The Daily Slop – 11 October 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
Last Man Standig (paywall)
Commanders’ injury puzzle: Special teams concerns, safety shortage, Terry McLaurin’s status
[E]ven elite quarterbacks need ample help. They also don’t play on defense and special teams. This week’s lineup in those two phases is quite the conundrum.
For more from Ben Standig, click here
The Athletic (paywall)
Commanders can prove Dan Quinn right at 1pm vs Giants
With 13 losses in their
last 16 games, the Commanders’ mantras shouldn’t be printed on T-shirts. They should be scribbled on scraps of paper, crumpled up and tossed in the trash can.
When you’re rolling toward the postseason, being connected by shared values and channeling a good fire toward a common goal—all those sayings, and many more that have come and gone—can seem foundational. It’s also true that the connection Quinn feels with his players and staff, and fosters among them, is real.
[I]t’s fair to acknowledge that the New York Giants — this week’s opponent — are 3-1 because they have faced Dallas, Tennessee and Arizona at home. The Commanders have faced Dallas and Philadelphia on the road, and Indianapolis in London with a third-string quarterback, and lost to all three. Washington faces the Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals later in the year. Flip the schedule, and despite all the injuries, Washington’s early-season narrative might be different.
It’s easy to understand the eye rolls and pulled-out hair when Quinn says his belief isn’t wavering, because the results stink. The slogans feel like hollow catchphrases, desperate grabs at a winning process. The players and staff, though, have bought in and appreciate what they see as an honest assessment of their flaws.
The process is Quinn’s. He has sold it to his Commanders. What matters now is not whether it fits on a T-shirt or can be painted on a wall in Ashburn. What matters is whether the Commanders beat the Giants and take a step toward salvaging their season.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Sports Illustrated
Washington Gets Roster Help, but One Move Stands Out
The Commanders announced several roster moves Saturday, beginning with the activation of defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. from the Reserve/PUP list. Wise was also removed from the injury report, giving Washington another defensive lineman to work with against New York. Linebacker Austin Keys was signed to the active roster, while safety Darren Hall and receiver Van Jefferson were elevated from the practice squad.
Jefferson’s elevation is particularly interesting with Stefon Diggs already ruled out and Terry McLaurin questionable with a hamstring injury. Washington also downgraded cornerback Trey Amos and running back Jeremy McNichols to OUT, ending any possibility of either making his return Sunday.
Washington Has an Opportunity on Third Down
Here’s something worth watching Sunday. Washington’s offense ranks 30th in the NFL on third down, converting just 31.6% of its opportunities, while the Giants’ defense also ranks 30th, allowing opponents to convert 48.9%.
That’s an opportunity the Commanders have to take advantage of, especially with Jayden Daniels returning. His ability to extend plays gives Washington another option, although missing Diggs and potentially McLaurin certainly doesn’t make the job any easier.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Riggo’s Rag
Commanders are making Jayden Daniels the savior again, and the risk is high
It’s the same story the Commanders faced last year when they repeatedly rushed Daniels back to the field in difficult situations to try to save their season.
This time, the outcome needs to be different.
It’s a miracle Daniels missed only two weeks with an injury that initially had everyone questioning whether it was season-ending. And after Marcus Mariota got hurt against the Indianapolis Colts, the Commanders didn’t have much of a choice.
But is this a good thing?
Even though the injury is to Daniels’ non-throwing arm, we saw what happened last year when he willed himself back from this same injury. He aggravated it against the Minnesota Vikings and missed the rest of the season.
Last year, Daniels played recklessly and exposed himself to far too many big hits. That’s partially on him and partially on his lack of protection, and Washington’s offensive line is no better now.
Daniels will have the world on his shoulders.
With sub-optimal protection and a depleted receiving corps, making the offense click will all be up to him and coordinator David Blough. More than that, this is a game the Commanders can’t afford to lose in the grand scheme of their season.
The Giants are 3-1 but haven’t beaten any good teams, and Washington is favored in the matchup. The Commanders won’t be next week, when they hit the road to face the undefeated San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. If head coach Dan Quinn’s squad loses this one, they’re probably 1-5 at the bye.
Daniels is in an impossible situation.
He needs to do all he can to put his team on his back, but he also can’t overwork himself to the point of burnout. Washington has struggled to find that balance with him, and it has done little to make his life more manageable.
