Tag: 2024 nfl season

Texans schedule: Who is Houston playing in Week 8? 

Are the Houston Texans playing this week? Here’s a look at the schedule and the games to come. 

Heading home with a chance to regroup, the Houston Texans will look to keep their undefeated streak at NRG Stadium alive entering October.

Who is next on the schedule following a 24-22 loss against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field? Let’s discuss below.

Who will the Texans play in Week 8 of the NFL schedule?

Houston takes on the Indianapolis Colts in a rematch of Week 1’s battle at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Texans secured a 29-27 victory over their AFC South rival thanks to a 159-yard outing from running back Joe Mixon.

The Texans lost 31-20 last season in Week 2 at home after Anthony Richardson set the tone with a two-touchdown performance in the first quarter. C.J. Stroud eventually found a rhythm and completed two touchdown passes, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.

Indianapolis has actually thrived playing at NRG Stadium over the past decade, holding a 7-2-1 record in the past 10 games.

Texans 2024 schedule

  • Sept. 8: at Indianpolis (W, 29-27)
  • Sept. 15: vs. Chicago (W, 19-13)
  • Sept. 22: at Minnesota (L, 34-7)
  • Sept. 29: vs. Jacksonville (W, 24-20)
  • Oct. 6: vs. Buffalo (W, 23-20)
  • Oct. 13: at New England (W, 41-21)
  • Oct. 20: at Green Bay (L, 24-22)
  • Oct. 27: vs. Indianpolis
  • Oct. 31: at New York Jets
  • Nov. 10: vs. Detriot
  • Nov. 18: at Dallas
  • Nov. 24: vs. Tennessee
  • Dec. 1: at Jacksonville
  • Dec. 8: Bye Week
  • Dec. 15: vs. Miami
  • Dec. 21: at Kansas City
  • Dec. 25: vs. Baltimore
  • Jan. 6: at Tennessee
  • Record: 5-2

Commanders won’t curb quarterback designed runs

Daniels’ injury will not change Washington’s offense and Quinn explained why.

With Jayden Daniels being injured Sunday, Dan Quinn was ready for Monday’s barrage of questions.

Some will think the injury means the Commanders will be calling fewer zone-read option runs. “Not so fast, my friend,” is how head coach Dan Quinn responded.

“It would not,” Quinn said. “On this one, that Jayden ended up getting injured, it was on honestly more like a scramble. There was a lead blocker outside and he was 30, 35 yards down the field. So no, that’s not the type of design run that we would move from.”

Quinn is correct. Daniels was not injured around the line of scrimmage by a larger defender. He was nearly outracing the secondary on what might have been a huge touchdown run.

Apparently, Quinn’s answer was not good enough, so he was asked from another angle how Jayden could have run that play differently. However, Quinn again was correct. The design of the play did not increase the risk of injury. This injury occurred yards down field.

“Yeah, he was really trying to work off the safety at first, and so to cut across his face, he was trying to go score. And so, as he was getting down the field, I thought from the design standpoint it was good and he just kind of fell awkwardly on it. So, it was not a function, in this particular case, of running in the A gap and getting hit by a defensive tackle. It was a down-the-field run that, in a lot of ways would’ve felt like a scramble if you had just saw the second half of the play, not the first half. If that makes sense.”

Might Daniels change his equipment somehow to gain more padding?

“Not as much on the pad. He already has a specific one in this instance. It’s really going to be more of the rotational part of things and to see how that part would go and what it looks like to make sure he can have all the movements down. He’s got a pretty secure padding, it seems smaller, but it’s where it protects over the ribs like a lot of the quarterbacks have. It’s protected strongly there.”

Dan Quinn is correct. This was an unusual injury that occurred not because of the design of the play. Therefore, Quinn or Kliff Kingsbury are not to blame for this injury.

Vikings Week 9 matchup against Colts gets flexed to Sunday Night

Their 2024 matchup was set to be played at Noon in Week 9, but now fans will have to stay up a little later.

The Minnesota Vikings and Indianapolis Colts have a unique history together. The NFL recognized that and the potential for their matchup to have an added layer and flexed their game.

