The Daily Slop – 25 September 2026
Editor’s note: Each day, Hogs Haven compiles a collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, with a sprinkling of other stuff. Enjoy!
Commanders links
Articles
The Athletic (paywall)
Jayden Daniels not expected to have surgery or go on IR, Commanders GM Adam Peters says
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is not expected to undergo surgery or be placed on injured reserve after suffering a second dislocation of his left elbow, general manager Adam Peters said Friday morning.
“So now it’s just a matter
of sitting down and thinking about what the best course of action is,” Peters said during his weekly radio interview on 106.7 The Fan. “As of right now, surgery is not on the table and we haven’t discussed IR. So, it’s just a matter of how we’re going to get him back on the field, and that’s still to be determined.”
That IR is not a consideration indicates the Commanders believe Daniels could return in fewer than four weeks.
The team had already declared Marcus Mariota the starter for Sunday’s home opener against the Seattle Seahawks. Seventh-round rookie Athan Kaliakmanis will serve as Mariota’s backup.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
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Commanders Rountable
Jayden Daniels will be back…at some point
Daniels has been arguably the lone bright spot for the offense through the first six quarters of the Commanders’ season, completing nearly 57% of his passes with 260 yards through the air, 100 yards on the ground with three passing touchdowns.
Though Daniels has already been ruled out for the home opener against the Seattle Seahawks this weekend, whether he makes his return for the week four London game against the Indianapolis Colts or the next home game when the New York Giants arrive in Landover in week five remains to be seen.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
ESPN
What’s next for Jayden Daniels, Commanders after elbow injury?
Few work harder or study more; he continues to arrive at work by 5:30 a.m. every week. He organized film sessions with the receivers. He picks the brains of athletes in other sports — Steph Curry, Draymond Green and LeBron James — and has talked to Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka about Kobe Bryant’s mindset.
Daniels has been focused on improving and winning; he has said he doesn’t care about fame and celebrity status.
However, he has now dislocated his left elbow twice in his past four games and reinjured it in another. He has finished only four games since the start of last season and left four others early. He suffered a knee injury in one game that cost him two weeks and a hamstring in another that sidelined him for one.
The question is: Can anything be done to prevent another dislocation? One source close to the situation said surgery was never recommended last year and multiple medical experts said surgery is almost never performed after a first one because the risk for recurrence is around 2 percent.
Indeed, Quinn said surgery was not discussed and after consulting with multiple outside specialists it wasn’t recommended this time either. According to Dr. Marc Kowalsky, an orthopedic surgeon with ONS in Connecticut, and an expert on elbow and shoulder injuries the likelihood of another dislocation increases – even if Daniels plays with a brace. If it happens again, it could require reconstruction and at least a six-month recovery.
Daniels will almost certainly have to play with a brace on when he returns — but he wore one in Week 14 last year when he returned from his first dislocation. He reinjured the elbow as he attempted to make a tackle following an interception.
And for what it’s worth, Daniels does lift weights, and he said he had added 8 to 10 pounds of muscle in the offseason. At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, he might be lean but isn’t considered weak. Still, it could be that strengthening his elbow is one recommendation.
He remains the quarterback of the present and the future. He is too talented and works too hard to think otherwise at this point. That said, Daniels does not have to prove he can play; he needs to prove he can be durable. He’ll have the rest of the season to prove that – not just with his elbow but overall.
That will be the primary focal point once he returns. If the Commanders finish with a poor record but Daniels plays the rest of the season — and does so at a high level — then any fears will diminish. They really don’t want to consider the alternative at this point.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Last Man Standig
Commanders-Seahawks preview: A 2025 rematch that looks much different and yet, all too familiar
Just about 11 months ago, the Seattle Seahawks showed up at Northwest Stadium to face the Washington Commanders in what was expected to be a close game between two NFC contenders. Or so we thought.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold was perfect in the first half — no, really, he didn’t throw an incomplete pass — as Seattle jumped out to a 28-0 lead. All four touchdowns came through the air, and Darnold completed all 16 passes for 282 yards. The game never got closer in the second half as the visitors rolled to a 38-14 victory.
It did get far more painful.
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels dislocated his left elbow late in the fourth quarter — an injury that would sideline him for all but one game the rest of the season. Daniels reinjured that same elbow this past Sunday in Dallas and won’t play this week.
For more from Ben Standig, click here
The Ringer
Jayden Daniels is not RG3 redux
Jayden Daniels is not Robert Griffin III.
