Tag: 2023 NFL preseason

Commanders lead Browns 14-2 at halftime in preseason opener

The Commanders were much better in the second quarter than the first.

The Washington Commanders lead the Cleveland Browns 14-2 at halftime in the preseason opener on Friday night.

Washington’s first-team offense was expected to play a series or two, maybe less, depending on any success it had, but back-to-back disappointing drives led head coach Ron Rivera to keep them in until early in the second quarter.

Quarterback Sam Howell delivered. Howell finished his night by completing nine of 12 passes for 77 yards with a touchdown. But on his final drive of the night, Howell completed five of seven attempts for 57 yards and capped it off with a 26-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jahan Dotson.

It was an ugly start for the offense, which allowed a safety when right tackle Andrew Wylie was called for holding in the end zone.

However, Howell bounced back nicely to give the Commanders the lead. Backup Jacoby Brissett entered the game on the following drive and promptly led the Commanders on another touchdown drive. Both quarterbacks looked good in the first half.

As for Washington’s first-team defense, it wasn’t the start that defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio envisioned when he said he wanted to start fast this week. The Browns, led by quarterback Deshaun Watson, easily moved the ball down the field, leading to a fourth-and-goal inside the five-yard line.

However, defensive end Montez Sweat made a huge stop on fourth down to force a turnover on downs, ending the drive on a positive note.

WATCH: Sam Howell finds Jahan Dotson for Commanders’ touchdown vs. Browns

A good drive for Sam Howell ends with a TD pass to Jahan Dotson.

It took a while for the Washington Commanders to get something going on offense in the preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns. Washington’s first two offensive drives with the first-team offense stalled out, with the second leading to a safety.

So head coach Ron Rivera wanted to see something from his starters before he pulled them for the night.

Quarterback Sam Howell and the starters were back on the field to begin the second quarter, and Howell delivered. The second-year quarterback completed five of seven attempts for 57 yards, ending it with a 26-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jahan Dotson to give the Commanders a 7-2 lead.

Howell didn’t look bad on Washington’s first two drives, but the same can’t be said for the offensive line, specifically right tackle Andrew Wylie. It was a good drive for Howell and the starting offense to finish the night with until next week.

 

Logan Thomas, Saahdiq Charles out for Commanders in preseason opener vs. Browns

The Commanders will be without two players in the preseason opener.

The Washington Commanders open the preseason Friday evening against the Browns in Cleveland. Washington has remained primarily healthy throughout training camp but will be without two starters on offense.

Tight end Logan Thomas has missed the past week of practice with a calf injury. Thomas, who tore his ACL in Dec. 2021, played all but three games in 2022. The three games he missed were due to a calf injury. Washington head coach Ron Rivera said the injury isn’t severe, but there is no need to push Thomas right now.

Charles is entering his fourth NFL season and is competing to start at left guard. Charles is also battling a calf injury. Second-year OL Chris Paul has stepped in with the first team in Charles’ absence.

Thomas’ absence will give coaches an extended look at a couple of the young tight ends on the roster, Cole Turner and Curtis Hodges. Turner is a player everyone is high on, while Hodges has potential, but is battling for a roster spot.

Commanders’ preseason opener vs. Browns delayed due to weather

The start of Washington’s preseason opener is pushed back due to storms in the Cleveland area.

If you rushed home on a Friday evening to see the Washington Commanders open the preseason against the Cleveland Browns and the game didn’t start at approximately 7:30 p.m. ET, relax.

Heavy rain and lightning in the Cleveland area delayed the start of Washington’s opener against the Browns. Everyone in attendance was told to seek shelter immediately.

Both teams have said their starters will play. Washington is expected to play its starting offense for the first quarter unless they have “one or two really good series,” per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.

 

5 defensive players to watch for the Commanders in preseason opener vs. Browns

We identified five defensive players to watch for the Commanders Friday.

It’s been a great summer to buy stock in the Washington Commanders defense. Yes, it’s only training camp, but one of the NFL’s top defenses last season has been impressive and should be even better in 2023.

Defensive end Chase Young is back and healthy. The Commanders also added a pair of premium picks by drafting defensive backs Emmanuel Forbes and Quan Martin.

