Before the advent of media devices, football coaches at all levels used simple whiteboards to outline plays, map out player positions and explain schemes in real time. Nowadays digital playbooks and tablets have taken over, but coaches still use whiteboards on occasion to impart information quickly and effectively. The following are some quick notes and observations from the Washington Commanders
‘ 27-27 tie in Landover.The defense crumbled in the second half again
After effectively limiting Jameis Winston to 7-of-16 for 72 passing yards and
0 TDs in the first half, Daronte Jones’ defense came apart in the second half once again, as Winston went 13-for-17 for 141 passing yards and 2 TDs in the fourth quarter. At one point, Daronte Jones had Daron Payne dropping into coverage. Fans will also note how far off the line of scrimmage the secondary was on the play, and Isiah Likely is given ten free yards in the red zone. The team’s annual struggles to cover tight ends continue, as Isaiah Likely hauled in 11 receptions for 94 yards and two TDs.
The team did continue to blitz at times in the second half, but the pressure didn’t get home and Jameis burned the secondary in Cover 0. Ultimately, the Washington Commanders fell just short of allowing their fourth game of 30 or more points in as many weeks. It took multiple missed field goals and some turnovers from the Giants offense to prevent it.
The Washington Commanders’ defense once again won the turnover battle, but their inability to stop offenses from scoring in the second half makes this defense one of the worst in the league. The team ranks dead last in second half scoring and red zone defense. The poor defensive performance was underscored by the fact the Giants were starting backup quarterback Jameis Winston behind center.
David Blough lacked situational awareness
After having some success early, offensive coordinator David Blough failed to adjust as defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson brought increased pressure, coming after Jayden Daniels with blitzes on 62% of his drop backs, the same thing the defensive coordinator did the week before in Arizona. The rookie coordinator continued to call long-developing plays downfield in the face of the rush instead of providing quick options for Daniels to use as outlets.
Blough also went away from Bill Merritt, who was successful for much of the game, but finished the day with only 11 rushing attempts on 22 snaps. Paired with Brandon Coleman’s struggles, the offense sputtered as Blough went with a predictable formula throughout the second half and failed to produce any points in the most critical part of the game.
Of course, Blough’s awareness could not have been worse than in the final seconds of overtime. The clock showed 55 seconds at the end of the previous play, but the offense showed no urgency to get up to the line before or after the final play. A play that frankly should never have been called.
There are still playmakers on the team
While the signing was panned by many at the time, Amik Robertson has turned out to be the best free agent addition of the off season thus far. The cornerback continues to get called with questionable penalties, but has been sticky in coverage and shown well as a tackler, which is a key component of Daronte Jones’ scheme.
Sam Cosmi also returned to the lineup and immediately made his presence felt as Bill exploded up the interior early for his 33-yard touchdown run. Cosmi also helped clear out one side of the defensive line on Jayden Daniels’ long touchdown run.
Terry McLaurin was roasted by many fans after turning in limited practices all week but gutted it out in this one and led the team in receiving despite playing about half of the total offensive snaps. The veteran wide receiver made plays when they were needed, including a 2-point conversion and 22-yard catch-and-run in overtime.
Sonny Styles was all over the field on Sunday, finishing the day with 13 total tackles, 4 solo, a tackle for a loss. The rookie also teamed up with Daron Payne for a critical forced fumble in overtime.
There is no bigger playmaker on the team than their franchise quarterback, and Jayden Daniels was electric running the ball and making pays off script in his return. He did make a critical error on the final play, but was put in a bad position when Chris Paul stepped on his foot yet again. In 13 personnel with his only receiving option to the sideline covered, Daniels was left with only two wide receivers in the middle of the field that weren’t options. Yes, Jayden made a huge mistake by not throwing the. ball out of bounds, but there are bigger issues higher up the chain that need to be addressed.
The team’s coaching staff needs a hard reboot
While Dan Quinn was applauded for making the bold move to hire two rookie coordinators in the offseason, so far the gamble hasn’t paid off and the team is 1-3-1 five weeks into the season. Jones has improved the takeaways, but is failing where it counts when if comes to the box score. While some of it might be personnel related, as Trey Amos and Nick Cross have both been out, as a long-time secondary coach, Jones signed off on a good portion of the players.
David Blough looked to be progressing in a linear fashion, but yesterday’s game shows there is still a lot for him to learn. Dan Quinn hasn’t seemed to give him the necessary oversight and assistance, and it is past time for Anthony Lynn to be more involved. There was the two-point conversion in Philadelphia, going for it on 4th down in London, and now Sunday’s debacle, but Quinn’s questionable decisions go back much farther. Leaving Jayden Daniels in during a blowout loss to Seattle last season stands out amongst others.
The hiring of Joe Whitt Jr. as his defensive coordinator was also heavily scrutinized and for a coach who’s philosophy is rooted in the defensive side of the ball, Dan Quinn’s teams haven’t shown it. The Washington Commanders only have three wins over the last seventeen games under his leadership and while his players have proven incredibly loyal up until this point, their reactions post game indicate the team may have finally reached a tipping point. While the ownership and Adam Peters may not decide to do it right away, the franchise needs a hard reboot of the coaching staff starting with a head coach that can’t seem to find any answers for the team’s multitude of problems.
