Category: Coaching Hires

Jayden Daniels spectacular in Commanders’ win vs. Bengals

What a night for Jayden Daniels.

Jayden Daniels was spectacular Monday night!

Daniels completed 21 of his 23 passing attempts for 254 yards and two passing touchdowns. He also collected 39 rushing yards on 12 carries and one rushing touchdown.

In completing 91 percent of his passing attempts, Daniels did something no other rookie quarterback had accomplished in NFL history (with a minimum of 20 attempts).

Dan Quinn was excited and happy in the postgame press conference. He praised Daniels, of course, calling him “a really cool customer.” He talked of how his ability to use his legs and keep his poise led to his strong performance. Quinn even slipped in that Daniels slid once after converting a key first down.

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Praising Kliff Kingsbury, saying all week Kingsbury prepared the offense with what they would have to do in critical moments. Quinn said Kingsbury called a great game.

Daniels threw his first NFL touchdown pass on Monday. Surprisingly, it was a tackle-eligible pass to Trent Scott from one yard out. Scott was ecstatic and exuberant in the end zone when he knew he had scored.

When the Bengals had closed to 31-26, Daniels, with the crowd noise growing against him, converted a 3rd & 2 with a 4-yard pass to Terry McLaurin.

Then on a 4th & 4 Daniels found Zach Ertz for 9 yards to the Bengals 30.

Not finished, he converted the 3rd & 7 from the 27, not with another first down, but with a 27-yard touchdown to McLaurin to put the Commanders up two scores at 38-26 with 2:10 remaining.

Daniels is still a rookie, there will be times he misses open receivers, but tonight, he got his first road NFL win, and also his first MNF win.

Hey, the Commanders are 2-1, tied with the Eagles in first place!

Kingsbury discusses Terry McLaurin, Commanders’ passing game

The offensive coordinator understands the passing game must improve and it starts with him.

“Defensive coordinators are smart; they’re going to try to take him away, there’s no doubt.”

That was how Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury responded during his press conference when asked about Terry McLaurin’s lack of production thus far in 2024.

Thirty-nine receiving yards in two games for McLaurin is tough to imagine, even more to swallow. It has come on eight receptions, which means McLaurin is averaging a paltry 4.9 yards a reception. Re-read that: 4.9 yards is not a carry but a reception.

Kingsbury responded, “That’s my job to find ways to answer that. So far, I haven’t done a great job of it. For me and the staff we have to be better moving forward.”

That was Kingsbury in public, taking the blame on himself. In private, you know he has shown Daniels how he has missed McLaurin being open for some big plays as these two shown here.

Who would have thought that through the first two games, and McLaurin has played the majority of the games, his longest reception would be for only 12 yards?

Since coming to Washington in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft, McLaurin has not only led Washington in receiving but has also gained 1,000 receiving yards in each of his last four NFL seasons (2020-23).

Thirty-nine receiving yards for Terry McLaurin? It’s not like the quarterback is injured and unable to throw. Jayden Daniels has completed 40 passes for 410 yards, which averages 20 completions for 205 passing yards a game.

McLaurin really showed himself to be a team leader in his days with the Commanders. But even more, he has arrived on stage at some of the big Washington games and had productive performances.

Interestingly enough, when rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels met with the press on Thursday, Daniels acknowledged McLaurin has been a team leader and that this team needs to get him the ball more often. Yet he surprisingly added the comment that if they didn’t, “we are going to keep playing our game, keep moving forward, and just go from there.”

 

Which four Commanders fit DC Joe Whitt’s playing style?

Which four Commanders have stood out to DC Joe Whitt Jr?

“Last week was still not “the play style” that we are desiring.”

That was how Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr began very early in his Friday time with the press.

Whitt did counter that the Week 2 game against the Giants was better than the opener against the Bucs.

“Give credit to both teams we have played, but a lot of our third-down ills are mistakes that we are making on different levels.” He said some were corrected in the second week, but some were still not, and the Commanders will correct them.

Whitt acknowledges his defense has made some positive plays but is frustrated with the reality that the defense is not getting off the field enough. “We’re causing some negative plays on first and second downs, but we get to third downs and for one reason or another (pause). We’ve had five penalties on defense, all five have come on third down. That’s something that can’t happen.”

