Jack Del Rio – Page 3 – Syndication Server

Two narratives regarding Commanders OC Eric Bieniemy

Two narratives surrounding Eric Bieniemy.

Two narratives are currently moving through the NFL nation.

Following the Kansas City Chiefs’ home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles 21-17, some of the NFL media types began voicing that the Chiefs’ offense is not the same without former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

On the other side of the coin, remember during training camp when Ron Rivera revealed that some players had complained about Bieniemy in how he coached/related to the players during camp?

Well, recently, Washington fans have voiced their displeasure with Bieniemy in how he called for consecutive snaps in the shotgun when the Commanders needed only one yard and failed to gain the needed yard both times against Dallas last week.

There is also word that there are Commanders players who do not want Bieniemy to be the interim head coach. Well, that was taken care of last Friday when Ron Rivera saved himself for the remainder of this season by firing Jack Del Rio and Brent Vieselmeyer.

Left tackle Charles Leno wasn’t shy in putting himself on record. When it was suggested to Leno that Bieniemy could be the interim HC if Rivera were fired, Leno responded, “It would be the same. At the end of the day, [Bieniemy] would be focused on our offense, and [defensive coordinator] Jack [Del Rio] would be focused on the defense. What’s the difference from right now?”

No one has yet put their name behind it, but apparently, some players want Rivera to take back some of the power he gave to Bieniemy.

Consequently, this would suggest that Rivera was indeed concerned in the preseason with some of the manners of Bieniemy in how he related to offensive players. Have some of these issues continued throughout the season?

Don’t be naive; Andy Reid wanted Bieniemy to move on so he could bring back Matt Nagy as his offensive coordinator in KC. But why?

Yet, how soft are some of these players?

Might this actually be the major problem with this team this season?

Behind Enemy Lines: Previewing Dolphins’ Week 13 game with Commanders Wire

Inside information on Miami’s Week 13 opponent.

The 8-3 Miami Dolphins are being hosted by the 4-8 Washington Commanders at FedEx Field for their third game against the NFC East of the 2023 season.

Miami has shown some real bright flashes on both sides of the ball this year. However, they haven’t really been able to get both the offense and the defense playing at their best at the same time. This game gives them a great chance to accomplish that feat.

Ron Rivera’s team has lost three in a row, which has led to the firing of their defensive coordinator. Now, Rivera’s expected to lead the unit, so it will be interesting to see what changes come with that.

As we continue our previews for this weekend’s game, we spoke to Commanders Wire managing editor Bryan Manning to learn some things about Washington.

Rivera says Commanders ‘are going to do things we feel really good about’

The Commanders have a massive challenge in trying to limit the Dolphins.

Ron Rivera told the media Wednesday, “Now we are going to do things we feel really good about.”

Rivera has been the head coach here for four seasons. He allowed things to be done that he didn’t feel really good about?

“We had a chance to visit with the players, went through some things…What went into my decision-making and just basically the biggest thing I told them was it was on us. Now, we’re going to do the things that we feel really good about. We want to make sure the things that we’re doing give you guys the best opportunity to be successful.”

Rivera is obviously having to spend more time concentrating on the defense. “So just being focused with the defensive guys, it’s been great too because we’ve kind of given different responsibilities to the defensive coaches. I think they’ve handled those things very well.”

In these final five games, Rivera will have the extra duty of calling plays and communicating via the headset as Del Rio did and directly with the unit on the sidelines.

“We’ll get used to it…One of the things that we will do is we’ll communicate, and we’ll talk, and we will always give ourselves the opportunity to get together and discuss as we get into each series.”

Having more voices in his headset for now doesn’t seem to bother Rivera. “It won’t be that much different. It really won’t. I think the biggest thing, more than anything else, is just the communication that I’ll have. I’ll have a few more things to say between plays.”

Though they have lost five of their last six, Rivera believes his team will compete down the stretch. “We’re still playing for something, so we might as well go out and play them one at a time and play them the best we can. And that’s what we plan to do. We’ll show up, we’ll play hard, and we’ll give great effort.”

Sunday will be a real test for the defense, attempting to slow down the Dolphins, who run and pass well. “The way we’re going to look at it obviously is this is a very diverse offense, very well-coached. They play fast. They’ve got good skilled players and we’ve got to be able to handle certain things that they do and play it to the best of our ability.”

Rivera was asked what he learned from the players in improving the defense.

“In talking with them, it was, I think more about just getting the opportunity to play fast. We did some really good things. We did some complicated things. I think taking some of those things off of their plate would make it easier for them to play fast.”

Rivera wanted his defensive unit to have the opportunity to communicate about the coaching changes. “I think giving them the opportunity to have the voice was something they wanted. So, I listened and talked with several of them.”

