Tag: Austin Ekeler

Quick facts from Commanders’ Week 11 loss to Eagles

Some quick numbers and facts from the Commanders’ loss to Eagles.

The Commanders led going into the final quarter and then were totally outplayed in the last 15 minutes, falling to the Philadelphia Eagles 26-18.

Here are some of the quick facts from the fourth loss of the Commanders’ season:

  • The most basic fact is that the Commanders were outscored 20-8 in the final quarter. What’s more, they have been outscored 39-11 in the final quarter in the last three games.
  • For the first time this season, the Commanders have lost two consecutive games.
  • When Jayden Daniels threw an interception in the fourth quarter, it was the first Commanders’ turnover in their last six games.
  • Speaking of six games, the Eagles have now won six straight.
  • The Commanders gave up 228 rushing yards on 40 carries by the Eagles, including 146 yards in 26 carries by Saquon Barkley.
  • The Commanders were out-gained by the Eagles 434 to 264, averaging 4.2 per play to 6.2 for the Eagles.
  • The Commanders were only 3-12 on third downs.
  • The Commanders’ ground game was beaten badly by the Eagles 228-93 yards.
  • Terry McLaurin was shut down tonight, not receiving his first target/reception until 10:27 in the final quarter, with one 10-yard reception.
  • The Commanders’ defense held the Eagles out of the end zone in the first half. This was only the second game this season in which the Eagles have not scored a first-half touchdown.
  • With tonight’s 146 rushing yards, Saquon Barkley now has six games this season where he has rushed for 100+ yards.
  • The Eagles entered the game with 19 sacks during their five-game winning streak, and they added three more tonight.
  • Dante Fowler came into the game with 8.5 sacks this season and eight in the last six games. He did not record a tackle or assist Thursday.
  • Austin Ekeler and Zach Ertz led the Commanders in receiving yards with 89 and 47 yards, respectively.
  • It was exactly two years ago tonight that the Commanders went to Lincoln Financial Field and upset the 8-0 Eagles 32-21 on Monday Night Football.
  • With his reception, Terry McLaurin became the sixth player in Washington NFL franchise history with 6,000 receiving yards, joining Art Monk, Charley Taylor, Gary Clark, Santana Moss, and Bobby Mitchell.
  • The Eagles entered the game as a 4.5-point favorite, and with the win tonight, they have now defeated Washington six of the last seven times the two teams have faced each other.
  • Tonight’s game was Zach Ertz’s first game in Philadelphia since being traded by the Eagles to the Cardinals in October 2021.

Commanders lead Eagles 7-3 at halftime

Commanders lead the Eagles 7-3 at halftime.

You were sadly mistaken if you were expecting a shootout on Thursday Night Football between the Washington Commanders (7-3) and the Philadelphia Eagles (7-2). At halftime, the underdog Commanders lead the Eagles 7-3.

The Eagles began the game on offense, but Washington’s defense forced a stop, and Philadelphia kicker Jake Elliott missed a field goal. Jayden Daniels and the Commanders went on offense and went three-and-out.

After an Eagles’ punt, Daniels found running back Austin Ekeler for a short gain and the veteran did the rest, going 34 yards and giving Washington a first down at the Philly 24-yard line. Three plays later, running back Brian Robinson Jr. scored from one yard to give the Commanders an early 7-0 lead.

The Eagles missed another field but made one just before halftime, and that’s about it from an offensive perspective.

Neither quarterback looked particularly strong in the first half. Daniels completed eight of 13 passes for 83 yards. He also rushed for eight yards on three carries.

Jalen Hurts completed 10 of 10 passes for 101 yards. Running back Saquon Barkley has 15 carries for 56 yards, but Washington’s defense has done a good job of getting off the field.

The Eagles won the time of possession battle (18:29/11:31). Philadelphia outgained Washington 174-124.

Commanders WR Terry McLaurin does not have one target in the first half.

Washington opens the second half with the football.

NFL Network analyst breaks down Patrick Queen’s performance in Week 10

Patrick Queen’s dominant Week 10 performance, highlighted by Brian Baldinger, showcased his elite skills and playmaking ability.

The Patrick Queen redemption tour seemingly started to take shape in the Steelers’ Week 10 contest against the Washington Commanders.

While the Steelers’ initial acquisition of Queen this past offseason was met with excitement from fans and players alike, his performance through the first eight weeks of the season had been inconsistent, to say the least.