But all Daniels can do is complete the task at hand. Secure the victory, and don’t get hurt again.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
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Sports Illustrated
10 Commanders Quotes That Define Washington Entering Week 5 vs. Giants
Question: “For you guys, the second-half defense has not been there. The numbers are what they are. Why have there been struggles there in the second half?”
“We’ve addressed that with our guys this week and just talking about our ability to sustain, which comes with, we say physical conditioning precedes all else. With that being said, you may be asked going into a game and say, ‘I’m only scheduled to play 25 snaps,’ and end up playing 40. We can’t let that be a determining factor. We can’t let things out of our control be a determining factor. So our ability to respond, our ability to sustain not only success but adversity as well, is building the mental toughness for that. That’s been the focus this week, just tapping into the mental toughness however it may shape and not letting anything outside of what we can control affect our play. And then also focus. I think a focus, play in, play out. We talk about, you don’t have to be great and locked in for 70 plays. Just have to be locked in and great, or damn good, for one play 70 times, and that way you can take one play at a time.”
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Riggo’s Rag
Commanders can use Jacory Croskey-Merritt off the edges successfully in Week 5
Commanders’ offensive coordinator David Blough can still use Croskey-Merritt to attack the Giants’ surprising soft spot in the run defense.
The Giants are strong against inside runs because of their size at the heart of the front seven. It starts with 335-pound veteran nose tackle D.J. Reader, who’s tasked with keeping blockers off inside linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and rookie Arvell Reese.
Each member of this duo stands 6-foot-4 and weighs more than 240 pounds. Reese and Edmunds are the heavy hitters inside, so the Commanders will need to run to the edges.
The same approach worked early for the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4. Head coach John Harbaugh admitted the Giants had to make a schematic shift:
“We were playing a little more for inside runs, probably, and we changed it up and we got a little more secure on the edge runs, the D-gap runs, the outside runs. That was a good changeup by (Defensive Coordinator) Dennard (Wilson).
“I thought the coaches did a great job with that, (Outside Linebackers coach) Charlie (Bullen) and those guys, (Defensive Line Coach) Dennis (Johnson). But mainly, our DB’s got up in there a little tighter on some of those crack splits. They got up in there and played those blocks a little bit better. So, probably all those things contributed to it, I would say.”
Making the adjustment is to the Giants’ credit, but the Commanders have the personnel to beat up on defensive backs trying to collapse the edges against outside runs. Specifically, blocking tight ends John Bates and Ben Sinnott, along with big-bodied wide receiver Treylon Burks.
The latter is in line for more catches given the injuries at the top of the wideout depth chart, but Burks’ greater value should be as a blocker in this game. Putting the wideout into stacked alignments and using his 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame on crack-back blocks will be a good way for the Commanders to collapse the edges.
Combining Burks’ movement with wrap-around blocks by Sinnott and Bates will flatten Giants’ defensive backs in space. Giving Croskey-Merritt free lanes on outside-zone runs can keep the Commanders ahead of the sticks and produce big plays in the running game.
Against the Cardinals, the Giants pressured Jacoby Brissett on 38.5 percent of his throws, per Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News, citing Next Gen Stats.
Reese and roving outside linebacker Abdul Carter did most of the blitzing. He’s generating pressures in bunches, so the Commanders need to reduce Carter’s pass-rush snaps.
The best way to do that is to let Croskey-Merritt tote the rock 20-25 times. And hopefully, his production will surge along the way.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders Roundtable
Bill Croskey-Merritt is being miscast as a workhorse back
Croskey-Merritt is a good story, coming out of nowhere to have a solid rookie season. Still, the organization may have projected him a little too high after his rookie season and didn’t evaluate the running back room properly. He can still be productive in this offense, but he needs to find the right fit and shouldn’t be relied on to carry the running back room.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders.com
Is Bill Croskey-Merritt destined for a reduced role with Ekeler signed and McNichols on the way back?
To me, this feels like the Commanders doubling down on their desire for a committee approach to the backfield. They don’t want to be limited by any player’s limitations, nor do they want defenses to key on what plays they can or cannot run based on who is lined up at running back. So, perhaps the best approach to that is having four players who can do a little of everything as opposed to four players with different traits.
