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The Daily Slop
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)
The Cowboys just opened the door for the Commanders, but Washington must make it count
The Commanders are 1-3 and currently sit at the bottom of the division, but their fortune could change drastically when they host the New York Giants (3-1) on Sunday.
“It is wide open, you saw that,” Commanders general manager Adam Peters said
during his weekly paid appearance on 106.7 The Fan on Friday. “I think this is one of those divisions that’s going to go down to the end. If we get this win on Sunday, we’re right back in it. But we’ve got to handle our business.”
Working in the team’s favor this week is the return of quarterback Jayden Daniels, who will start after missing the last two games because of an elbow dislocation. Daniels will wear a motion-restriction brace that will keep his left (non-throwing) arm from extending fully.
Getting the tight ends involved more in the pass game will be essential if Washington is without not just Stefon Diggs, who was ruled out Friday, but also Terry McLaurin. The two receivers are dealing with hamstring injuries they suffered in London. McLaurin did not play against the Colts, but practiced Friday and is questionable to play against the Giants.
[T]he Commanders’ have a chance to redirect their future on Sunday.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Sports Illustrated
Commanders Rule Out Six Players, Leave Major Terry McLaurin Question Unanswered
The Washington Commanders will enter Sunday’s game without six players: WR Stefon Diggs (hamstring), Marcus Mariota (knee), Percy Butler (hamstring), Nick Cross (illness), Charles Omenihu (groin/ankle), and Tyler Owens (hamstring) will all be out after missing Friday’s practice. Diggs is obviously the biggest name on the list, but four defensive players, including three safeties, will be out against the Giants.
Since the first injury report came out on Wednesday, everyone has been worried that both Diggs and Terry McLaurin would miss this week’s game. McLaurin is now officially listed as questionable after returning to limited participation in practice Friday. Commanders head coach Dan Quinn stopped short of confirming McLaurin would play Sunday when he spoke Friday afternoon: “Terry, I thought, looked really good today.” Quinn added that the team would decide on McLaurin closer to game time.
The Commanders will get Jayden Daniels, Sam Cosmi, and Rachaad White back this week. Daniels was a full participant in practice every day,clearing the checkpoint Quinn established last week. Cosmi started the week limited on Wednesday, but was a full go both Thursday and Friday; White was limited all three days but had no game designation on the final report.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
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Washington Post (paywall)
Jayden Daniels gives Washington a chance of getting its season back on track, but there are other issues to resolve
the NFC East is far from a juggernaut division. The Giants are currently the top team, but there’s plenty of reason to doubt their ability to sustain their level of play.
New York will be without quarterback Jaxson Dart and outside linebacker Brian Burns for the rest of the season. The last two teams they’ve beaten — the Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals — are a combined 1-7.
The Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) have lost two in a row. Running back Saquon Barkley suffered a hamstring injury last week, and right tackle Lane Johnson suddenly retired Tuesday.
It’s been an up-and-down ride for the Dallas Cowboys (2-3 after Thursday night’s loss to the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers). Their offense is arguably the best in the NFL, but they’ve been held back by a struggling defense.
Without a clear division front-runner, there’s a pathway for the Commanders to get back in the thick of things — if Daniels is Daniels. If he’s able to stay upright. If the other injuries throughout the roster finally stop.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
From ESPN:
Daniels has finished only five games since the start of the 2025 season. He dislocated his left elbow in Week 10 last year and returned in Week 14 only to reaggravate the injury after getting shoved to the ground and landing on his left arm.
Rookie Athan Kaliakmanis will back up Daniels. Washington could opt to sign Sam Hartman to the active roster off the practice squad and make him the emergency third quarterback.
To read more of this ESPN article, CLICK HERE
Commanders Roundtable
Kaytron Allen was claimed off of waivers by the Dolphins
Running back Kaytron Allen was claimed by the Miami Dolphins on Friday afternoon, exactly one day after the Washington Commanders opted to waive the rookie. Allen also became the first roster cut casualty from the 2026 draft class as Allen arrived in Washington as one of two picks in the sixth round, but now adds a question mark for a front office that entered the draft with limited capital to work with.
