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
‘ tough 17-23 loss on Monday Night Football.Jayden Daniels failed to connect with his receiving options early in the game
Stefon Diggs dropped pass for a first down to end Washington’s
opening drive. The team would opt for a Drew Stevens’ field goal instead. Diggs also had two drops early in the Philadelphia game back in Week 1, and all have contributed to stalling out a Commanders offense that has struggled to get going early in games. On the season, Diggs has 4 drops total, with 24 receptions on 38 targets for a 63% catch rate. While he has been a valuable addition to the wide receiver corps, these types of mental lapses have hurt the offense. Over the entirety of last year, Stefon had three drops and a catch rate of 83.3% during the regular season as a New England Patriot. Terry McLaurin is second on the team with three drops despite only playing 61% of the total offensive snaps this season.
Prior to the dropped pass, Daniels’ missed tight end Chig Okonkwo running open in the middle of the field on second down. It was trend that would continue for most of the first half, as Jayden missed an easy completion to Rachaad White on a swing pass and Antonio Williams running free on several plays including one that could have been an easy touchdown.
Daniels would eventually catch fire in the second half. He stood in the face of pressure and delivering to receiving options down the field, but it turned out to be too little too late, which would be a common theme for this game. For the most part, No. 5 had done everything in his power, including playing through injuries, to keep this team competitive. Fans are starting to see the signs that the missed playing time over the last two years has hurt his development at the position, including processing and situational awareness. Jayden needs more game reps to improve his consistency but also needs more help from both the players and coaches.
The coaching staff continues to struggle
Dan Quinn’s own situational awareness and clock management in this one have been well discussed,so we won’t touch on it more here, but he wasn’t the only coach to not leave last week’s issues behind them.
Part of the offense’s struggles come from a scheme that seems to be awkward and unfamiliar to the players running it. David Blough’s plays take a long time to develop before the snap, with significant time in the huddle and players running lackadaisical motion concepts that seem to provide Jayden Daniels with no insight into the coverage and little time to make changes if he does. The net result is a sense of urgency right before the snap. Several times the play clock almost elapsed before the Commanders were able to get the snap off, resulting in several illegal shifts, false starts and miscommunications. The Commanders hadseven penalties — six by the offense, with five charged to the offensive line. The inconsistent nature of their offensive-line play can’t continue to be accounted for by an ever-shifting lineup, and new offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton deserves some criticism. Six weeks into the season, the time for grace due to a learning curve is over.
When the Commanders do get the snap off properly and the protection holds, the calls don’t always seem to provide Daniels many options. Often times wide receivers are right next to each other or not getting to the necessary levels on their routes. One particularly bad example happened on the intentional grounding play in the final seconds of the game.
The rushing attack continues to target the interior of the offensive line instead of working to the outside. Washington Commanders running backs contributed a mere 43 yards on the ground and Washington’s running backs rank 27th in rushing success rate
Some might point to Daronte Jones’ defense holding the Niners offense to 23 points as a sign of improvement, but Kyle Shanahan and Brock Purdy did pretty much whatever they wanted in the first half. The Commanders run defense was exposed, as Christian McCaffrey accounted for 64 yards and two touchdowns while rookie Kaelon Black looked solid in relief as well. Jones’ squad did turn things around in the second half, as the departure of Mike Evans limited the Niners’ passing attack. But, once again, it was too little too late. Any defensive coordinator that takes Sonny Styles off the field in favor of Kain Medrano deserves to take some heat.
Fans can look on the bright side with Sonny Styles
Washington’s No. 7 overall draft pick looked the part again under the bright lights of Monday Night Football, as Sonny Styles continues to make a case for defensive rookie of the year. Styles had 13 total tackles on the night (seven solo) and provided several key stops in the game, including breaking up a pass to Evans. There were plenty of questions about Sonny’s disposition and physicality before the season, but the young linebacker may already be the best player on the defense and has shown the kind of mentality that could make him the captain of this team’s defense for years to come.
Have fans seen the last of Terry Mclaurin in a Washington uniform?
After gutting it out and contributing last week despite a hamstring injury, Terry McLaurin contributed early on Monday night with a 27-yard reception before being carted off the field with a knee injury shortly thereafter. After the game, Dan Quinn said there was concernthe injury was significant and McLaurin was confirmed to have suffered a season-ending injury this afternoon.
Terry has been a consummate professional and the heart and soul of Washington’s team, sticking with the franchise through all the highs and the lows of the last eight years. After negotiating an extension last offseason, McLaurin carries a $34 million cap hit in 2027,and it is fair to wonder if the team will move on. That could possibly make Monday night the last time fans will see McLaurin in a Washington uniform. If that turns out to be the case, it will come with an emotional farewell for a player that many fans consider their favorite.