Whitt made it clear he is concerned about Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase, comparing him to Davonte Adams and alluding to a game in which Chase beat two double teams against the Cowboys.

It is no secret the cornerbacks have struggled. Whitt confirmed this Friday, saying, “We’re looking for the combination that’s going to give us the best chance…It will be a week-to-week deal throughout the defense of we think is going to give us the best opportunity to win the game we are about to face.”

When asked about Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne’s play, Whitt talked of rushing as a collective unit, staying in one’s rush lane being essential for all the defensive line.

Whitt later returned to “the play style,” pointing out Bobby Wagner, Frankie Luvu, Ben (St-Juste) and Quan (Martin), “Those four men have been playing the play style.”

He also praised safety Percy Butler for making some nice open-field tackles that were difficult.

Dan Quinn relieved the Commanders found a kicker

Quinn talks going from looking for a kicker to giving Austin Seibert a game ball in less than a week.

Dan Quinn has coached two Commanders’ regular-season games and is already on his fifth kicker.

Appearing on the “Rich Eisen Show” Wednesday morning, Eisen asked Quinn, “When you signed your kicker last Tuesday, did you think you would be giving him a game ball five days later?”

“Hell no!” Fired back Quinn, laughing in amazement.

“I wanted to make sure that we were just constantly supporting him. We have a fantastic snapper and holder that work with him in Tyler Ott and Tress Way. They gave him a great chance to come in and do well.”

“We’re really pumped. He came through in the biggest of ways, including a game-winner. So, a remarkable first game as a Commander.”

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“Is that your first game coaching ever with seven field goals?’, asked Eisen.

“Absolutely. It was actually a franchise record with six. But we joked maybe Austin wanted to put a little distance between himself and somebody else, so he nailed seven.”

Oh, the kickers who have been Commanders in such a short time for Dan Quinn. The Commanders opened the regular season with Cade York, whom they had acquired from the Browns for a conditional draft pick. He didn’t meet the conditions, so he was released after the opening week loss to Tampa Bay.

Having played the Jets in the preseason opener, Austin Seibert did a fine job kicking, so when he was released, GM Adam Peters quickly grabbed him before anyone else could, preparing for their Week 2 games.

Riley Patterson wasn’t performing up to expectations, so he was released on August 22. Before York and Patterson, the Commanders had signed and given some preseason experience to Ramiz Ahmed before releasing him on August 13.

Of course, all of this came about because veteran Brandon McManus, the guy Washington expected to be its kicker in 2024, had been signed, participated in workouts, and never informed the Commanders of his impending legal charges. So, they released him on June 2.

Commanders’ Quinn: ‘Sainristil has a real presence about him’

Washington coaches excited about rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil. #RaiseHail

Last week, Washington Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil had a rough introduction to NFL regular season games.

But coach Dan Quinn likes what he sees in Sainristil: his work during the week, preparation, and mindset. Quinn believes in Sainristil and that the former Michigan Wolverine cornerback will bounce back and play well this Sunday against the New York Giants at Northwest Stadium.

“I think what we have grown accustomed to with Mike is the urgency he can play with,” expressed Quinn. The blitzing, the communication, the owning the leverage onto whomever he is guarding.”

Sainristil was in on six tackles last week (5 solo, one assist), but he also found himself beaten badly on a few occasions by Buccaneer receivers. It was undoubtedly a learning experience for a slot corner in his first regular-season NFL game.

Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. brought Sainristil four times on a blitz of Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield in Week 1. Meanwhile, in pass coverage, the Bucs targeted Sainristil six times, completing five against him for 58 passing yards and 11.6 yards given up per completion.

Though Sainristil had a lot to think about in the opener, Quinn believes in him, and they are still planning on giving him many differing tasks on Sunday against Daniel Jones and the New York Giants.

“Each week, it could play a little different, depending on who is in the slot (corner),” added Quinn.  “I’m really looking forward to watching him in this home opener. I really am. He’s just got a great presence about him. In this game they’ll be in a lot of different spots, and where all the heat is, so it will be a good thing.”

With Emmanuel Forbes out for a few weeks (thumb surgery), look for Mike Davis and Noah Igbinoghene to get more snaps on Sunday.

 

What did Kliff Kingsbury think of the Commanders offensive line in Week 1?

What does the OC think about Washington’s left tackles?