I get why Washington fans would start having nightmarish flashbacks, but this is a different scenario. The elbow injury hasn’t fundamentally changed who Daniels is as a player.
Contrast to Jaxson Dart
Things are…bleaker for the Giants at quarterback. Dart is set to have knee surgery and will miss the rest of the 2026 regular season. By the time all is said and done, he’ll have more games missed to injury than games started entering his third year in the league. Unlike Daniels, Dart has to change his game to protect himself. The knee injury Monday night was just a stroke of bad luck, but Dart’s extensive injury history has often been a by-product of his all-gas, no-brakes style. His teammates have literally begged him to slide in practice.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)
Commanders Film Review: David Blough vs Cowboys
[Note: the play discussed in this excerpt is the shown in the video as part of the tweet embedded below]
There’s understandably a lot of negativity around the Commanders after star quarterback Jayden Daniels injured his elbow against the Cowboys on Sunday, a game that the team then lost and fell to 0-2. Given the history of this team, it’s very easy to fall into the old habit of thinking the season is done and the team needs to fire everyone and start all over again. That’s the nature of the NFL when seasons are only 17 games long, people overreact to every single thing that happens.
Despite all that, I do actually think there were some positives to come out of the game against the Cowboys. One of those was the improvement of offensive coordinator David Blough. Last week, I wrote about some of the positives and negatives from his first game as a play-caller. One of those negatives was the lack of play-action game and the sequencing of his calls. While he wasn’t perfect against the Cowboys, we definitely saw more play-action and much better sequencing from him in his second game as the offensive coordinator. Here’s an example.
While the Commanders offense had some issues against Dallas, I felt we saw some significant improvements from new offensive coordinator David Blough, particularly with his sequencing. I broke it down: https://t.co/fzOF8rMoY2 pic.twitter.com/dxA6iLB5j6
— Mark Bullock (@MarkBullockNFL) September 23, 2026
This play on its own was a good one for Washington, but what’s better is how Blough used it to set up a shot later on. For now though, let’s focus on this individual play. The Commanders use 12 personnel with one running back and two tight ends on the field. They use a formation known in the west coast offense as East Left. It’s the sister formation to West Left. Essentially the east and west term tell the two tight ends how to align. In West Left, both tight ends would align to the left, but the F tight end (in this case Ben Sinnott) would align outside the Y tight end (in this case John Bates. This is remembered with the phrase “It’s warm in the west, so go outside” referring to the F tight end.
Here though, we have East Left. In East Left, the F tight end lines up inside of the Y tight end. This is remembered with the phrase “It’s cold in the east, go inside”. Expect to see a lot of both the east and west family of formations this year as the Commanders lean more on their 12 personnel sets. Why I mention this formation is to point to the fact the Commanders didn’t use it in the opener against Philadelphia. They used the west formation a lot, but never the east. So this week, they introduced the new formation with Sinnott aligned inside of Bates to give a different look to the defense.
From this look, the Commanders run a zone scheme to their left, but Sinnott uses his alignment where he’s slightly off the ball to give him space in order to sift back across the formation. Typically you’d see Sinnott sift back and cut off the back side edge defender here and when you watch Sinnott, he actually looks at that defender, so I think he was expecting to do that too. But right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. works out to the defender and seals him off on the back side, so Sinnott instead works inside of Conerly and climbs up to the second level to block the linebacker.
Running back Rachaad White pushes his run to the left on his wide zone run track as he reads his blocks develop in front of him. The interior offensive line do a great job on this play. Chris Paul works one-on-one against Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. Williams is one of the premier defensive lineman in this league but Paul lands such a strong initial punch that he knocks Williams outside and washes him out of the play. Further inside, center Nick Allegretti and right guard Sam Cosmi combine to double team the other defensive tackle, Kenny Clark. The pair lock on to Clark and they drive him back seven yards off the ball, creating huge displacement in the defense.
Allegretti probably should have peeled off and worked to the linebacker at some point, but with so much movement on the defensive tackle, White is able to cut his run back behind Allegretti and Cosmi’s double team and the linebacker can’t catch up. This is where Sinnott’s heads up play to adjust and work to the linebacker pays off. His block isn’t amazing or technically all that good, but he locates the correct target and makes contact at the perfect time, allowing White to continue his cut back behind him. That springs White into the secondary where he picks up 14 yards on the carry before the safeties combine to bring him down.
