Tag: Jack Del Rio

Commanders DC Del Rio thinks Eagles ‘tush push’ should be eliminated

Del Rio praises the Eagles, but thinks the “tush push” is more of a rugby play.

One of the most famous plays in the NFL has a unique name. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback sneak play where Jalen Hurts tries to sneak into the end zone with some help from his teammates is called the “tush push.”

The name is quite appropriate — and highly successful.

The Washington Commanders face the Eagles on Sunday, and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio respects Philadelphia but not the “tush push.”

“Well, it’s not being officiated as illegal, so we just have to prepare for it,” Del Rio said when asked for his thoughts on the play.

“I would personally like to see it eliminated, not just because they run it better than anybody, although they do run it better than anybody. But I don’t think that’s a football play. I think it’s a nice rugby play, and it’s not what we’re looking for in football. But until it’s outlawed, we’ll prepare for it and get ready to do our best to stop it.”

This is a really thoughtful response from Del Rio. And he’s far from the only one who feels this way; he’s just honest enough to express it.

Del Rio complimented the Eagles, Hurts and their offensive line. He knows how good they are. But, like many around the NFL, isn’t a big fan of the “tush push.”

If Philadelphia gets down inside the two-yard line, you can expect to see this play. It’s proven to be unstoppable because the Eagles’ offensive line is arguably the best in the NFL. Additionally, Hurts has the size and fearlessness to make it work.

As expected, Del Rio’s comments didn’t sit too well with Philadelphia fans, who criticize, well, everything.

Jack Del Rio on Montez Sweat: ‘He’s dialed in’

Montez Sweat looked like an All-Pro candidate in Week 1.

Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio saw big things for defensive end Montez Sweat in 2023. This summer, Del Rio said Sweat’s numbers would “explode” once he started finishing more.

Last season, defensive tackle Daron Payne was playing on his fifth-year option, and there was a lot of uncertainty beyond the 2022 season. How did Payne respond? He had a career year, establishing career-highs in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks. The Commanders responded by placing the franchise tag on Payne.

Many figured Payne would play the 2023 season on the franchise tag because that’s how things have transpired in Washington. But the Commanders took care of Payne, signing him to a four-year, $90 million contract just before free agency began.

Sweat was paying attention. He said Payne showed him the “blueprint” on how to get your bag.”

So what does Sweat need to do to cash in next offseason?

Here’s what Del Rio said in June:

“I think he’s been very disruptive, done a lot of really good things,” Del Rio said of Sweat. “I mean, he’s a good football player, and when he starts finishing at a higher rate, his numbers are gonna explode. I anticipate him having that kind of a year for us.”

In Week 1, Sweat made what was arguably the play of the game, sacking Arizona quarterback Joshua Dobbs and forcing a fumble that Payne recovered. Quarterback Sam Howell would then lead Washington on what would be the game-winning touchdown drive.

Sweat had five tackles, two of which were for loss, two forced fumbles and 1.5 sacks in the season opener.

On Thursday, Del Rio weighed in on Sweat’s performance.

“Well, I the biggest thing is we harped all along about the finish, and he ends up doing some nice finishing,” Del Rio said of Sweat. “So, yeah, he’s dialed in. He’s going after things, and really, that finish element is part of it. He’s gonna be around the quarterback. He’s a talented rusher.”

Sweat couldn’t have asked for a better start to his contract year. The key, of course, is following up that performance. Sweat’s career-high is nine sacks, which he set in 2020. If he follows Payne’s blueprint, Sweat could shatter his previous career-highs in 2023.

 

Commanders preparing for both Cardinals QBs ahead of Week 1

The Commanders may have an idea about who will start, but they are preparing both Arizona QBs.

The Washington Commanders host the Arizona Cardinals Sunday from FedEx Field to kick off the 2023 season. And there is still some uncertainty about who will play quarterback for the Cardinals.

Will it be recently acquired journeyman Joshua Dobbs or fifth-round rookie Clayton Tune? Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon has refused to say publicly, but the news leaked that the Cardinals planned to start Dobbs.

Washington head coach Ron Rivera said he understood what the Cardinals were doing this week. As a coach, you are always looking for a competitive advantage. Gannon doesn’t owe it to Washington or fantasy owners to say who will start at quarterback.

So, how are the Commanders preparing for the Cardinals? It’s easy, said defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. You study them both.

“Study them both,” Del Rio said, per Zach Selby of commanders.com. “Study everything that we can, which includes Cleveland, Philadelphia, Dobbs in Tennessee. Just doing all the due diligence and work that you can leading up to an opener.”

The Cardinals are in this position because they cut presumed starter Colt McCoy during training camp. McCoy was the backup to Kyler Murray, who suffered a torn ACL late last season and is still recovering from the injury.

Jack Del Rio pleased with Commanders rookie defensive backs

The defensive coordinator is pleased with Emmanuel Forbes and Quan Martin’s development.