Their 2024 matchup was set to be played at Noon in Week 9, but now fans will have to stay up a little later. Because it is part of the NFL’s Sunday Night Schedule, it will now benefit from a national audience.

The game will air on NBC and Peacock on November 3, two days before the NFL Trade Deadline.

The last time these two teams played was on December 17, 2022. That game went down in history as the Vikings completed the largest comeback win in NFL history when they clawed back from a 33-0 deficit at halftime. At the time the Colts were riding with Jeff Saturday as their interim coach and were gearing toward a rebuild.

Two years later, the Colts have their rebuild roster but are still finding their way. The Vikings could have a chance to showcase themselves in front of the entire nation with an impressive team and record to boot.

Commanders TE Ben Sinnott’s first touchdown will be the first of many

Ben Sinnott scored his first NFL touchdown on Sunday. Get used to it.

In the Washington Commanders’ 40-7 rout of the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, rookie tight end Ben Sinnott caught his first NFL pass — a touchdown.

Sinnott played 30% of the offensive snaps entering Sunday’s game but was featured as more of a blocker in Washington’s top-five running game. Sinnott’s time was coming, but regardless of his impact on the stat sheet, he was making a significant impact on the offense.

Sinnott has served as Washington’s No. 2 or No. 3 tight end behind Zach Ertz and, sometimes, John Bates. The longtime veteran Ertz is the unquestioned starter, while Bates is one of the NFL’s top blocking tight ends.

The Commanders entered the offseason with a plan for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Regardless of the outside noise, they didn’t deviate from that plan, and Daniels is already one of the NFL’s top young quarterbacks.

While it wasn’t discussed much, the Commanders also had a plan for Sinnott. The plan was for Ertz to play while also mentoring younger players, such as Daniels and Sinnott. Washington players and coaches have praised Ertz for his leadership. However, the plan for Sinnott was to slowly incorporate him into the offense. While Ertz remains Washington’s starting tight end, Daniels now has another weapon defenses must account for weekly.

“It’s pretty cool to have your first NFL catch be a touchdown,” Sinnott said after the game.

Sinnott will likely score many more touchdowns. Ertz is on a one-year deal that could be extended if he remains healthy. Regardless, Sinnott is a significant part of Washington’s future.

Jim Nagy, executive director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl and a former NFL scout, sees big things in Sinnott’s future.

Everything the Commanders are doing is working for the first time in a long time. It is, indeed, a new day in Washington.

What was Terry McLaurin’s favorite part of Commanders’ latest win?

Commanders WR Terry McLaurin sets a new standard.

Terry McLaurin is in his sixth NFL season and having the time of his life. After playing through numerous coaching changes, lots of losing, and countless quarterback changes, the Washington Commanders are finally winning.

The Commanders have also found a franchise quarterback. Jayden Daniels has finally ended Washington’s longtime search for a quarterback.

On Sunday, the Commanders improved to 5-2 after defeating the Carolina Panthers 40-7, remaining in first place in the NFC East. But, Washington didn’t leave Sunday without some concerns.

Daniels was injured on the Commanders’ first drive when he landed awkwardly after a 46-yard run. While he finished the drive, Washington wisely removed him from the game and sent him into the locker room for X-rays. Daniels injured his rib and was questionable to return.

Enter Marcus Mariota. The 10-year veteran took over under center and led the Commanders to scores on every one of his drives except one. With Washington so far ahead, Daniels was ruled out and finished the game on the sideline.

McLaurin, who caught six passes for 98 yards, spoke about Daniels’ injury after the game.

“Yeah, you know, he’s a tough player, so if he’s going down and going into the locker room, it’s, you know, fairly serious,” McLaurin said. “I’m not going to, like, speculate on his injury, but he’s a tough guy and I know he’s going to do whatever it takes to try to be ready for next week.”

McLaurin then praised Mariota for stepping in and delivering.

Finally, McLaurin revealed what he was most proud of coming out of Sunday’s game.

“So, I think my favorite part of the game was us to go down and score in a two-minute drive,” McLaurin said. “When you don’t have your starting quarterback, but you still execute at a high level, I think that’s a standard that we’re set for our offense. No matter who’s in there, the expectation and the production doesn’t drop. So, I’m happy to see that he came in here and did what he did, but I didn’t expect anything different.”