There aren’t a lot of questions surrounding Washington’s defense as it opens the preseason Friday against the Cleveland Browns. It’s doubtful that head coach Ron Rivera will play his defensive starters too much, although it wouldn’t be surprising to see Forbes and Martin get some additional time in their debuts.

We’ve picked five defensive players to watch in Washington’s preseason opener.

5 offensive players to watch for the Commanders in preseason opener vs. Browns

We identified five offensive players to watch for the Commanders Friday.

The Washington Commanders kick off the 2023 preseason Friday with a trip to Cleveland to face the Browns.

Washington’s starters will play. How much? Head coach Ron Rivera wasn’t about to divulge that information this week, but we should assume that starting quarterback Sam Howell and the offense will play at least two series.

One offensive player who will not play is tight end Logan Thomas. The veteran tight end has dealt with a calf injury over the last week. While the injury isn’t believed to be serious, the Commanders aren’t taking any chances with their 32-year-old starter.

Washington has a new offense in 2023 with Eric Bieniemy in charge. What should we expect to see in the preseason opener?

We identify five Washington players to watch in Friday’s preseason opener.

What are the Commanders looking for from Sam Howell in preseason opener?

Regardless of how much he plays, the Commanders want to see specific things from Howell in the preseason.

What are the Washington Commanders hoping to see from quarterback Sam Howell in the preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns Friday?

Howell, who started the Week 18 win over the Dallas Cowboys and played well, passing for 169 yards with a touchdown, and also a rushing score to lead the Commanders to a blowout win over Dallas.

But Howell has just 19 passing attempts on his NFL resume. While he’s the projected starter for 2023, there are specific things head coach Ron Rivera wants to see from his young passer Friday.

“I think the biggest thing is when we get on the field, more so than anything else, is going to be his command in the huddle and then his command at the line of scrimmage and then his decision-making once the ball snapped,” Rivera said Wednesday. “That’s what we’re looking for, is to see how he handles all those unique situations.”

Rivera noted that he continues to see growth from practice to practice from Howell.

“Well, I think probably the last few practices, last couple of practices have really emphasized that you start to see the consistency in the decision making,” Rivera said.

“You start to see the consistency in the throws on where they need to be placed; you see the handling of the calls. You know, it’s that type of growth that you look for, and we’re starting to see that.”

Washington must manage a delicate balance with Howell. Rivera has said when the starters are out, Howell will be out, and that’s the case for each preseason game. It’s tough because Howell needs the experience. But as the starting quarterback, he can’t be playing in the second half of a meaningless preseason game behind anything other than the starting offensive line.

So, for the coaching staff, it’s about the little things for Howell. How he handles the huddle, everything pre-snap, etc., more so than how many yards he passes for or touchdowns he throws over the next three weeks.

Howell has everything you need to be a successful NFL quarterback. He has the arm talent, accuracy and athleticism to survive — and thrive — in the NFL. However, some of the most important elements of quarterbacking occur before the snap. It’s what often separates the elite ones from those who never make it out of the preseason.

 

Commanders release first unofficial depth chart ahead of preseason opener

Remember, it’s unofficial.

The Washington Commanders open the preseason on Friday with a road trip to Cleveland to face the Browns. As customary with most game weeks, we have a new depth chart.

The problem is “team-issued” depth charts is they aren’t really from the team. Yes, they are posted on the team website, but with no intel from the coaching staff. Yet, when fans see the first depth chart, it is exciting — football is near.

Here is Washington’s first unofficial depth chart, courtesy of Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.

No surprise, Sam Howell is listed as Washington’s No. 1 quarterback ahead of veteran Jacoby Brissett.

We’ll have more on Washington’s first unofficial depth chart of the preseason, including if there were any surprises.

Commanders’ practices with Ravens could impact preseason QB plans

How much should Ron Rivera play Sam Howell in the preseason?

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera has a delicate balance in front of him over the next few weeks. While every NFL coach must determine how much to play his starters, Rivera’s decision is complicated.

Washington’s presumed starting quarterback, Sam Howell, has thrown 19 career passes. He’s also playing in a new offense. He needs the work.