Washington defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio made it clear how much he liked first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes after the Commanders selected him at No. 16 overall in the 2023 NFL draft. Head coach Ron Rivera couldn’t wait to tell Del Rio he got his guy.

Not only was Del Rio excited, but so was defensive backs coach Brent Vieselmeyer.

The Commanders released a video after the draft of the defensive coaches meeting with Forbes. It didn’t take long for Del Rio to sing the praises of the first-round pick.

The biggest knock on Forbes ahead of the draft was his size. Forbes weighed 166 pounds at the NFL combine. That did not concern Washington’s coaches, as Forbes’ success over the past three seasons in the SEC was proof of the type of player he’d be in the NFL.

After coaching Forbes in OTAs, training camp and through two preseason games, how does Del Rio view Forbes’ progression?

“Yeah, I think he’s doing just that coming along, working, getting comfortable within the scheme and things we’re asking him to do, and communicating with his teammates,” Del Rio said. “So, showed up a couple times, you know, he is going to have to do that, you know, when corner crack replace is called on, and him showing up, he is done that in each of the games. So that’s encouraging.”

Did Del Rio have any concerns about Forbes’ physicality?

“Nope,” Del Rio answered. “Just had to be verified. That’s just part of it, so for anybody that’s out there.”

The Commanders selected another defensive back in the second round. Quan Martin went No. 47 overall to Washington. The versatile former Illinois star can play all over the secondary. Martin can play outside cornerback, slot cornerback and safety. It’s been an up-and-down preseason for Martin. He was beaten for a touchdown in the opener but picked off a pass in the end zone against Baltimore on Monday night.

While the interception was an outstanding play, Martin was beaten initially.

Del Rio is not one bit concerned with Martin.

“Quan’s been outstanding, really,” Del Rio said. “He’s had some errors that were noticeable, but he doesn’t make the same mistake twice. He’s a guy that’s had a lot thrown at him, and I think he’s handled it very well. I like the way he approaches things. He’s a good young man that works hard, cares a lot, and he’s being exposed to a lot.”

Fans need to remain patient with Martin. Some do not realize what Martin is being asked to do on any given play. Was he beaten in each of the first two games? Yes. But it’s the preseason of his rookie season. Settle down. Coaches trust Martin, therefore, they are throwing a lot at him in the preseason, which is the perfect time for experimentation.

It remains to be seen what role Martin will play in 2023. Kendall Fuller, Benjamin St-Juste and Forbes are the top three corners, while Darrick Forrest and Kamren Curl are the starting safeties. Washington’s coaches are preparing Martin to handle multiple responsibilities in 2023. Martin’s versatility is a luxury the Commanders didn’t have in 2022.

 

What does Jack Del Rio want from his defense in 2023?

Del Rio wants two things from his defense in 2023.

Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio clearly wants more turnovers in 2023. It’s a big reason why Del Rio was so excited to draft cornerback Emmanuel Forbes in the first round of April’s draft.

By any metric you trust last season, whether it’s traditional statistics or advanced stats, Washington’s defense was ranked in the top 10. Washington’s defense was terrific outside of forcing turnovers, especially on third downs.

In speaking to the media after Wednesday’s practice, Del Rio was clear that he wanted to see his group improve in two areas. One was turnovers. The other was to start fast.

The Commanders have been plagued by slow starts in recent years on offense and defense, and the team never recovers. Del Rio wants that to change.

“Big focus, two things, start fast,” Del Rio said. “We wanna make sure we’re doing that. Start the season fast, start series’ fast, start the games fast, so that’s the number one emphasis.”

What prevented Washington’s defense from starting fast in recent seasons?

“You gotta be sharp, “Del Rio answered. “You gotta be on top of it. No mental mistakes. Physically have yourself trained and ready to go. It’s all the details that we’re working on. It’s like when you’re talking about athletes preparing for a season; there’s just a certain level of focus that we have kind of kicked in after experiencing some things early and then growing. Well, we’ve done that; now it’s time to start fast, and that’s gonna be a rallying cry for us for this season.”

Del Rio also touched on turnovers.

“Since I’ve been here, we’ve been mostly in the top five or so in the league as far as stopping people from gaining yards,” he said. “Third down, last year was really good. Those are important things that continue to do well, but we need to generate more turnovers for the health of the team. Another turnover here or there in several of the ball games could make the difference between four or five wins or not.”

Del Rio is right. For a team that plays many close games, a turnover could make the difference between a heartbreaking loss or a big-time win. How many Washington games last season could’ve been flipped if the defense forced more turnovers?

If we look back at three Washington wins [at Philly, at Houston, and the season finale vs. Dallas], turnovers played a huge role in the Commanders’ wins. There just wasn’t enough of them. A turnover could aid a struggling offense with terrific field position, or, as cornerback Kendall Fuller did twice last season, a touchdown on defense is even better.