Gone are the days of the Commanders struggling to score 20 points. This is currently the NFL’s highest-scoring team, and they didn’t panic or fold when they lost their star quarterback. It was a business-as-usual approach with Mariota under center.

Coaching, scheme, and talent are all a part of the Commanders’ current offensive success. But so is mindset. And there is no better player than McLaurin to help Washington set a new standard of excellence each week where there are no excuses if that standard isn’t met.

Marcus Mariota on playing for the Commanders: ‘It’s the best place to work’

Mariota with high praise for the Commanders’ organization.

The Washington Commanders are rolling right now. On Sunday, the Commanders defeated the Carolina Panthers 40-7 in a game where rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels was injured in the first quarter and did not return.

No problem, says veteran backup Marcus Mariota.

Daniels injured his rib on Washington’s first possession. While his mother tweeted later that he was fine, the Commanders wisely kept Daniels out of the game and allowed the 10-year veteran Mariota to guide the offense.

How did Mariota respond?

Mariota completed 18 of 23 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 34 yards and led the Commanders to scoring drives on all but one possession — his first.

After the game, Mariota spoke with Evan Washburn of CBS.

“First and foremost, just him,” Mariota said of Jayden Daniels and what he thought when he first entered the game. “He’s an unbelievable kid. You just about the player and person and then it’s just football.”

How was Mariota so effective?

“These guys are unbelievable,” Mariota said of his teammates. We have an awesome group of guys that just believe in each other. They made play after play, and I just did my best to give them a chance.”

Then, Mariota had the ultimate praise for the Commanders and the culture that owner Josh Harris, GM Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn are building.

“It’s brotherhood. We talk about it all the time. Honestly, it’s the best place to work. I enjoy going in with these guys. It’s a lot of fun, and when you have a brotherhood like this, you’ll find ways to win.”

The Washington Commanders: The best place to work? That’s good news for those NFLPA grades that will come out later this year. Remember what Harris said? “I’m not an F-minus guy.” No, he isn’t, and neither are the Commanders anymore.

Commanders make roster moves after Jonathan Allen’s injury

Rookie defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste also lands on IR.

On Monday, the Washington Commanders lost a big part of their team when it was revealed that defensive tackle Jonathan Allen would miss the remainder of the season with a torn pec.

Washington made it official on Wednesday, placing Allen on the reserve/injured list. However, the Commanders made another move that impacts their defensive line depth, placing rookie defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste on IR. However, Jean-Baptiste will be designated to return as head coach Dan Quinn doesn’t believe it’s a long-term issue.

“Dorance will not practice today and yes, we’re hoping it’s shorter than longer with Javonte with his ankle injury,” Quinn said. “So, we’re hopeful that it’s at the limit, and we’ll get a see for there. It’s too early to call today.”

Washington signed veteran defensive tackle Sheldon Day to the 53-man roster and replaced him with Carl Davis. Day was active for one game this season.

In another move, the Commanders also signed defensive end Jalyn Holmes. A fourth-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft, Holmes, 28, has spent time with the Vikings, Saints, Giants, Bears and, most recently, the Jets. Holmes appeared in three games for New York this season. In his career, Holmes has played in 44 games and has two sacks.

Starting defensive end Dorance Armstrong injured his ribs in Sunday’s loss to Baltimore, but Washington hopes his injury is short-term.

Terry McLaurin sums up Commanders’ loss with two words

McLaurin perfectly sums up the Commanders’ second loss with two words.

Before this season, Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin hadn’t been involved with a lot of winning. Sure, McLaurin played at Ohio State, so he was accustomed to winning before, but since being drafted by Washington in 2019, he’s seen a lot of losing.

This year, the Commanders were 4-1 heading into Sunday’s clash against the Baltimore Ravens, having won four consecutive games.

Unfortunately, that winning streak ended as the Ravens defeated the Commanders 30-23.

Afterward, McLaurin summed up the game with two words.

“Losing sucks,” he told reporters after the game. McLaurin caught six passes for 53 yards and two touchdowns in the game.