It was a really strong run play that was well designed by Blough and well executed by the blocking unit as well as the running back. That alone is encouraging. But what’s more encouraging is how Blough used that success to go back to the same look later in the game and set up a play-action pass.
Pro Football Focus
2026 NFL offensive line rankings
[Bill-in-Bangkok: I’m mystified how a unit that has given up 1 sack; ranks 7th in rush yards per attempt; 11th in 3rd down conversion percentage; 11th in red zone scores per game; 11th in yards per game ends up ranked 31st in the NFL]
31. WashingtonCommanders (up 1)
- LT: Brandon Coleman
- LG: Chris Paul
- C: Nick Allegretti
- RG: Matt Gulbin
- RT: Josh Conerly Jr.
The concern for the Commanders is that after losing Laremy Tunsil before the season, they now have right guard Sam Cosmi in concussion protocol. Having him out for this week would be a big blow to a unit that otherwise might be trending up. The biggest sign of encouragement has been right tackle Josh Conerly Jr., who has played to a 73.4 PFF pass-blocking grade and produced a 92.4% PFF pass-block win rate through two weeks.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Sports Illustrated
Commanders have a familiar Sam Cosmi replacement — but there’s a catch
For what it’s worth, Washington’s current depth chart lists undrafted rookie Tanoa Togiai behind Cosmi, while Andrew Wylie backs up both left and right tackle positions.
[I]f Cosmi can’t play: they could use Togiai and leave everything else intact, or put the more experienced Wylie back inside.
That means if Wylie is the choice to replace Cosmi, then Washington has already used its primary swing tackle before kickoff. If either tackle goes down, Wylie would then have to shift out to that position, and someone else, possibly Togiai, would have to then play right guard. Starting Togiai would not only help them avoid that domino effect, but it would also give the team a chance to assess his effectiveness while keeping Wylie’s versatility in reserve in case another injury occurs.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Sports Illustrated
3 Biggest Commanders Disappointments Through the First Two Weeks
Leo Chenal
Leo Chenal might be the biggest surprise on this list. Washington didn’t just take a flier on him this offseason. They gave him a three-year deal worth $24.75 million after he posted a 75.1 PFF grade last season and had graded above 70.0 in each of his first four years in Kansas City.
The fit was supposed to make sense, too. Chenal talked before the season about how Daronte Jones’ defense would allow the linebackers to play to what they do best. “It really involves the linebackers. It involves playing to their skill set,” Chenal said in July. So far, we haven’t seen enough of that player. PFF gave Chenal a 40.6 overall grade against Philadelphia, with a 31.5 run-defense grade. Against Dallas, his overall grade fell to 37.9. His run defense and tackling were much better, but his coverage grade dropped to 29.0.
There were positives in Dallas. Chenal led the Commanders with 12 tackles after managing only three against Philadelphia, and he was much more effective against the run. The problem is that one weakness seems to have replaced another. After two games, PFF has Chenal at 41.0 overall and 33.3 in coverage, and at times he’s looked lost — a long way from the player Washington thought it was adding in March.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Washington Post (paywall)
X-factors for Commanders vs. Seahawks
Jones said the staff has simplified some calls to make it easier for players to execute. The goal is to be “more definitive” with the aim for a specific call.
“Rather than giving the guys three options, it’s, ‘Hey, it’s either this or that,’” Jones said. “That’s where schematically we can help with that.”
Of course, improving communication isn’t enough. Washington’s defensive backs also must be capable of bringing the call to life. Smith-Njigba is effective whether he’s lined up outside or inside, which allows Seattle to move him around to exploit mismatches. More consistent communication will help mitigate that, and the Commanders can also double-team Smith-Njigba. But he’ll still hurt them if their defensive backs don’t step up their play.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders Roundtable
Three matchups that may determine the outcome vs Seattle
Washington’s Defensive Line Getting Pressure
This is the matchup Washington’s defense can actually win. If Sam Darnold can’t go, Washington should feel a little better about this matchup. While Lock has put up impressive numbers so far (35-of-48, 422 yards, four touchdowns, zero interceptions, and an 86.4 QBR that ranks fourth in the NFL), his history shows he’s vulnerable when he has to hold the ball under pressure.