Rivera believes the defensive personnel is going to respond positively.

“This will be an interesting challenge. I like the challenge. I think it’s going to be fun. I like the way, again, like I said, I like the way the guys responded today.”

Commanders hire veteran assistant for remainder of the season

Ron Rivera adding some help for the secondary for the remainder of the season.

The Washington Commanders fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and secondary coach Brent Vieselmeyer Friday — one day after a 45-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day. The loss dropped Washington to 4-8.

Head coach Ron Rivera announced he’d take over Del Rio’s responsibilities as the defensive play-caller. Additionally, Rivera said assistant secondary coach Cristian Garcia would be elevated on an interim basis to replace Vieselmeyer, while senior defensive assistant Richard Rodgers would assist Garcia and help Rivera with game planning.

On Tuesday, the Commanders surprisingly announced an outside hire. Washington hired Jim Salgago for the remainder of the season to help Garcia with the defensive backs. Salgado spent the 2023 season as the cornerbacks coach for Michigan State but had spent the previous six years with the Buffalo Bills.

Rivera spoke about Salgado’s addition on Wednesday.

“Jimmy’s a guy that did internships with us before in the past,” Rivera said. “He’s a coach I’ve known for quite some time, and a couple of times, I’ve tried to hire him. He ended up in Buffalo. He was with [Buffalo Bills Head Coach] Sean [McDermott] and [Former Buffalo Bills Coach] Leslie [Frazier] and that system, which is similar to some of the things that we do. And so, when he was at Michigan State most recently, and when the season was over, the word was they were going to change their head coach, so I reached out to him after the season was over to find out what his status was. He was available, so we got him [and] brought him in. He’s going to come in, he’s going to work with the defensive backs, and he’s just going to finish the year out for us, and then we’ll go from there.”

It’s unusual to see a team bring in a coach from the outside this late in the season, but the move is a short-term one to help the Commanders finish the season.

Commanders vs. Dolphins: Wednesday injury report for Week 13

Three players miss practice for the Commanders, including Emmanuel Forbes.

The Washington Commanders returned to practice Wednesday after a few extra days off. Washington last played on Thanksgiving Day and lost 45-10 to the Dallas Cowboys.

After the loss, Washington fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and secondary coach Brent Vieselmeyer. Head coach Ron Rivera will serve as Washington’s defensive play-caller for the remainder of the season.

The Commanders next face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Miami has the NFL’s most explosive offense, which could spell trouble for a struggling secondary.

Here’s a look at Washington’s first injury report of the week:

CB Emmanuel Forbes: DNP (elbow)
C Tyler Larsen: DNP (knee)
DE James Smith-Williams: DNP (hamstring)
FB Alex Armah: Limited (hamstring)

As for the Dolphins, they had a long injury report that featured star wide receiver Tyreek Hill and starting running back Raheem Mostert missing practice:

DNP:

WR Tyreek Hill (ankle)
S Jevon Holland (knees)
OT Kendall Lamm (back)
RB Raheem Mostert (ankle/knee)

Limited:

RB De’Von Achane (knee)
LT Terron Armstead (knee/quad)
RB Chris Brooks (knee)
DB Elijah Campbell (shoulder)
LB Bradley Chubb (knee)
WR Chase Claypool (knee)
LS Blake Ferguson (ankle)
RG Robert Hunt (hamstring)
FB Alec Ingold (foot/ankle)
OL Robert Jones (knee)
TE Durham Smythe (ankle)
C Connor Williams (illness)

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was listed on the injury report with a right arm laceration but was a full participant.

What changes will Ron Rivera make to Commanders defense?

What kind of changes should we expect from Washington’s defensive over final five games?

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera will serve as the team’s defensive coordinator for the final five games this season. On Friday, one day after Washington’s 45-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Rivera fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and secondary coach Brent Vieselmeyer.

Rivera, who made his name in the coaching world as a defensive coordinator before taking over as Carolina coach in 2011, would serve as Washington’s defensive play-caller for the remainder of the season.

While it would be tough for Rivera to make massive changes to the defense this late in the season, there are things that he will do to potentially help the Commanders improve on that side of the ball.

“Well, I think some of the things that we need to look at obviously is just creating those opportunities for the players to be successful, paring down some of the things that we’ve done from the past, and just trying to get them to play fast,” Rivera said Monday.

How can Rivera pare the defense down?

“Well, I think eliminating some of the tools, the checks that we’ve used in the past and just really almost to a point where, ‘Hey, you draw them, you write them.'”