But the ever-positive McLaurin is ready to move forward.

“But we don’t have a group of guys that are going to hang their heads. We got a group of guys that are excited to get back to work. We’re excited to look at the film tomorrow and see how we can be better going forward next week.”

McLaurin then discussed head coach Dan Quinn’s belief in the 2024 Commanders.

“DQ, you should see the look in his eyes; he believes in this group that we have. We believe in the group that we have.”

Does McLaurin believe the 4-2 Commanders can play with anyone in the NFL?

“I think we already believed that in ourselves,” McLaurin answered. “I think we put the work in since we put this team together in the spring. We’ve challenged one another, offense vs. defense in practice. We’ve gone to Miami and we’ve gone to New York and hung tough……we’ve got a resilient group, so we didn’t anything else out about ourselves coming into this game. It wasn’t a measuring stick, we felt like if we came in and handled our business, we’d have a chance to win.”

McLaurin and the Commanders look to get back on track next week against the 1-5 Panthers, the first of back-to-back home games.

Three takeaways from the Commanders’ first half vs. Baltimore

First-half thoughts from the Commanders and Ravens.

The Commanders trail the Ravens 17-3 at halftime of their Week 6 showdown from Baltimore. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has led Baltimore with a 208-yard passing performance. Commanders QB Jayden Daniels has completed 15/20 passing for 131 yards. 

Here are three takeaways from the first half: 

Commanders need to adjust to Flowers

The Ravens’ first scoring drive was 93 yards of soft coverage and woes from cornerback Benjamin St. Juste. Wide receiver Zay Flowers has posed mismatch problems with all the Commanders’ defensive backs, not just St. Juste, though, with a combined 132 yards. Any time Washington’s defense faces a quarterback as good as Lamar Jackson, it will have to cut some of their losses, but if they can find a way to limit Flowers, that should slow the Ravens down enough for the Commanders to get some stops. 

Daniels adjusts later in half

After starting the game with just 34 yards of offense on the first three drives, Jayden Daniels delivered on the next drive to tie the game at 10. He completed 5/7 of his passes for 59 yards on that drive and placed a wonderfully executed lob pass for Terry McLaurin in the endzone. Daniels spread the ball to six different receivers in the first half, with five to Olamide Zaccheus. The missed field goal at halftime hurts, but Washington gets the ball back in the second half. 

Armstrong out could pose concerns 

After edge rusher Dorance Armstrong exited the game in the second quarter, Jackson had a lot of time to pick apart Washington’s secondary—a large part of Flowers’ and Rashod Bateman’s success. Outside of Derrick Henry’s last two carries, the Commanders limited him to just 2.9 yards on his first seven carries. They’ll need to continue to limit Henry and some pass rush from the interior to make up for the loss of Armstrong.

How would Dan Quinn describe the Commanders?

How would Quinn describe the 2024 Commanders?

Fans and the media don’t hesitate to describe the Commanders; however, how would Dan Quinn describe his team if asked?

That’s just what happened Monday as Quinn was asked to describe this Commanders’ team in a few words while meeting with the media.

“Yeah, I would say, I think this is a hard group.”

There’s no question that since Quinn arrived in February, he has worked from the very beginning on attempting to remake the image of this team. The franchise that only won four games last season matched that total in Week 5 with its 34-13 win over the Cleveland Browns.

“They’re really tough, and I love the competitive way that they go after it because I see it in practice, and then that carries over into the game.”

Players talked in training camp about how everything was fast, moving from one drill to another, and about competing and pushing one another. In the past two weeks of games, the Commanders have certainly been the more energetic and competitive of the teams.

“Then the other part I would say is I feel their connection to an extension of one another. And I feel that on the sideline, from the offense to the defense to special teams and back, that complimentary football happens right away.

The four wins have come in different fashions: The Giants and Bengals wins were tough games down to the very last seconds, while the wins against the Cardinals and Browns were pretty much over by mid-third quarter.

“It doesn’t always look great, and sometimes it’s a little grimy and uglier, and that’s part of winning too, where it doesn’t always go exactly as you plan, but you grow from those days as well.”