On the flip side, Howell is expected to start Week 1. How much do you play him over the course of the three preseason games? Howell’s situation is unique because of his inexperience, but the Commanders entire offense needs some work this preseason.

Washington’s offensive struggles in training camp have been documented. While some of those struggles are likely overblown due to the defense knowing what’s coming — and being one of the NFL’s best — there is some cause for concern.

The good news for the Commanders is the two joint practices they have with the Ravens next week. Washington and Baltimore will practice together on Aug. 15 and 16 at the Ravens’ complex before the teams meet for a preseason game at FedEx Field the following Monday.

Head coach Ron Rivera said Sunday those practices could determine the quarterback rotation for the final two preseason games.

“Well, I think what’s going to really impact it more than anything else will be just the thought of knowing we’ve got Baltimore, and we’ve got two days of practice with them,” Rivera said.

“I think that’s something that’s really going to play into our thought process as we get ready to make decisions on how much everybody’s going to play.”

Rivera was asked a follow-up question on if the practices would impact his decision on the quarterback position.

“I mean, those are all considerations right there, to be honest with you,” Rivera answered.

“Knowing that whenever we take Sam out or whenever we take that first group out, that’s when he’s coming out. But at the same time, we also want to be mindful of Jacoby [Brissett] and know how valuable he is to us as one of our quarterbacks. So, a lot of that, again, as I said, will hinge on what we see going forward, especially the two dates we’ll practice with Baltimore.”

There is some concern about Washington’s pass protection. The Commanders have new starters at four different positions after struggling last season. Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy can scheme ways to help the pass protection, but he’s unlikely to show too much in the preseason.

From hearing Rivera speak, it sounds like if Howell plays, it will be with the starters, even if he needs more work. It’s a balance Rivera must be careful with over the next few weeks.

If Rivera sees positive progress in the two practices with the Ravens, how much should he play in the final two preseason games? Just like Rivera said, it depends on when he decides to pull the rest of the starters.

Injury updates after Sunday’s practice for the Commanders

Logan Thomas missed practice Sunday, while Curtis Samuel departed early.

After two weeks of training camp, injuries are going to happen. Sometimes, it’s not significant injuries but nagging ones, such as hamstring strain, pulled groin, or just the general soreness that occurs once the pads come on.

After a quiet first week on the injury front, the Washington Commanders began to feel the injury bug toward the end of Week 2. As Washington entered Week 3 of training camp Sunday, head coach Ron Rivera gave an update on some of the Commanders’ injuries.

Tight end Logan Thomas missed a second consecutive practice with a calf injury. Head coach Ron Rivera noted Friday it was about exercising caution with Thomas and others.

“Again, like I was saying earlier, some of these guys we just gotta be really smart about,” Rivera said when discussing Thomas missing another practice. “We don’t want little things to become big things. And again, going back off of last year’s past history with it, we wanna be really smart and sensitive to it.”

After playing every game in 2020, Thomas has missed 14 games over the past two seasons. At 32 and Washington’s starting tight end, it makes sense for the Commanders to be extremely cautious with Thomas. However, it is a balance as Washington is learning a new offense, and the tight end position is a critical element of Eric Bieniemy’s offense.

Rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes was on the field for individual drills Sunday after “tweaking” his groin Friday. Forbes did nothing else after individual drills, but it lined up with Forbes and Rivera saying they didn’t believe it was serious.

Guard Saahdiq Charles missed some time last week with a calf injury. He was on the field for individual drills Sunday. Charles is competing for his job, so getting back on the field is critical for him.

Linebacker Cody Barton [hip] and tight end Curtis Hodges [flute] practiced fully.

Wide receiver Curtis Samuel left practice early Sunday after feeling some tightness.

“Yeah, just a little concerned,” Rivera said. “He was complaining a little bit about getting tight, so we’re just gonna be smart. We’re going to slow some guys down. If we gotta take a guy and put him down for the rest of the day, we will. He got some work early on. Everything seemed fine.”

Washington will take it easy with Samuel after his groin issues cost him most of the 2021 season.

The Commanders open the preseason Friday against the Cleveland Browns.