Washington’s front four — led by Daron Payne & Javon Kinlaw, and an improving pass-rush rotation — has the talent to disrupt Lock’s rhythm if they can stay disciplined and generate heat off the edge. Kinlaw is battling an injury and is questionable, so Tim Settle Jr. will have an opportunity to step in. The Commanders don’t need sacks on every play. Hurries, knockdowns, and forcing Lock off his first read will do plenty of damage on their own.
Lock is having a career moment, but he’s also a quarterback who tends to force throws when the pocket collapses. Washington’s defensive line has the chance to make Sunday’s matchup look very different from what Seattle’s first two games suggested. If they can get there early and often, the Seahawks’ offense could stall — and Mariota’s limitations suddenly matter a lot less.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders.com
Practice notes | Commanders confident they will end turnover drought
The Commanders have had lingering issues with forcing turnovers the last three seasons. It’s an unexpected development given head coach Dan Quinn’s recent history, as the Dallas Cowboys were near the top of the league in generating takeaways during his three seasons as their defensive coordinator. Since 2024, however, the Commanders have been in the bottom 10 in the category and had the second fewest in 2025. They forced just two fumbles last season — the fewest in the league.
Enter Daronte Jones, who was hired as a first-time defensive coordinator and brought a variation of Minnesota Vikings play-caller Brian Flores’ system with him. It’s a system that uses disruption at the line of scrimmage to force quarterbacks to make poor decisions with the ball, and there’s a track record of that working out. The Vikings led the NFL in forced turnovers in 2024 and had a league-high 13 forced fumbles in 2025.
Although the Commanders acknowledge they plan to change up certain aspects of their scheme to fix other issues with the unit, particularly with giving up explosive plays, they feel like the play style will lead to more opportunities to take the ball away. For example, the Commanders have become one of the better teams at stopping the run after struggling in the area last season. They fill their gap assignments and attack blocks with physicality, which has helped them rank 16th in rushing yards allowed. They’re also one of eight teams that have not given up a rushing touchdown.
That hasn’t led to running backs coughing up the ball, but Quinn believes the good habits the unit has shown so far will yield more results in time.
“I like that we took shots at it,” Quinn said. “You saw one; I thought [DT Daron] Payne had a couple good shots at the ball. I thought [OLB] K’Lavon [Chaisson] did on a sack of Dak. So, we gotta continue to wreak havoc, cause disruption, and I’m certain that that will take place the more that we hit it.”
Quinn keeps track of how many times the Commanders’ defense manages to “tap the rock,” as he calls it, meaning the number of times a defensive play can get their hands on the ball, whether it’s through a punch, interception or pass breakup. They are not at the number Quinn would like to see, but he feels like they are getting closer.
“When those numbers increase, I know the likelihood of getting them does,” Quinn said.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Podcasts & videos
Quan Martin On Growth, Marcus Mariota & The Seahawks + Anthony Armstrong’s NFL Journey | Next Man Up
Commanders Can Beat Seahawks With Marcus Mariota — If Everyone Else Steps Up
NFC East links
Bleeding Green Nation
Saquon Barkley injury: Eagles running back expects to play against Bears
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley expects to play in the Week 3 game against the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football, according to a report from the Inquirer’s Jeff McLane.
Additionally, NFL insider Mike Garafolo reports that “all checked out OK” for Barkley in the aftermath of his Week 2 stinger injury.
Barkley originally got hurt on the Eagles’ first offensive snap during last weekend’s win over the Tennessee Titans. He briefly re-entered the game in the third quarter before watching the rest of the action from the sideline.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Blogging the Boys
Finding run game vs. Ravens would be timely for the Cowboys
According to ESPN metrics, this game will feature the widest possible disparity in run blocking win rates, and that doesn’t bode well for the Cowboys. They come in, still without Tyler Smith at left guard, in last place here while the Ravens are tied with their divisional rival the Bengals for first place.
The Cowboys do have the best third-down conversion rate in the league so far this season, but also the worst third-down defense. This game has the type of feel where one short-yardage stop, or really any third-down stop of any kind, could be massive for momentum. If the Cowboys can match some of the Ravens intent to run the ball physically by doing so themselves, it would go a long way in avoiding a third straight 1-2 start.
The Saints managed to hold the ball for 5:30 more than the Ravens in last week’s game, while the Cowboys in their win actually lost time of possession by just under three minutes. If the Cowboys can combine these things and continue to make the splash plays that allow you to win while not possessing the ball as much, but also keep the Ravens offense off the field even a little bit, it would be impressive.