One issue that plagued the Commanders at times under Del Rio was the constant communication issues in the secondary. After playing well last season, more was expected in 2023, particularly after Washington spent a first-round pick on cornerback Emmanuel Forbes and a second-round pick on cornerback/safety Quan Martin.

Instead of taking a step forward, Washington’s secondary has been terrible in 2023.

With respected defensive leaders like defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and cornerback Kendall Fuller, did Rivera consult with them ahead of taking over as defensive play-caller?

“That is one thing you do is you most certainly want to make sure you talk to specific guys,” Rivera said. “And that’s what I did on Friday and on Saturday and then today.”

Rivera has a difficult first assignment in his expanded role. The Commanders host the explosive Miami Dolphins in Week 13. Miami’s explosive offense is led by wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, both of whom could have huge games against Washington’s struggling secondary.

Chris Cooley: Ron Rivera did ‘a complete 180′ with Commanders’ offensive identity

Cooley weighs in on Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio.

“It’s hard to play when you know your coach is gone,” said former Washington Redskins tight end Chris Cooley as a guest on the “Kevin Sheehan Show” podcast Friday.

Indeed the Commanders have now lost five of their last six games. In their last game, the defense at times offered no resistance.

“I didn’t feel like they were going to fire Jack Del Rio this week,” Cooley said. “I didn’t know or have an expectation that they were going to fire Ron Rivera this week. I am just telling you, you have a dead coach, and you just don’t play well. Go back to the Jim Zorn era, the end of (Jay) Gruden and (Bill) Callahan.”

Cooley said he has noticed that the first time out, a team often will play much better after a coach has been fired. He said he thought Washington would play better this week against Miami and then suggested, “If you want a better draft spot, you keep Ron Rivera in place.”

The former Washington Redskins radio analyst then joked, “I really don’t care if they make Craig Hoffman the coach, they are going to win the next game if they hire an interim head coach.”

Sheehan was in stitches at this point. Cooley added (you could imagine him smiling), “It was the first name I came up with.”

Cooley said he recognized players had been repeatedly trying to say the right things the last few weeks. He said when they say things like, “The players just have to do better,” or “It is just not working,” or “Something has to change,” that it was a clear indictment of the coaches.

Cooley pointed out how Rivera insisted that soon after last season, they were committed to running the football as their main identity and controlling the clock.

Then they hired Eric Bieniemy and threw the ball more times than anyone else in the league, and with a rookie quarterback.

“Rivera had this identity, he declared, and then he did a complete 180,” Cooley said.

“If I am Del Rio at this point, I am saying, “We went from a top-10 defense to 30th in part because we throw the ball on every down. Both sides of the ball affect both sides of the ball. I am by no means making an excuse for Del Rio or the big plays they give up. But at the same time, it doesn’t help.”

“I am almost blown away that Ron Rivera fell into that ‘OK, we will just do this now.’ You would think a guy that’s been around as long as he has would have said, ‘No, this is what I want. If this is going to be my last year, I am going out doing what I want to do.'”

“If it is my last year as head coach and I am resigned to my fate, or at least I think I am, I am going down swinging the way I want to go down swinging.”

Commanders’ DT Allen: ‘Growing up here, it is more personal’

Allen defends Del Rio, while acknowledging football is a production-based business.

How does Jonathan Allen feel about this being another losing season for the Washington Commanders?

The Commanders defensive tackle made it clear to the “Sports Junkies” at 106.7 the Fan, Monday, “Growing up here and being a fan of the team, long before I played here, it’s even more personal.”

Allen continued, stating that most players get drafted and want that team to do well, but “growing up in this area, going to the training camps, following them, supporting them, rooting for them for five to ten years before I even came on this team, it sucks, because I want to win.”

“But even more importantly, I want to win here. If winning was all, I wouldn’t have signed a contract for here. I would have gone free agency and gone to the best team. Winning somewhere else wouldn’t feel the same for me.”

“The idea of winning here is something I am going to achieve before I exit this league, God willing. It is tough, but it gives me the resolve to come back year and year with even more optimism. Because I truly believe we found our quarterback…”

The “Sports Junkies” cast then asked about defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio being fired, and Allen offered some heartfelt thoughts.

“We live and play in a production-based world and a production-based league, and when the defense has played like we have played, heads are going to roll. That’s only natural,” said Allen.

“I do not think Coach Del Rio was the entirety or sole reason why we are where we are. But as the leader and the guy who leads the group, you are always going to get the blame. Like when the offense doesn’t play well, the quarterback gets the blame.”

“It’s part of the blame. It sucks. But at the end of the day, we get paid to perform. Changes are going to be made.”

“There’s nothing he did that I largely disagree with…As players, I think we could have performed better.”