Allen also heads to a team that is already familiar with him given the rookie rushed for 85 yards and one touchdown against the Dolphins in the preseason opening win for an encouraging NFL debut. The rookie now heads to a backfield that saw De’Von Achane already go down with a season ending ACL injury, while he joins Ollie Gordon, Jaylen Wright and Carlos Washington in the week five.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Riggo’s Rag
7 Commanders players under pressure to deliver this Sunday
Treylon Burks – Commanders WR
Stefon Diggs won’t feature against the New York Giants with a hamstring injury. Terry McLaurin is trending in the right direction, but even if he does get the green light, the wide receiver will not be at 100 percent.
The Commanders have Jayden Daniels and Sam Cosmi back, which is something. But without Diggs and McLaurin not at full health, others have to step up.
Treylon Burks should get the first shot at becoming a prominent feature in the team’s offensive strategy. He’s always had the talent; consistency is the biggest stumbling block. The Commanders believed enough in the wideout to give him a new one-year deal this offseason, but he’s caught only three passes on six targets this season.
However, two of those have gone for touchdowns. Burks is a big-play waiting to happen, and he needs to show these qualities more often without Diggs to lean on.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt – Commanders RB
The Commanders need to get the run game going. It’s been underwhelming so far, and the situation involving sixth-round rookie Kaytron Allen has placed more scrutiny on Adam Peters’ thought process.
Washington placed faith in experience over development, a trap they fell into last season with little success. It’ll be interesting to see how the dynamic shakes out from here, but there is no questioning the need for Jacory Croskey-Merritt to make more of an impression.
Croskey-Merritt has lost momentum after his surprising rookie surge. He’s been careless with the football, and he hasn’t attacked gaps with the same conviction over four weeks. Austin Ekeler looked like Washington’s best running back in Week 4, and he’d only been back with the franchise for a few days before getting involved.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Sports Illustrated
Commanders Scouting Report: How Washington Exploits Jameis Winston’s Penchant for Mistakes
Winston is an old bird among a league of younglings, but he showed last weekend he still has some of that gunslinger mentality, going 18-of-29 for 250 yards and tossing three touchdowns and two interceptions; it brought back memories of his 30/30 season of 2019 in Tampa Bay. I couldn’t get much out of his film in the Tennessee game; the matchup was played during a nor’easter, and the weather was a major factor. One constant: teams were able to get at him, as he was sacked seven times across his two starts.
Isaiah Likely Tests Washington’s Tight End Coverage
In his two starts, Winston has targeted TE Isaiah Likely the most (17); Likely caught seven of those for 66 yards last weekend, leading the Giants in receptions against Arizona. With opposing tight ends acting like a thorn in the franchise’s side for what seems like forever, Likely is the name to watch on Sunday, especially if Malik Nabers doesn’t play (he was limited Thursday). Nabers has done well with Winston, catching 11 passes (13 targets) for 138 yards and a touchdown.
Washington has to find a way to get after Winston, who is susceptible to the pass rush and makes mistakes often. If they don’t, Winston could have a field day with the weapons New York brings to the table. Isaiah Likely is a nightmare in the red zone, and Washington is a train wreck trying to stop tight ends in that section of the field. The Commanders must find a way to eliminate the chance of it happening altogether, since stopping it seems futile.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders.com
3 keys to Commanders vs. Giants
Shut down the run game
The Giants are going to run the ball on Sunday, regardless of whether the Commanders can bring pressure. They’re near the bottom of the league in yards per attempt but seventh in rushing attempts. They’re committed to leaning on Cam Skattebo, who paces their ground attack and is tied with Isaiah Likely for the most first downs generated on the team.