The feeling from week one that this Cowboys team doesn’t look or feel any different from so many recent ones has not gone away even after a 17-point win in Dallas. Ravens fans are likely saying the same thing about their teams’ early season struggles, and now the two outfits go head to head in Rio de Janeiro. This is a huge spot to learn about both Jesse Minter and Brian Schottenheimer’s teams with the second month of the season approaching.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Big Blue View
Jameis Winston: The Facts Behind the Noise
LAST 2 YEARS:
Jameis led the league both the last 2 years in yards per start (at least 80 snaps per yr), edging out Burrow.
Jameis metrics demonstrate efficiency that elevates him above most of the league’s starters in vertical and efficiency categories. Not arguing this proves him better than these, but the #s impress when you consider the offense around him (the bane of his existence).
He had a great start on a bad team. The Heisman-winner ldr of the FSU 14-0 nat’l champions followed up his #1 draft pick with a ProBowl year tripling the Bucs wins from the year before. Jameis is #1 all time in career passing yards by age 26 (#2 in TDs) besting Marino.
The one time Winston had a halfway decent team around him as planned starter, he was a winner. A 5-2 record with Peyton & Saints before the season-ending ACL, with 15TDs 3 ints and a QBR near the top of the NFL. They sucked and had a losing record in their remaining games.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Upcoming opponent – Seahawks
Commanders next game is at home vs Seattle at 1pm
ESPN
Seahawks QB Sam Darnold: ‘Striving’ to make return Sunday
After an injury that briefly had him fearing for his football future and an “eye-opening” hospital stay, quarterback Sam Darnold is nearing his return to the Seattle Seahawks’ starting lineup.
It could happen as soon as Sunday, when the reigning Super Bowl champions play the Washington Commanders (0-2) in Landover, Maryland.
“I’m really striving for that,” Darnold said Thursday. “But … I’m just taking it day by day. I also don’t want to jinx anything.”
Darnold was limited Wednesday as he returned to practice after missing most of the first two games because of a glute injury, then was a full participant Thursday. He didn’t know he would be back on the field this soon in any capacity when he went down on the fifth play of the season opener.
In Darnold’s absence, backup Drew Lock threw for 187 yards, one touchdown and no turnovers against the New England Patriots.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Well, this is…interesting:
(In case you were wondering, the Seahawks 3rd QB is Jalen Milroe)
Field Gulls
Seahawks vs. Commanders predictions: Expect another big game from Seattle’s rushing attack
Jadarian Price’s status is one of the things to monitor before kickoff, but if the rookie is active, I like his chances of finding the end zone. Price left Seattle’s 31-7 victory over Arizona with a chest injury, although his initial X-rays were negative. He was limited in practice, keeping the door open for him to play against Washington.
Price has already shown why Seattle invested a first-round pick in him. Price had 52 rushing yards on 10 carries against New England in Week 1 before adding 52 yards on 13 carries against Arizona, including a 25-yard run.
Prediction: Jadarian Price anytime touchdown scorer
[From Bill-in-Bangkok: I wouldn’t bet the mortgage money on the rookie running back scoring a TD in this game. Commanders have not given up a rushing touchdown through the first two weeks. Outside of a 42-yard run given up to Saquon on a missed tackle in the hole when two defenders crashed into each other, Washington has surrendered 160 rush yards in 2 weeks (including 72 yards by 2 QBs), at an average of 3.6 yards per carry.]
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Field Gulls
Jaxon Smith-Njigba wins FedEx Air and Ground Player of the Week
While quarterbacks are usually the ones that get talked about first on morning shows, and we see them first in the box scores, it is a wideout for the Seattle Seahawks that has served as the engine for the offense so far in 2026.