However, Queen’s elite Week 10 performance caught the attention of fans and analysts alike, as NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger, host of Baldy’s Breakdowns, highlighted what made Queen so special against Washington on Sunday.

Wherever the ball went, more often than not, Queen was following. His speed and spectacular tackling ability were evident on several key tackles on Washington’s QB Jayden Daniels, WR Terry McLaurin, and RB Austin Ekeler.

Queen’s play recognition will surely be of great use in the team’s Week 11 contest against the Baltimore Ravens, where the Steelers will need every physical and mental ability sharply tuned to stop his former teammate, QB Lamar Jackson, from taking over the game.

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Dan Quinn’s ‘brotherhood’ on display after tough Commanders’ loss to Steelers

Commanders stick up for their young teammate.

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has had many messages for his team this season. One shines above all: This team is a brotherhood.

Since becoming Washington’s coach, Quinn has discussed that brotherhood several times, including multiple times in the regular season. Quinn explains how close-knit this team is, which reflects him and his coaching staff.

On Sunday, that brotherhood was put to the test. Washington lost a close 28-27 game to the Pittsburgh Steelers, snapping its three-game winning streak. The Commanders made multiple mistakes throughout the game, preventing them from putting the Steelers away, and Pittsburgh made them pay.

But Washington had one more potential chance to win the game. With three timeouts remaining and the Steelers with the ball close to midfield, the Commanders needed three stops. Quarterback Jayden Daniels would have close to one minute remaining to drive the field and put his team in position to kick a game-winning field goal. Anything’s possible, which we learned two weeks ago with the Hail Mary.

Things were going as planned, as Washington made three straight stops. Pittsburgh came onto the field with a fourth-and-1, presumably to attempt to draw the Commanders offside. It worked. The culprit: Rookie defensive tackle Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton.

That allowed the Steelers to kneel on the ball and run out the clock.

Newton was dejected. But in the locker room after the game, teammates had his back.

“Yeah, it’s not, it’s not all on him,” Daniels said of Newton. “That’s what everybody’s gonna see, just that one big play. But it’s not all on him, and we’re all together. No matter what people outside the building are saying, are thinking, man, it doesn’t matter. What matters is what’s in the building and how we love each other, how we support each other. We have each other’s backs.”

The rookie quarterback continues to prove he’s wise beyond his years.

Head coach Dan Quinn echoed a similar message.

“We have so much belief and love for this guy and so it was a hard mistake,” Quinn said. “It was one to learn from, and as it goes, those are hard ones. Like I said, there’s other plays in the game that come up, that one just happened to showcase it more at the end, and for sure this is the type of player that is hurting from it and you’re gonna learn from it.”

Others, such as Austin Ekeler, also spoke on behalf of their young teammate.

Everyone’s message was clear: The loss isn’t on Newton, and everyone has his back and is ready to turn the page.

 

Huge special teams mistake cost Steelers 7 points

Steelers’ fake punt misfire led to a Commanders TD, shifting momentum to Washington in their toughest game of the 2024 season.

It is safe to say Steelers’ CB James Pierre may be getting the cold shoulder from the Steel City, following what appeared to be a beautifully designed fake-punt call by Pittsburgh’s special teams coach Danny Smith—only for Pierre to drop the pass from special teams ace Miles Killebrew.

On fourth down, deep within the Steelers’ own 20-yard line, the shocking 18-yard pass from Killebrew seemed to catch Washington’s special teams unit off guard, and would have given Pittsburgh a crucial first down. However, due to Pierre’s botched execution, the Commanders took over in the red zone on downs.

A handful of plays later, this decision on special teams ultimately gifted Commanders RB Austin Ekeler a one-yard rushing touchdown, tying the game at 7-7 and shifting momentum away from Pittsburgh.

The special teams unit eventually rebounded in a big way, recovering a fumble off a muffed punt in the second quarter, immediately granting red-zone positioning to the Steelers offense.

Pittsburgh will need all three facets of their game to be near-perfect, as the 7-2 Commanders are their toughest opponent of the 2024 season so far.

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Commanders will be without key offensive starter vs. Steelers

More bad news for the Commanders ahead of Week 10 vs. Steelers.

The Washington Commanders revealed on their final injury report Friday that starting running back Brian Robinson Jr. would miss Sunday’s Week 10 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Robinson has been dealing with a hamstring injury over the last two weeks, which forced him to miss the Week 9 win over the New York Giants. Robinson also missed the Week 6 game at Baltimore because of a knee injury. Head coach Dan Quinn said the knee injury is better, but the hamstring issue is the same leg.