“I’ve never seen a pencil win a game. It’s a coach’s job to try to put you in the best position to make plays. At the end of the day, the coach is not the one out there telling you play the double team or to catch the interception, or react fast and hustle to the ball.”

“It’s not Del Rio’s fault a guy doesn’t win his pass rush rep, or a guy loses his one-on-one man-to-man rep. I’m always going to lean more to the players could have done a better job.”

“I can point out a lot of things as to why we are not playing well. It’s a year-to-year league even when you have the same personnel.”

“I reached out to him and told him I appreciate him for everything he’s done, and I wish him and his family nothing but the best. He sent a nice message back, telling me to continue to lead and be true to who I am. We had a good relationship.”

There is more. Here is the video link to the entire conversation with Jonathan Allen.

Commanders’ Rivera a big help to owner Josh Harris

Ron Rivera made life a bit easier on Josh Harris last week.

In the last week Commanders head coach Ron Rivera has certainly made new owner Josh Harris’ job easier.

Washington lost 31-19 at home last week to the anemic N.Y. Giants. Then turned around on Thursday and looked even worse (much worse) at Dallas, being embarrassed 45-10 on national television.

What was Harris to do? How was Harris to respond Friday?

Enter head coach Ron Rivera.

Rivera reportedly contacted Harris with his plan Friday morning and Harris gave the nod to Rivera to proceed with his plan. Gone are defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and defensive backs coach Brent Vieselmayer.

As a result, Harris did not have to fire two coaches with five games remaining. Even more, instead of the constant speculation of when and what Harris was going to do, asserting his authority over the mess. The speculation is now removed; Harris can wait another five games and begin cleaning house.

I hate to say it, but the Cowboys also revealed that they had no respect for the Commanders going into last week’s debacle. I mean, Dak Prescott even went to head coach Mike McCarthy asking if he could eat turkey on the sideline during the game.

What’s more, Jerry Jones and McCarthy went along with it. No respect! They view Washington as a clown show. So, with the game easily in hand, there was Prescott on the sideline eating his turkey. It certainly helps Harris discern how the Commanders’ team is viewed around the league.

Speaking of no respect, which players has Harris himself, already determined must go? The linebackers can be seen weekly, chasing after receivers with the ball in their hands.

Benjamin St-Juste and Emmanuel Forbes sure get picked on by other teams don’t they? Imagine what Rivera will attempt to scheme for Miami when the 8-3 Dolphins come to town Sunday?

Tua Tagovailoa has completed 69.8% of his passes in 2023. He has passed for 22 touchdown passes, along with ten interceptions. Rivera will need something to impact the Dolphins passing game. Tua’s passer rating is 103.7, and his QBR is 59.5.

Rivera will have his hands full with the Dolphins offense, and perhaps he will be focused on having to develop the defensive game plan himself.

Will Rivera still insist on telling us this week about the “growth and development” of his young guys?

A good and bad weekend for the Commanders

Some good news regarding the 2024 NFL draft for the Commanders.

Week 12 of the Commanders 2023 regular season brought plenty of good and bad.

First, the bad, so we can close with the good and be encouraged.

After scoring to reduce the Dallas lead to 14-10 with under two minutes remaining in the first half, the Commanders never scored again, losing 45-10 on the nationally televised Thanksgiving Day embarrassment.

Friday morning, Ron Rivera, after saying last week he would make no changes to his staff, fired both Jack Del Rio and Brent Vieselmeyer. It was not pretty, as Rivera virtually saved himself, guaranteeing he would remain for the remainder of the season. It was bad for both players and coaches. The Commanders have lost five of their last six and are now 4-8.

The good news?

The Packers and Titans won, upping their records to 5-6 and 4-7, respectively. The N.Y. Giants defeated the Patriots, providing the Giants their fourth win. However, the Commanders have lost twice to the Giants and moved up ahead of the Giants in the 2024 draft order. The Rams improved to 5-6, moving lower away from the Commanders as well.

Just six weeks ago, the Commanders were sitting at 3-3 in the middle of the draft order. But Washington moved up this week to its now current draft order position of fifth!

That’s right, fifth! Here is the current 2024 NFL draft order:

1. Chicago (from Carolina)
2. Arizona
3. New England
4. Chicago
5. Washington

Commanders Wire would not encourage the Commanders to tank/lose deliberately. After all, obtaining the second overall selection in 2020 didn’t bring Washington any great dividends.

Yet, with Sam Howell maturing and playing fairly well, the Commanders fan base can encouraged regarding the next draft.

As it stands now, Washington will own the following selections in the first three rounds:

5
36 (from Chicago)
38
69
100 (from San Francisco)