As for the workload, I think it’ll change from week to week based on the hot hand. They don’t have any serious financial or draft investments in the position, so they shouldn’t feel obligated to get one player the ball over the others. I could see all four of these players having good performances in any game, which I’m sure is exactly how the Commanders want it.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders Roundtable
Four NYG players to watch on Sunday
WR Malik Nabers
Nabers had his best game of the season against Arizona as he caught six passes for 112 yards and a touchdown. Nabers is starting to look like the same player who had 109 catches for 1,204 yards as a rookie, and that is not a good thing for a Washington secondary that has struggled early in 2026. Washington will not have cornerback Trey Amos available on Sunday despite returning to practice this week, while fellow corner Mike Sainristil has given up a few big plays through the first four games, and there will be concern if he’s one-on-one against Nabers. Washington has to be careful with how they want to cover Nabers and stay in communication, or he will make them pay.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders.com
Mailbag: What’s going on at the linebacker position?
Why is Luvu playing 100% of snaps when he’s consistently graded low in coverage?
The simple answer here is that Frankie Luvu is so much more valuable at everything else he does on the field.
You are correct about Luvu’s grades in coverage. Pro Football Focus has that area of his skill set graded lower than others, and while PFF’s grades do require context and some grains of salt, it’s not incorrect to suggest that coverage is one of Luvu’s weaker traits.
However, the scales are evened out by Luvu’s ability as a blitzer, which brings a lot of value to the defense. Luvu is athletic and relentless when bringing pressure, and while it doesn’t always result in a sack for him, it does help the defense through disrupting the quarterback or creating more opportunities for other players to get sacks. That, and he can move sideline to sideline, which is an important factor in the run game.
Luvu is also an incredibly smart player, which is why the Commanders trust him, along with Sonny Styles, to wear the green dot. I’m much more comfortable when Luvu is on the field, because while he might not be the best cover linebacker, he can help direct players who are better in coverage so they can get in a better position to make a play.
One more thought on this: I think the Commanders’ current linebacker situation does affect how many snaps Luvu is on the field. Leo Chenal is out for the year, and Jordan Magee is on Injured Reserve. He kind of needs to be out there because the position is not as deep as we thought it would be because of the injuries.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
ESPN
NFL Week 5 betting guide: Analysis, best bets, TD predictions for Sunday
Washington Commanders -3.5 vs. New York Giants
Take Washington; give the points
The 1-3 Commanders welcome Jayden Daniels back to the starting lineup with the 3-1 New York Giants — who still have Jameis Winston starting at quarterback — coming to town. The Giants’ 2-0 run with Winston has been extremely unimpressive. They beat the Titans 12-7 on a rainy and windy day in MetLife Staduim thanks to a game-sealing end zone pick from Jevon Holland. They beat the Cardinals 36-24 thanks to a 98-yard pick-six by Deonte Banks on fourth-and-goal. With a little bit better red zone execution from two of the league’s worst starting quarterbacks, the Giants are 1-3.
As it is, the Giants are 27th in EPA per drive and in success rate during Winston’s two starts, and they draw a plucky Commanders defense that can bring out the worst of Winston by blitzing heavily (second only to the Vikings in blitz rate) and forcing turnovers. Star receiver Malik Nabers sat out Wednesday’s practice because of a sore knee, and if he is at all limited, the Giants’ lack of pass-catching depth makes it challenging to move the ball with any consistency.
Washington is enduring a slew of its own injuries. Receivers Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs were both absent from Wednesday’s practice, and their top two running backs (Rachaad White and Jacory Croskey-Merritt), two tight ends (Chig Okonkwo and Ben Sinnott), and both starting linebackers (Sonny Styles and Frankie Luvu) were all limited. Assuming most of the rep management midweek is preventative, the Commanders have more than enough talent to get a decisive home win against an inflated divisional opponent.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Podcasts & videos
HC Dan Quinn Previews Giants Vs. Commanders | Washington Commanders | The Gameplan | NFL
NFC East links
THE EAGLES PLAY AT 9:30 AM THIS MORNING IN A LONDON GAME
Bleeding Green Nation
Eagles thoughts: London Dungeon
The absolute last thing a team on a losing streak needs is a trip to London.