The Commanders, however, have one of the stingiest defenses against the run. They’ve allowed the fourth-fewest rushing first downs all season, and it doesn’t take long for teams to get the message that they won’t have success on the ground. The Commanders’ defense has only seen 94 rushing attempts — the sixth-fewest in the league.
Washington has solid run defenders at the line of scrimmage — Javon Kinlaw is 10th in run stop win rate — but the secret to their success is the linebacker position. Rookie Sonny Styles is third on the team in tackles, while players like Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson help set edges to prevent runs from getting to the sideline.
The key for the Commanders will be to get Skattebo down as quickly as possible. He’s ninth in yards after contact but only has three broken tackles so far this season. If they can do that, it’ll force the Giants into longer third-down scenarios — an area where the Giants are top 10 but faced distances of five yards or fewer on nine of their 15 attempts against the Arizona Cardinals last week.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL.com
NFL defensive rookie rankings at quarter mark of 2026 season: Sonny Styles or Arvell Reese at No. 1?
This rookie crop is absolutely LOADED at linebacker.
I’m talking about the off-ball types. They don’t typically move the needle in pre-draft hype, though this past cycle was different, with a pair of freakish Ohio State products garnering ample attention before ultimately coming off the board as top-10 picks. Those two have hit the ground running (and hitting), making them the easiest selections for this ranking. But they’re not the only LBs who’ve tickled my fancy in the first month of the season. In fact, the position offers so many viable candidates for praise that I had to make some painful omissions (sorry, Jaishawn Barham and Harold Perkins Jr.) to prevent this file from becoming a pure list o’ linebackers.
Not that the other defensive positions are devoid of fresh intrigue — though there does seem to be a shortage of game wreckers up front, at least in the early goings — but the ‘backers have made an indelible mark in the first quarter of the 2026 campaign. Consequently, they dominate this premature rundown of the 10 best defensive rookies, starting at the top with those two aforementioned Buckeyes.
Rank 1 – Sonny Styles – WAS – LB
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 7 overall
Styles doesn’t have the best stats among rookie defenders, but it sure feels like he’s popped the most. He announced his arrival with a vengeance in Week 1, absolutely bulldozing Saquon Barkley en route to a sack. Two weeks later, he played a critical role in Washington’s shocking upset of the Super Bowl champion Seahawks, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after racking up five tackles, a QB hit, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and an interception. That kind of well-rounded production suits the versatile 6-foot-5, 243-pounder, who spent his first two years at Ohio State as a safety before converting to linebacker. With injuries in Washington’s linebacking corps, Styles has been forced to wear the green dot at times, and the 21-year-old has capably organized Dan Quinn’s defense. At this point, I’m not sure what Styles can’t do.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Podcasts & videos
Athan Kaliakmanis On His First NFL Game + Taylor Heinicke Is BACK 🔥 | Next Man Up | Commanders
Commanders Have 4 Running Backs, but Jacory Croskey-Merritt Has the Biggest Job
Commanders vs. Giants Preview: Is Week 5 a must-win for Washington as Jayden Daniels returns?
NFC East links
The Athletic (paywall)
The Cowboys’ defense is making no progress. It might be worse than last year
Several times over the last three months, Jerry Jones has made comments, sometimes in jest, about the Dallas Cowboys’ defense being better this year because it can’t be any worse than last year.
Five games in, Jones can’t be too sure about that any more.
Facing an undrafted rookie quarterback making his second start for a winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers team, the Cowboys suffered a stunning 24-16 loss Thursday night at AT&T Stadium.
The defense…has shown little to no signs for anyone to expect a significant turnaround. They don’t stop the run. They don’t get the quarterback on the ground. They defend poorly on the back end. They don’t take the ball away. Thursday night, they committed far too many critical penalties and they tackled poorly.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Blogging the Boys
5 plays that cost the Cowboys vs. the Buccaneers
Why? Just why? Why do the Dallas Cowboys keep disappointing this badly? You’re at home on a short week, playing a winless team that is starting an undrafted free agent at quarterback. You would have never noticed with how poorly the defense looked.