“Same side,” Quinn said. “So that is, I don’t know if it’s a correlation, but it definitely is a factor to it, but the knee’s doing good and so not the same injury. So that’s a good sign.”

Robinson is Washington’s leading rusher with 461 yards, averaging 4.6 yards per attempt, and is tied for a team-high with six touchdowns.

Quinn was asked if Chris Rodriguez Jr. factored into Washington’s decision to give Robinson more time to heal.

“Yeah, we’ll huddle up tonight and visit with medical side and [GM] Adam [Peters], myself and then kinda get an assessment about where we’re at and then we can proceed if needed when we go to that. But that’ll be kind of our next operation for this evening,” he answered.

Rodriguez has been elevated from the practice squad three times and led the Commanders with 52 rushing yards last week. Austin Ekeler will likely start, but Rodriguez and Jeremy McNichols should also see plenty of time in the backfield.

Brian Robinson Jr. is out for the Commanders

No Brian Robinson today vs. Giants.

When ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted late Saturday that Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. was expected to play Sunday against the Giants, things appeared to be trending in the right direction.

However, Robinson reportedly worked out in front of head coach Dan Quinn and running backs coach Anthony Lynn, and the Commanders didn’t feel he looked right.

Mike Garofolo of the NFL Network posted the following video of Robinson working out.

It’s a tough blow for the Commanders because Robinson has enjoyed some of his best games against New York. He had 133 rushing yards in Week 2 against the Giants.

In anticipation of Robinson potentially being sidelined, Washington elevated second-year running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. from the practice squad. The Commanders will have a backfield trio of Austin Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols and Rodriguez.

Commanders vs. Bears: 3 reasons for optimism in Week 8

The Commanders host the Bears in Week 8 and are slight underdogs at home, but there are three reasons for optimism ahead of their matchup.

The Washington Commanders are having some kind of season in 2024, with a 5-2 record and leading the NFC East for the first time in a very long time. The offense is unified behind rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, and while the defense could use some help in a couple of areas, it’s been pretty solid, too.

This week, the Commanders host a Chicago Bears team that is hell-bent on proving Caleb Williams is better than Daniels. He’s not. The Bears lost to a horrible Indianapolis Colts team in Week 3, and he struggled mightily with the Tennessee Titans in Week 1. Williams has improved over the last few weeks, but the Bears have also faced the Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers the last two weeks, so do with that what you will.

The Commanders’ quarterback situation is up in the air, but that’s no reason to be concerned. In fact, there are three reasons for optimism in Week 8.

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Marcus Mariota is a capable veteran

When Jayden Daniels went down early in the game against the Carolina Panthers, Marcus Mariota stepped in and got the job done, leading the Commanders to a dominant 40-7 victory. He’s been in the league for almost 10 years, so he knows the game very well. He can use his legs when needed, makes accurate throws, and knows how to lead an offense.

The Bears have a much better defense than the Panthers, but if Kliff Kingsbury calls the right plays, Mariota will execute them. And this is only if Daniels doesn’t suit up; it’s still possible that he will play on Sunday.

Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images

The Bears are 0-2 on the road

Both of the Bears’ losses this season have come on the road, at Houston and Indianapolis. The Texans are well on their way to making a postseason appearance. The Colts look refreshed behind veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, but it’s unlikely they will go far sharing the division with the Texans.

And don’t forget, Williams’ NFL debut was almost ruined by the Titans in Week 1. His only saving grace was the defensive and special teams efforts to put points on the board.

The Commanders’ defense will still have its work cut out for it, but all they have to do is fluster Williams, and the Bears’ offense will crumble. They have the fifth-worst rush offense and ninth-worst pass offense in the league, and they’ve allowed 20 sacks, but the Commanders can’t go in cocky. Their defense has its struggles, and it needs to set the tone early so that it shows up to play.

Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images

Washington has an X-Factor

His name hasn’t been called as much this season as in the past, but Austin Ekeler is the X-factor everyone has forgotten. He can run the ball, he can catch the ball, he is a ridiculously talented utility player who can do just about anything you ask him to on the field. It’s not just Brian Robinson, Jr. and Terry McLaurin out there as weapons for the quarterback.