Several times in the opener, Jayden Daniels had to exit reading his progressions to taking off and running to avoid a sack.

Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury was asked to comment on Daniels having to take off running several plays.

“It’s a really good front and like I said earlier, a few of those were first read and get out,” answered Kingsbury. As your first game as a rookie, he knows he has a lot of faith in his legs. I would, too, if I could run like that. He made some plays early and got out of there.”

Kingsbury said Jayden didn’t actually have to take off each of those times he did take off running. He explained that it was the rookie’s first NFL game, and he got a little anxious a few times and took off early instead of reading to his second or third progression and attempting to pass the ball down field.

Back to his offensive line:

“I thought they battled against a really good front,” Kingsbury said. “No pre-snap penalties, I don’t know how many holds, I don’t think many. I thought from an execution standpoint (they) played a clean game. Sure, we can all do better, but I thought as a group they played an efficient game.”

As for Brandon Coleman and Cornelius Lucas rotating again at left tackle this week? Kingsbury declared both had earned a right to play in the opener. Yet, eventually, he would like to see what sort of unity could be developed among his top five linemen.

Commanders DC Joe Whitt: ‘I got to do a better job’

Washington defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. breaks down what all went wrong in Week 1, with an emphasis on one thing in particular.

Listening to Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., Thursday, you could hear the frustration of dealing with all that went wrong with the Commanders’ defense Sunday in Tampa.

The primary concern for Whitt on Thursday was how weak the Commanders’ defense was on third downs. On nine of thirteen third downs, the Commanders could not force a Buccaneer fourth down.

“”The inability to get off the field on third downs” is how Whitt succinctly summarized what lost the game. There are three major reasons that happened. “Losing leverage in certain situations. Times we did get to the quarterback, we didn’t get them down, and we had some communication issues.”

Then Whitt turned the forward direction on himself. “It’s my responsibility to make sure they don’t happen…It’s our job as coaches to make sure that the players are not thinking they are playing fast and that we are on the same page.”

Whitt wanted turnovers created by the defense, which is what he preached throughout the preseason. “We didn’t create any turnovers. We had real opportunity at one. We have to make those splash plays when we have them.”

When he took the job, Whitt enthusiastically asserted that the Commanders would be a defense that played with intensity and speed. He mentioned perhaps having as many as 18 people routinely rotating on the defense.

However, on Sunday, Bobby Wagner and Benjamin St-Juste played each defensive snap in that excessive heat and humidity. Mike Sainristil, Quan Martin, and Frankie Luvu were not far behind, playing 95, 92, and 92 percent of all defensive snaps, respectively. Why?

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“Towards the end of the game, I just didn’t feel the speed that we talked about and that’s our responsibility to make sure we do a great job of rotating. We said we were going to roll with a deep crew, and we have to do that.”

So, look for the Commanders to rotate personnel more often on defense on Sunday.

Commanders’ Kliff Kingsbury: ‘I called one of my worst plays ever’

Kingsbury took responsibility for one play call he would love to have back.

Not only did the Commanders lose their 2024 opener in Tampa, 37-20, but offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury declared Thursday he had one of the worst play calls of his career.

Kingsbury, meeting with the local press, voluntarily offered, “I called one of the worst plays I’ve ever called in my entire career. He (Jayden Daniels) just took the ball and ran into the end zone. It was like he was not going to be denied there on the goal line. It showed a lot about him in that situation.”

To which play was Kingsbury referring? Washington trailed Tampa Bay 37-14. Daniels had just completed a ten-yard pass over the middle to Luke McCaffrey, taking the ball to the one-yard line. After two unsuccessful attempts, the Commanders faced a 3rd  & goal from the one with 1:16 remaining.

“I called basically a speed option with no check, and they (Bucs) overplayed it to one side. So he (Daniels) just stuck his foot in the ground and got in the end zone.”

Indeed, the replay shows that it was to be an option, right, with Daniels keeping off-tackling to the right or pitching wide right to Brian Robinson. However, the Bucs defense played the pitch perfectly, and Robinson would have been hit for a loss had Daniels pitched it. Compounding matters was that Daniels was not able to even approach going off tackle, as that was clogged up by the Bucs as well.

Therefore, he stopped instantly, planting and attempting to cut back over the right guard. Two Buccaneer defenders met Daniels, who turned his back, was hit, got away, and backpedaled into the end zone for the final touchdown.