Teams that play in London on a winning streak, like the Jaguars are currently on, are 8-4, and one of those losses was [another team on a hot streak losing] to the Jaguars, who of course play in London every year.
Teams that play in London on a losing streak, like the Eagles are currently on, are 7-20. It’s even worse than that seems.
Three of those wins were against teams also on a losing streak, so someone had to get a win (there was a tie in 2016).
The other four wins were by the Jaguars, who, again, play in London every year.
This might be the worst Eagles offense of your lifetime
The Eagles offense is their worst at the following stats since…
- Points per game (18.8) since 2012 (17.5)
- Yards per game (269.75) since 1999 (239.38)
- Yards per play (4.69) since 1999 (4.04)
- Yards per attempt (5.6) since 2000 (5.4).
- Adjusted Net Yards per attempt (4.7) since 2000 (4.6)
- Completion percentage (59.1) and sack rate (9.45) since 2020 (55.9 and 9.80), excluding that…
- Completion percentage since 2005 (54.4)
- Sack rate since 1998 (9.49)
- Yards per completion (9.5) since 2016 (9.4)
- Yards per rushing attempt (4.2) is the same as last year, worst since 2018 (3.9)
- Yards before contact per rush (2.5) since 2019 (2.3)
- Bad throw percentage (23.6) worst (only tracked since 2019)
- On target percentage (67.0) worst (only tracked since 2019)
How low can the Eagles go? The 1998 Eagles scored 10.1 points per game. The Eagles won’t sink that far, as they would need to average less than 7.4 points per game the rest of the way. They can’t be that bad, right? Right?
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Blogging the Boys
Brian Schottenheimer is getting the least wins out of Dak Prescott
Brian Schottenheimer is the third head coach that Prescott has had in his now 11-year career, and he is far and away the one getting the least wins out of him.
This is striking when you really think about it. Whatever your thoughts are/were on Jason Garrett and/or Mike McCarthy, the 2026 version of Prescott is more advanced than any that either had to work with. Schottenheimer has at the very least one of the best versions of Dak and he is somehow, some way, converting that into fewer wins than either of his predecessors.
Schottenheimer is an offensive guy and the offensive play-caller, but his responsibilities don’t end on the offensive side of the ball. Matt Eberflus was essentially chosen for him to be his first defensive coordinator, but he hand-picked Christian Parker and that hasn’t looked better so far.
Football is a game of balance so the defenses matter here, but it remains true that Schottenheimer is so far proving to be the least able to convert Prescott-led teams into wins at the same rate as either of the other coaches who Prescott played for. This is a serious problem.
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
The mail’s here! Questions, answers about the first-place Giants
Would it be better to have both Skat and Tracy (or Harris) in the backfield so the defense does not know who might get the ball and what direction they will go?
the days of two running backs in a T formation where you weren’t always sure which one was getting the ball are long gone. Teams play with a runner and a lead blocker. Only on rare occasions does any team use a two-back set with two true running backs.
As for your Patrick Ricard question, I think the struggles with the running game are not Ricard-related. They are more about the absence of Jaxson Dart.
Dart ran 11 times for 54 yards (4.9 yards per carry) in the season opener. His 22-yard run in that game is the longest the Giants have this season. No running back has a carry of longer than 13 yards.
The Giants’ offense was built with Dart’s ability to run being a major part of the playbook, and a major way they would try to create explosive plays. Cam Skattebo and Najee Harris are power runners who are rarely going to make guys miss at the second level and have those long runs.
Tyrone Tracy is the closest thing they have to a big-play back. They might have to give him more opportunities. More options and efficiency in the run game is also part of why we are probably going to see some of J.J. McCarthy at times. He is not the dangerous runner that Dart is, but he does give the Giants the opportunity to use pieces of the playbook that Jameis Winston does not.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL league links
Articles
ESPN
Rams: Myles Garrett making ‘good progress,’ but no return timeline
Note: Washington hosts the Rams in 4 weeks
Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett is “making good progress” in his recovery from knee surgery, coach Sean McVay said, but the team is unlikely to open his 21-day practice window next week.
Garrett, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, had arthroscopic surgery on his knee in mid-September and was placed on injured reserve. Garrett played in the Rams’ season opener but said after the game that he was not 100% healthy.