Ekeler joined the Commanders earlier this year, and he’s recorded 32 carries for 188 yards and a touchdown, plus 17 receptions for 201 yards. He averages 5.9 yards per carry and 11.8 yards per reception. Against a tough Bears defense, Ekeler can be a game-changer.

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What everyone said after the Commanders’ Week 7 rout of Panthers

Here’s what everyone said after the Commanders’ blowout win over the Panthers.

On Sunday, the Washington Commanders were much better than the Carolina Panthers, running away from them in a 40-7 rout. Here is a collection of postgame quotes from players, analysts, coaches, and media personalities.

Craig Hoffman

“Well, that was fun, wasn’t it? Well, maybe. The score, that was fun. But, a big ‘but’ with the Jayden Daniels injury.”

“Dante Fowler gets that pick-6 and I was literally like, ‘I can throw my not pad away.’ There was no point in the notes of this game. The game ended right there. Because from that point, Carolina was going to be chasing the game.”

Danny Rouhier

“I’m happy but there is also something missing, you know?”

“I don’t feel euphoric here after a blowout win. We usually tell people to smell the roses because they don’t come around all that often. Taking advantage of a bad opponent, you don’t apologize for who is on your schedule. You handle them the way Washington just did.”

Marcus Mariota

“When you have a brotherhood like this, you’ll find ways to win.”

“Obviously, it’s going to take some time, whatever it is. We have no idea, but I think he was in good spirits. You check on him, see how he is doing. And then we will take it day to day.”

Austin Ekeler

“He’s (Mariota) been a great leader for us, and he went out there and showed it again.”

Zach Ertz

“Obviously my first thought was just concerned about him (Jayden Daniels). He’s the leader of our team essentially and he’s a phenomenal player. He’s going to be a great player for a long time, and he’s really a good friend of mine. I was obviously just worried about him. From there, you just gotta get back out there and play.”

“We got a lot of confidence in Marcus. They didn’t bring him here just to be a backup. They brought him in here to compete with Jayden obviously. We got a lot of confidence in Marcus.”

Dan Quinn

“The message for this week was, ‘Can we get stronger’? We knew there was another gear for us to find. We had to dig for it and find it. I was pleased to see the fight in the guys. I thought Dante’s touchdown was really the thing that set it off.”

“I cannot give you an update on Jayden. I will just as soon as we find out. We’ll do some further tests tomorrow. Then, when we get together in the afternoon, we’ll give you an update.”

“You know what? I was really proud of Marcus (Mariota). It’s been a tough start, IR and getting an injury. For him to come back and see that kind of poise in the game, there was no flinch.”

“I look back to see post-practice to see who is out there working, and he and the guys are going through the script. I tip my hat to he and Tavita, David Blough and others that are spending that extra time. So, if your moment gets called you are ready to deliver for the team. I  think that is a really powerful thing.”

Sam Fortier

“Dan Quinn said he didn’t have an update, said he would have one Monday. His (Daniels) status going forward is the biggest thing for this organization.”

“The offense kept rolling without him (Daniels). Kliff Kingsbury was cooking. The Panthers defense was very depleted…”

“They (Commanders) are demolishing bad teams. Yes, the five teams they have beaten so far have a combined record of 9-25. But it is still the NFL. I think it says something when you are taking care of business to this degree.”

 

Commanders rule RB Brian Robinson Jr. out vs. Ravens

Robinson is out for Sunday, but the Commanders do get some DL help back vs. Ravens.

The Washington Commanders will be without one of their top offensive players in Sunday’s showdown with the Baltimore Ravens. Running back Brian Robinson Jr. was ruled out on Saturday afternoon.

Robinson, who is dealing with a knee injury, missed practice all week. Last week, Robinson missed practice but played in Sunday’s win over the Browns. While he only carried the ball seven times in that game, he did score two touchdowns. Robinson leads the Commanders with 325 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

Robinson’s absence means more carries for Austin Ekeler, who has been the 1b to Robinson’s 1a this season. Veteran Jeremy McNichols will continue to see an increased role. McNichols emerged in Ekeler’s absence two weeks ago, rushing for 68 yards and two touchdowns. He scored again in last week’s win over Cleveland.

As is customary before every game, the Commanders made some roster moves. Washington downgraded Robinson and rookie linebacker Jordan Magee from questionable to out. The Commanders activated defensive lineman Efe Obada from the reserve/PUP list and signed running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. and cornerback Kevon Seymour from the practice squad. This will be Rodriguez’s first game of the season. Washington elevated Seymour last week.