookie of the Year, although the Commanders seem likely to be more than a vehicle for a handful of individual awards, if not this season then next.
Pro Football Talk
Chiefs fear torn ACL for Rashee Rice
Chiefs coach Andy Reid told reporters that the team is expecting bad news to come on Monday, when receiver Rashee Rice has an MRI on his injured knee. The bad news would be the worst news a player could get.
Per multiple reports, the Chiefs fear a season-ending torn ACL for Rice.