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Kliff Kingsbury could be a long shot for the Giants’ head coaching job
Kingsbury will be a hot name this offseason despite having a down year for the Commanders,
but will he actually leave? He’s already been linked to the Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders job as a fit, but what about going to a division rival? ESPN’s Jordan Raanan said the Giants will cast a wide net in their head coaching search, but Kingsbury might be on the outside looking in.
“Commanders’ offensive coordinator Kingsbury, who also has experience as an NFL head coach with the Cardinals, is considered a bright offensive mind. The question is if he’s the right fit for the New York market.” – Jordan Raanan, ESPN
It would be a surprise if Kingsbury doesn’t even get an interview with the Giants, given his track record with young quarterbacks, and what he could do with Jaxson Dart. It sounds like they could be interested in Kingsbury, but he’s likely more of a tier two or tier three candidate for the Giants.
Riggo’s Rag
Commanders believe Brandon Coleman has responded positively to adversity
The former TCU standout is getting a look down the stretch with Tunsil out. Coleman looks more accomplished and urgent in everything he does. He is not the finished article by any stretch of the imagination, but his upturn in consistency indicates that all hope is not lost just yet.
This hasn’t gone unnoticed by Quinn. The coach thinks Coleman has learned a great deal in his second campaign. The athletic upside has always been there, but the lineman has developed a new sense of resilience that is standing him in exceptional stead.
“I think…he has learned a lot here in year two. This is a resilient guy that can do a lot of things based on his athleticism, him learning and going through the hard moments.”Dan Quinn via Commanders.com
Coleman will start at left tackle again in Week 18 against the Philadelphia Eagles if he gets the all-clear to participate. He’s listed as questionable with a knee problem, but he practiced in full on Friday. That’s a positive sign, which gives him a fighting chance of finishing his campaign on a high note.
Heavy.com
River Cracraft : Elevated for Sunday
The Commanders elevated Cracraft from the practice squad to the active roster Saturday ahead of Sunday’s game against the Eagles. Cracraft has been elevated for consecutive weeks, finishing Christmas Day’s loss against the Cowboys with just one snap on the special-teams unit. With Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel, Treylon Burks and Chris Moore all healthy and active, Cracraft is likely in line to see the same minimal special-teams snap share in Sunday’s game.
Hogs Haven
Washington Commanders vs Philadelphia Eagles Week 18: Five Questions with Bleeding Green Nation
1) What were your big takeaways from the Week 16 matchup between the Commanders and Eagles?
I do think it’s silly how the Commanders took such offense to the Eagles going for two late in the game. Why wait until then to show that kind of fight? Also, laughable to hear Dan Quinn talk tough about how Washington was going to see the Eagles again in two weeks. When it seemed like the Eagles will be resting their starters, which we now know is exactly the case. For Quinn to be afraid of going for it on fourth down (punted on 4th-and-4 from the minus 40-yard line down 11 with 9 minutes to go … and punted on 4th-and-6 from the minus 44-yard line down 11 with just 6:44 to go) and then act all tough in the postgame presser? That’s unserious behavior to me.
2) How far do you think the Eagles will get in the post-season and what do you think will be their biggest secret to success or stumbling block?
I think the Eagles can win the Super Bowl. Vic Fangio’s defense is awesome. Jalen Hurts has played well in the biggest games of his career. There is no juggernaut the Eagles simply can’t beat.
Bleeding Green Nation
Eagles-Commanders Game Preview: 5 questions and answers with the Week 18 enemy
Do you expect the Commanders will try especially hard this week or are they going to pack it in and rest key players with an eye to the 2026 season? How do fans want the team to approach this game?
I don’t know that the Commanders will try especially hard to win, but they will certainly try as hard to win as they did in the last matchup (where the playoffs were already out of reach). Reports are that Dan Quinn still has the locker room, the players are still bought in, and the coaches and players still want to win games. So I’m sure they’ll try their hardest to win, just like last time, but the deck will be stacked against them due to all their injuries.
The decision to rest or play starters is not just about protecting players or gaining draft position, it’s also about putting together some good tape so the front office can actually evaluate the talent on the team. So many players have been injured or are returning from injury, so many players have been moved to different positions or roles (particularly on defense) due to injuries and due to Dan Quinn taking over the defense a few weeks ago, that it’s probably more important for the front office to get additional tape on these players playing their best in order to evaluate them than it is to get a slightly higher draft spot. What good does a better draft pick do if you can’t even evaluate your biggest team needs effectively? For this reason, as well as for pride and division rivalry, I think most fans will be rooting for the starters to play and the team to play well. In my opinion, the only reason to tank is if you need a top 2 pick for a QB, quality players at other positions can be found later in the draft.
Podcasts & videos
HC Dan Quinn Previews Commanders vs. Eagles Season Finale | Washington Commanders | The Gameplan
Rueben Bain Jr. Might Be the Best Player in the NFL Draft | Miami vs Ohio State Film Study
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NFL playoffs: Seahawks get No. 1 seed; Buccaneers win but have to wait
Tampa Bay’s 16-14 win over the Panthers keeps it alive, but now the Bucs need the Saints to beat the Falcons to make the postseason.
the showdown game for first place in the NFC South did not yield a division winner, at least not yet.
So it went on the opening day of the final weekend of the NFL’s regular season. The Seahawks beat the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, California, to secure the NFC West title and the conference’s No. 1 playoff seed. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers but will have to wait until Sunday to see whether that will be enough for them to win the NFC South.
The playoff field is taking shape and will be fully formed when Sunday’s play is done.
The Buccaneers helped their postseason cause. But they didn’t punch their playoff ticket, at least not yet.
The opening game of the final weekend of the NFL’s regular season did not determine as much as it could have. The Buccaneers beat the Panthers, 16-14, in the rain Saturday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. But they will have to wait until Sunday to find out whether they will secure their fifth straight NFC South title and the NFC’s No. 4 playoff seed.
They need the Atlanta Falcons to lose Sunday to the New Orleans Saints. If the Falcons beat the Saints, that would create a three-way tie for the division lead with matching 8-9 records. The Panthers would win the division in that case, based on tiebreakers.
“We did everything we could today,” Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield told ESPN afterward. “Sit back and see what happens tomorrow.”