After a 155-yard, 3 TD performance against the Arizona Cardinals, the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year has won the FedEx Air & Ground NFL Player of the Week award. Unlike the NFL’s Player of the Week awards, the FedEx Air & Ground is won via fan vote.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL league links
Articles
NFL.com
Falcons-Packers on ‘Thursday Night Football’: What We Learned from Atlanta’s 35-14 win
Bijan shines in prime time again. Michael Penix Jr. was back on Thursday night, but more importantly, Bijan Robinson returned to prime time. One of the greatest talents in the NFL has a history of showing out under the lights, and he did so again on Thursday Night Football, propelling the Falcons to their first win of what has been a dismal season. Entering Week 3, Atlanta hadn’t scored a touchdown since a Week 1 first-quarter catch by Robinson from Cooper Rush. Robinson ended that streak with a 3-yard TD in the opening quarter Thursday, which began a scoring surge for the Falcons of 27 straight points. After his 213 scrimmage yards Thursday, he’s averaging 145.4 scrimmage yards per prime time game, which is tops in NFL chronicle (minimum five games). His last appearance in prime time was in a stunning Week 17 upset of the Rams last season, striding for a 93-yard touchdown amid a 229-scrimmage-yard showing. On Thursday, he rushed for 194 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries, while hauling in two passes for 19 yards. It was a more pivotal performance than last season, though. Atlanta was off to a disastrous start over two ugly games. All is not puppies and rainbows, now, but when you’ve got one of the best players in the game, hope is always on the roster. That showed in spectacular fashion.
Home, not-so-sweet home. Despite a rough 1-1 start to the year, the Packers surely would find solace in their cozy confines of Lambeau Field against a winless Falcons squad, right? Nope. For the first time since 2012, the Packers lost their home opener, snapping an NFL-long 13-game winning streak. It was an insulting footnote to a rather horrendous evening for Green Bay all-around. Missing Micah Parsons (knee), Josh Jacobs (Commissioner’s Exempt List) and with the offensive line depleted, the Packers’ struggles were all too familiar for this still-infant season. Jordan Love was under consistent duress and frequently inaccurate. The running game was next door to non-existent (17 net yards). The defense did no favors, either, allowing a woebegone Falcons offense to run and pass wild, with Robinson and Drake London each turning in near 200-yard performances. A mini-bye lies ahead for the Packers, giving them some extra time to figure out how to salvage a quickly sinking ship.
Penix settles in during debut. On a long road back from an ACL tear last season, Penix made his 2026 debut Thursday night. He struggled early, looking terrible at times, frankly, as he was skittish in the pocket and worried into myriad bad throws. He completed only one of his five pass attempts with an interception over Atlanta’s first two drives. With Robinson setting the tone, though, Penix settled in, and the offense was better for it, particularly London, who had a career-high 194 yards on nine catches. Sparked by the sensational play of Robinson, the Falcons truly found their rhythm when Penix did. He finished with 256 yards on 18-of-25 passing with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Austin Hooper. It was rough early, accentuated by Penix throwing a bad interception to Xavier McKinney on the fourth play of the game. It ended very well, however. Penix was the third QB to play for Atlanta this season and the second to start. Perhaps the position is solidified, at least for the immediate future.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
The Athletic (paywall)
Bijan Robinson runs wild, Michael Penix solid as Falcons win, but what’s wrong with Packers?
The Packers were poor in all three phases. How much is Matt LaFleur to blame, how much is it on injuries, and how much is on the players themselves?
It’s always difficult to accurately assess blame, but the short answer is everything is to blame.
“That was a humbling night,” LaFleur said. “Certainly, I don’t think anybody’s pleased about this. We got an extra couple of days here, and everybody’s gotta take a long, hard look at themselves, and we gotta find solutions and just come back ready to work. But it certainly was a tough night.”
LaFleur is the head coach, so he always deserves at least some blame after a performance this bad. Injuries to guys like edge rusher Micah Parsons, right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele, wide receiver Jayden Reed and left guard Aaron Banks certainly don’t help. And the players aren’t blocking well enough, tackling well enough, catching well enough or throwing well enough. So, almost everything that football players are supposed to do well.
That sums up how underwhelming the Packers have been this season.
“It was a butt-whoopin’,” LaFleur said. “I’m not going to put it on one thing. We definitely have to respond better, but that was at least three-quarters (of a) butt-whoopin’ right there.” — Schneidman
If not for an overtime win over the New York Jets, the Packers would be 0-3. Is it officially time to hit the panic button in Green Bay?
The Packers could be in trouble this season. We now have three games of evidence to suggest they simply might not be very good. It’s still early, sure, but can Parsons really save what has been a stumbling, bumbling 1-2 start to the season for a team that many saw as a Super Bowl contender?
The defense couldn’t tackle Thursday night after a strong start to the season, the offense has been out of sync, and the typical special teams woes reared their ugly heads again in a blowout loss to the previously winless Falcons.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Front Office Sports
NFL Has No Plan to Follow MLB, NBA in Loosening Private Equity Rules
Major League Baseball raised its private equity ownership limit this summer from 15% to 20% per team with a single firm, FOS reported this week. That put MLB’s policy in line with that of the NBA. In both cases, that limit is lowered in cases in which a franchise’s controlling owner has less than a 20% ownership stake. If the controlling owner has a 19% ownership stake, for instance, a single private-equity firm cannot own more.