“He just found a way in. So it says a lot about what we knew. He likes to compete, and it definitely showed on Sunday. I didn’t give him a check to get out of it (the play). They had about three guys outside on the option. So, he saw that and ran it anyway, cut back, ran a couple of guys over, and got in the end zone.”

Kingsbury, thinking long term, closed by saying, “If I had that one back, I would rather him not get hit like that.

He is right, of course. Why subject your thin rookie quarterback to unnecessary hits in a game you’ve already lost when there are 16 more games to play?

Related article:

Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury did Jayden Daniels no favors in Week 1

 

Commanders’ Jayden Daniels continues to focus on the right things

Jayden Daniels continues to focus on the things that matter.

Jayden Daniels came from one of the better football schools in the SEC.

After transferring from Arizona State, Daniels landed at LSU. The Tigers are accustomed to having one of the more talented teams in the SEC. Therefore, for years, they often finish in the top two or three teams in the SEC West division (Yes, Commanders Wire is aware that the SEC, starting in 2024, has eliminated its two-division format).

So Daniels was asked Wednesday, during his time with the media, what it is like for him to come to a team like the Washington Commanders, which has not been among the top teams in the NFL for some time now.

Daniels has been following the NFL since he was a kid. He obviously learned some time ago that the worst teams select higher in the annual NFL draft. Being drafted second, Daniels knew from the start he was coming to a team with needs… a lot of needs.

“Man, I am just focused on getting better each and every day, responded Daniels. “You know, I trust DQ and AP in the direction that they’re going with this organization. But for me, it’s how can I show up every day and be the best version of myself?”

Daniels is correct. An NFL team has 53 men on its active roster, with another 16 or 17 on its practice squad. He doesn’t need to worry about all the personnel decisions that Peters and Quinn will make throughout the season.

Even more, quarterback is the most complex position in the NFL. He had a couple of big opportunities in the opener in Tampa, but he failed to make the big play. It was his first game; it happened.

There is so much to learn, so much to read pre-snap, so much to read once the play begins. Daniels like all other quarterbacks in the NFL has enough to worry about, that he need not get involved at all thinking too much about things of which he has absolutely no control.

Daniels is correct, the best thing he can do, is work hard at the things he can control, and that is learning how to get better as an NFL quarterback.

 

Commanders: Some things changed, some things remained the same

The more things change, the more they remain the same — for the Commanders.

The more some things change, the more some things remain the same.

The old saying is still true in various aspects of life, and Sunday revealed it is true regarding the 2024 Commanders as well. What’s changed? The general manager, Adam Peters, is new, and so is head coach Dan Quinn, as well as most of his coaching staff is also new.

It’s also quite new that 30 players are on the active roster that were not Commanders in 2023. What’s also new is the name of the next Washington Commanders kicker, seeing Cade York was released after only one game.

York had come to the Commanders for a conditional seventh-round draft choice. The Browns were going to cut him anyway, as Dustin Hopkins continued to prove to Ron Rivera that he belongs in the NFL and was extended by the Browns. York had to be with the Commanders for two games for the draft choice to become a reality. This was enough motivation for Peters to release York.

What hasn’t changed is that the Commanders surrendered the most passing touchdowns in 2023, and they picked up right where they left off, yielding four more in the Week 1 loss.

Benjamin St-Juste was fighting out there. I will give him that. He even interfered with Mike Evans on one touchdown pass in the second quarter. Mike Sainristil looked like, well, a rookie. He was lost and beaten badly more than once. Emmanuel Forbes? Looked like the same rookie of 2023.

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You recall back to last year, when Ron Rivera was recorded saying the Commanders were hoping to draft Emmanuel Forbes that night in the first round. Were they actually that determined and hopeful to draft Forbes? Before selecting him, Rivera was telling Commanders Nation how Forbes had great ball skills and had set an NCAA mark for pick-sixes.

Other than the highlights film of Forbes at Mississippi State, how much of the game film did they actually watch? It’s unthinkable to consider this as a possibility. Forbes has gotten beaten so badly, so repeatedly, there had to be college games where his coverage was shown to be inadequate. How did they not see that? How did they not recognize that?

However, at this rate, will Forbes show that Rivera may have gone 0-4 in his four NFL draft first-round picks with Washington?