McVay has been hesitant to put a timeline on Garrett’s return from injured reserve but said Saturday that the focus now is making sure Garrett can get back to “return to performance” rather than just “return to play.”
The Rams traded for Garrett this offseason, sending two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Jared Verse and three draft picks, including a first-round selection in 2027, to the Cleveland Browns. The pass rusher set the single-season sack record with 23 last season for the Browns.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL.com
Cardinals finalizing trade of WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
NOTE: Cardinals are currently 1-3; Washington plays them in Week 12
Harrison will be inactive for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions as the trade is finalized, Rapoport and Schefter added. The Cardinals reportedly were seeking a second-round draft pick and more for Harrison.
The team acquiring Harrison has yet to be identified, but Rapoport and Schefter reported that the Houston Texans are a team that has had trade talks regarding the third-year receiver.
The Indianapolis Colts had been speculated as a potential landing spot for Harrison if he were to be dealt — Harrison’s father, Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, starred for the Colts from 1996 to 2008 — but ESPN reported that Indy is not involved in trade talks.
From Pro Football Talk:
Many believe the Texans are the team that will be trading for Harrison, a move that would reunite him with former Ohio State teammate C.J. Stroud. But what if the Texans lose to the Titans? Could Houston decide at that point to not devote future assets to a season that could be a lost cause?
Likewise, if Stroud is injured on Sunday, the whole “Buckeye reunion” vibe would be significantly diminished.
Then there’s the possibility that a contender will lose a starting receiver due to injury during Sunday’s games. Suddenly, a team that wasn’t in the mix for Harrison could revisit its position, quickly.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Discussion topics
The Athletic (paywall)
The NFL can’t survive 17 games. Why is it trying to sell 18?
The NFL isn’t ready for an 18th game. The first month of the season is ample evidence the league is struggling just to survive 17.
Some of the game’s biggest stars hobbled off last week, including Lamar Jackson and Ja’Marr Chase. Then came Saquon Barkley, Tee Higgins, Rashee Rice, Pat Surtain II, Edgerrin Cooper and Tyquan Thornton. The Los Angeles Chargers lost four starters in one game. Sidelines across America became more crowded with men in street clothes.
The Washington Commanders already knew life without Jayden Daniels. Then Marcus Mariota went down in London, too. By the end, the franchise’s hopes rested on Athan Kaliakmanis, a seventh-round rookie who only a few months earlier was waiting by a phone wondering if anyone wanted him at all.
Thankfully, Daniels’ dislocated non-throwing elbow appears to have healed enough for him to return (with a brace) Sunday against the New York Giants.
I wrote last month about the challenges ahead for Roger Goodell during his next four years as emperor and wondered whether bigger always means better. The first month of this season may have already revealed that answer.
Your browser does not support the video tag.The 2026 Los Angeles Chargers are a ‘full-blown disaster’
Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen
At the league office, the language is inventory. Another game in another broadcast window in another country. There are nine international games this season, more than ever before, with the shield planted in stadiums an ocean away from the towns where the sport was born.
And always, just over the horizon, there’s that elusive 18th game, which the league talks about the way a man talks about a vacation home he’s sure to own someday.
But on the couches and in the club seats, the dialect is different. Bare-chested, face-painted fans don’t fall in love with inventory. Fans swoon over Lamar spinning out of a sack or Chase running past a corner and making a pirouette catch in the corner of the end zone. Or Barkley hurdling a man backwards and the idea of what Daniels and Caleb Williams might become. Consumers buy the names. The rest is just packaging.
Those names are getting scratched and dented at an alarming rate.
A staggering 40 quarterbacks had taken at least 10 dropbacks, the most through three weeks since 2010.
All of those quarterback injuries come while roughing-the-passer calls are at their highest rate in five years. Officials have thrown 28 flags for roughing this season, an average of 0.44 per game, up from 0.34 last year. The last time calls were this frequent, in 2021, the league determined officials had gone too far penalizing incidental contact.
So it’s not as if officials aren’t doing their part in protecting quarterbacks, but recent studies by both the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research and Sports Info Solutions determined quarterbacks are more often injured trying to throw the football than when they’re on the run.
The league is searching for another Sunday to sell. After a weekend like the last one, it might be worth sitting still for a moment and figuring out how to protect the Sundays it already owns.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