The NBA also made a recent policy change to allow a private equity firm and its executives to invest in a team at the same time, according to Bloomberg.
But NFL owners feel no urgency and have no appetite for now to raise their private equity limit above 10%, three sources told FOS in the aftermath of the report about the MLB change. The limit eventually could be increased, those sources said. But for the foreseeable future, the owners feel no pressing need to make such an adjustment, they said.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Stadium update
Axios
D.C. releases master plan for RFK Stadium redevelopment
An expanded Stadium–Armory Metro station and new Gold Line buses will be ready to ferry fans to the new Commanders stadium by the home opener in fall 2030, Mayor Muriel Bowser declared Thursday.
Why it matters: Bowser’s pledge comes as D.C. releases a new RFK site master plan guiding how the neighborhood around the stadium will grow for decades to come.
The big picture: D.C. is betting heavily on transit to get fans to the stadium, which is planned with just 6,000 parking spaces.
Metro ruled out building a second infill Blue-Yellow Line station.
Instead,general manager Randy Clarke is planning to grow the capacity of Stadium-Armory station and debut a new Gold Line bus rapid transit route to hook Union Station to the new stadium through H Street and Benning Road NE.”It will be completed” by the first Commanders home game, promisedBowser, who leaves office this January. “This is our obligation.”
The master plan is a big step, but it’s hardly the last word. The D.C. Council can amend it before an approval vote this fall, and remember: the next mayor could push their own tweaks.
- And don’t expect 6,500 homes overnight. With private construction slowing, the campus could build out gradually into the 2040s — much like Navy Yard.
- That presumably leavesplenty of asphalt for tailgaters, especially in the early years. For their part, the Commanders are “being very creative” on making opportunities for tailgating, Bowser said.
Discussion topics
The Ringer
Jim Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel need to file for a (professional) divorce
New Chargers offensive play caller Mike McDaniel, an offensive wizard who took the league by storm with “cheat motion” in 2022 and led one of the best offenses in football with Tua Tagovailoa (!) in 2023, was hired to lift a Bolts unit with Justin Herbert, Omarion Hampton, and two stalwart tackles (Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt) to unforeseen heights. But instead, McDaniel’s offense completely sucks.
No McDaniel offense has been worse in yards per drive, points per drive, success rate, punt rate, three-and-out rate, average third-down distance, net passing yards per game, and general watchability through the first two weeks of a season. Head coach Jim Harbaugh had never started 0-2 in his decades-long NFL and college head coaching career … until now. And the Chargers got bullied in their “home” stadium by two of the worst teams in football last year. The only other club with a similarly abysmal start in an NFL season folded as a franchise after the next game. Owner Dean Spanos would move the team to Siberia before folding it because the money is still green, but at least the Racine Tornadoes were self-aware.
The Spanos-Harbaugh-McDaniel Chargers have no idea who or what they are right now. They have no identity. It already looks like the lights are too bright for Herbert. He isn’t comfortable in the offense, and you could feel him pressing with frustration in both losses. McDaniel’s offense is demanding more personnel variety, backfield play fakes, and pre-snap motions than Greg Roman’s did last year, but that’s no excuse for the center snapping a ball into a motioning receiver’s leg. The L.A. offense has looked outright dysfunctional at least six to eight times over the first two games. Hot and flashy, sure, but bad fundamentals. Bad foundation. That’s a reflection of McDaniel not meshing with Harbaugh.
Remember this cute video of Harbaugh and McDaniel discussing mechanics and footwork for, uh, the quarterback handing the football to the running back? What if that was actually a video of the two coaches arguing over basic football fundamentals two weeks before the season? Only the 1926 Racine Tornadoes can relate.
The Chargers wasted the easy part of their schedule, and what comes next is brutal: Their next seven games come against the Bills, Seahawks, Broncos, Chiefs, Rams, Texans, and Ravens. Something has to change, and if I had to predict what, I’d guess that Harbaugh (and maybe Herbert) will force McDaniel to strip his offense down to the studs and get back to the basics.
It’s still not the worst new marriage in the NFL, but I don’t think Harbaugh and McDaniel are sleeping in the same room anymore. The kids are starting to notice.
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