Once again, they failed to limit explosive plays. If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wanted to gash them on the ground, they could. If they wanted to exploit them through the passing game, no problemo. This defense is a rudderless ship that cannot get out of its own way.
As for the offense that was tabbed the Greatest Offense There Is (GOTI), not so fast either. The offense led by Dak Prescott was lifeless in the first half. Prescott was far from his normal self, and the offense paid dearly for it.
When you lose this badly, and in this embarrassing way, there’s no shortage of identifying where it all went so sour. We’re going to sit on this loss for a while. Here are the key plays that cost the Cowboys.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Bleeding Green Nation
Andy Dalton released: Eagles reportedly cut veteran quarterback
Although, NFL insider Mike Garafolo reports that the move doesn’t mean an end to the QB in Philly, the team needed the roster spot and he could return to the practice squad — as a veteran, he isn’t subject to the waiver wire.
Trading for Dalton was always a bit of a questionable move, and the Eagles probably mishandled the backup QB competition throughout the summer and training camp. After splitting reps between Dalton and Tanner McKee, the Eagles went with Dalton as QB2 for three weeks — until he threw an interception (with his one and only pass as an Eagle) against the Bears when Jalen Hurts was being evaluated for concussion.
Dalton was probably a nice addition to the meeting room, with his various experience, but ultimately, the Eagles turned back to McKee for their Week 4 game against the Rams, and with other roster needs, had to evaluate keeping four quarterbacks. The team will now move forward with McKee and rookie Cole Payton
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL.com
Eagles vs. Jaguars: Three must-know storylines for NFL Week 5 London game
Some have seen the Jurgens trade as the Eagles giving up on the 2026 season, sending a versatile starter away for picks. But Howie Roseman insisted this week that “nothing has changed” and Philly wants to win “this year.”
The road forward starts on Sunday against a Jaguars defense, led by DC Anthony Campanile, that has stymied opponents this season. Jacksonville has accumulated 41 pressures without blitzing (tied for fifth in the NFL, per Next Gen Stats), while Philly’s O-line, as previously constructed, allowed 12 sacks (fourth-most) and a 43.2% pressure rate (third-highest, per NGS).
Life has been hard enough for the Eagles without Johnson alone; since 2024, Philly has averaged 4.8 yards per carry with Johnson on the field, compared to 4.0 without him.
The pressure is quite literally on. How will Philly respond?
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Upcoming opponent – Giants
Commanders next game is at home vs NY Giants on Sunday at 1:00 pm
Big Blue View
Giants-Commanders matchup: Can the Giants contain QB Jayden Daniels?
How to play a Daniels-led offense?
This is, of course, the question facing the Giants this week.
We saw just how much faster and just plain better the Giants played in the final three quarters against the Cardinals. Playing press-man coverage, mixing pressure looks, and attacking the offense ignited the Giants’ defense and allowed them to smother a talented Cardinals’ offense.
The X-factor in all this is Daniels and his legs. Daniels is a talented passer, but his mobility is what maximizes his arm talent. The question the Giants will have to answer is just how mobile Daniels will be. Playing pressure defense and attacking gaps creates opportunities for mobile quarterbacks. Missed or evaded tackle attempts are opportunities to scramble and extend plays, or pick up yards on the ground. Likewise, man coverage plays to the Giants’ strengths in the secondary, however that also takes eyes out of the backfield and makes the secondary slower to react to quarterback runs.
The answer has traditionally been to spy the quarterback, and that’s a viable route for the Giants. The duo of Tremaine Edmunds and Arvell Reese are among the longest and most athletic linebacker duos in the NFL. They can cover a lot of ground, and are secure tackles when they arrive. That could make them effective counters against Daniels on the ground.
Taking things a step further, Wilson could make use of simulated pressures. Walking Reese, Edmunds, or both, up to the A or B-gaps to show pressure before backing them off into coverage will help to muddy Daniels’ reads and confuse their battered offensive line’s protection calls.
Likewise, a Fire Zone blitz that sends a fifth rusher but creates a layered defense behind the pressure could give the Giants the ability to use their athletic rushers without compromising their ability to cover behind it. Mixing simulated pressures, smart blitzes, and Green Dog (ie: a blitzer only rushing if a running back stays in to pass protect) blitzes could help keep Washington off balance while playing to the Giants’ strengths.
The Giants’ defense is obviously better when they’re using their speed and being aggressive. However, they also need to do so in ways that don’t allow Washington to pick up easy yards.
Using their athleticism to disrupt Washington’s offense without creating opportunities for easy yards is a knife-edge line for the Giants to walk. But a win could depend on it, as they can’t allow Daniels to get comfortable, nor can they allow him to run wild.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Hogs Haven
Washington Commanders vs New York Giants Week 5: Five Questions with Big Blue View
How precarious is the Giants’ hold on the lead in the NFC East?
A lot of the Giants’ season is going to revolve around QB Jameis Winston and his ability to fill in for Jaxson Dart. What have you seen out of Jameis so far, and what do you think about what he brings to the table vs JJ McCarthy?
Jameis is Jameis. He was fantastic at times against the Cardinals, mystifyingly bad at other times. That’s how you throw for 250 yards with 3 TDs and 2 INTs. I’m going to discount Week 3 against Tennessee because that game was played in rain and high winds with gusts nearing 40 mph. He did not turn the ball over and the Giants won, despite not scoring a touchdown. So, you live with it.
Jameis brings experience and leadership. He was named to the team’s Leadership Council and voted as a team captain long before Dart was injured. How many backup quarterbacks are voted as a captain by teammates? [Bill-in-Bangkok: As it turns out, both teams involved in this game. Injured backup Marcus Mariota was put forward as captain by his teammates prior to the Week 3 home game vs Seattle] If the Giants win enough games, it is going to be hard for John Harbaugh to justify replacing Winston with McCarthy. That said, if Winston’s turnovers hold the Giants back Harbaugh won’t hesitate to go to McCarthy.
Nobody really knows what the Giants will get out of McCarthy if and when he plays, but Harbaugh won’t sit around and watch the season go down the drain because Winston can’t, or won’t, protect the football.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Big Blue View
Arvell Reese vs. Sonny Styles: Which rookie linebacker has been, will be, better?
Nick Baumgardner (draft analyst, The Athletic)
“I think both Reese and Styles are playing really well right now, improving with each week. Styles is probably a tick ahead as a coverage defender right now and while he’s been slightly more productive as a pass rusher, it’s important to remember a few things. The Giants started Reese, a younger player, at a position (stack LB) where he was sort of part-time last season. He’s needed a bit more time to adjust there as Styles is simply playing the spot he had in college.
“Long-term, I still think Reese is going to be the more impactful front-seven defender. Styles, however, has an elite coverage ceiling. We’ve already seen a bit of that from Dan Quinn and the Commanders. And, remember: Styles used to be a safety in college. That piece is more natural for him. Whereas rushing the passer and stopping the run is where Reese will ultimately thrive.”
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL league links
Articles
ESPN
Legendary coach, Hall of Fame TE Mike Ditka dies at age 86
Mike Ditka, the legendary former Chicago Bears coach and first tight end ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has died at the age of 86, his family announced Friday.
Ditka rose to national prominence leading the 1985 Bears, a team that boasted arguably the greatest defense in NFL history, to the franchise’s only Super Bowl title.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka,” his family said in a statement. “While the world knew Mike as a Hall of Fame football player, legendary coach, and leader of the Chicago Bears’ Super Bowl XX championship team, we knew him as the heart of our family.
“Mike will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever.”
No cause of death was announced.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