Washington’s defense should force more turnovers in 2023. Defensive end Chase Young could make a huge difference up front. Then you add in Forbes, an interception machine, Washington’s ability to force turnovers looks much better this season.

Ron Rivera clarifies comments regarding Eric Bieniemy

Rivera explains his comments from Tuesday, allowing everyone to move on and focus on Friday’s preseason opener.

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera said something on Tuesday he knew he’d probably like to have back. In discussing new offensive coordinator/assistant head coach Eric Bieniemy, Rivera said some players “were a little concerned” with Bieniemy’s intensity.

The comments created a firestorm, leading many to ask if Washington players were soft and others to question why Rivera would even say that.

On Wednesday, Rivera spoke to reporters before training camp practice and offered some clarification on his comments, saying he talked to Bieniemy and acknowledged he put his foot in his mouth.

“I basically told him I put my foot in my mouth,” Rivera said via Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. “I think what I said wasn’t as clear as I needed to be. I think the understanding of it is just the fact that I think everybody’s making, in my opinion, a little bit more than needs to be made of this.”

Rivera is right. People are making a bit too much of his comments. Rivera noted on Tuesday that if players had any questions or concerns that they should speak to Bieniemy directly, and some had and were enlightened by their discussion with Bieniemy.

Another comment Rivera addressed Wednesday was his comparison of Bieniemy to defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio.

“Eric has an approach, and it’s the way he does things, and he’s not going to change because he believes in it,” Rivera said Tuesday. “Jack has his approach; having been a head coach, I think Jack has a tendency to try and figure guys out a little bit more as opposed to, hey, this is it, this is the way it’s going to be that type of stuff. Where Eric hasn’t had that experience yet.”

On Wednesday, he offered further explanation.

“I was just trying to convey that we all have our own way of doing things,” Rivera said Wednesday, per John Keim of ESPN. “Neither one is better than the other. I had Buddy Ryan riding me for two years. I had Mike Ditka riding me for nine. It’s the way they did things. Their approach is different than mine. We all have our own ways.”

While Rivera shouldn’t have gone into detail in his answers regarding Bieniemy on Tuesday, this was likely much ado about nothing.

Now, Rivera, Bieniemy and Washington players can focus on Friday’s preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns.

Commanders linebacker Khaleke Hudson’s stock continues to rise

Khaleke Hudson continues to stand out.

There has been a lot of hype around Washington Commanders linebacker Khaleke Hudson since his Week 18 performance against the Dallas Cowboys.

The 25-year-old fourth-year linebacker earned praise for his effort in the win over the Cowboys. Hudson had primarily played special teams in his first three NFL seasons, but for the first time in his career, he played 100% of the defensive snaps.

Coaches and teammates praised Hudson’s effort in the win.

Throughout the offseason, we kept hearing Hudson’s name. In OTAs, defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio couldn’t say enough good things about Hudson.

“Guys like Khaleke Hudson have been really been playing outstanding,” Del Rio said in June. “I think gained a little bit of confidence from that last outing against Dallas. He went out there and played really well, and so he’s coming to the offseason full of energy and getting a lot of reps because Jamin is not going.”

With starting linebacker Jamin Davis sidelined during OTAs as he recovered from a knee procedure, Hudson stood out. Hudson continued that early into training camp, and head coach Ron Rivera noticed.

“Oh, I thought Khaleke has done some really good things,” Rivera said. “He’s flying around. Very positive attitude. Very good approach to everything, and he’s learning more than just the one position now. You know, and in light of some of the things he did last year, especially in the last game of the season. We’ve noticed. We’ve noticed an improvement, and we’ve noticed a guy also just playing with confidence as well.”

So much has been made of Washington’s refusal to add more linebackers in the draft or free agency. We know Washington views the linebacker position differently than most. The Commanders often employ just two traditional linebackers, sometimes one, and Davis has one of those spots. There is also Cody Barton, who signed in the offseason and has continued to impress this summer.

Then you have Hudson. Hudson has proven he can play both spots — and well. That means the Commanders have good depth there, whether Hudson moves into the starting lineup or spells Davis and/or Barton.

Whether he begins the season as a starter or not, Hudson will be a valuable piece to Washington’s potentially outstanding defense in 2023.

Commanders HC Ron Rivera’s comments might not be as bad as many suggest

Were Rivera’s comments overblown?

Ron Rivera threw Eric Bieniemy under the bus Tuesday. Or did he?

Most of the responses to what Rivera expressed Tuesday before the media have been quite negative.

Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post inquired, “Have players had to adapt to Eric Bieniemy’s intensity and have any struggled with it at times?”

What Rivera revealed was that, of course, some have. It’s not surprising. Longtime insider Rick Snider even commented last week that Bieniemy was dropping F-bombs repeatedly where fans and children were hearing it.

Rivera revealed, “I have had a number of guys come to me…” That was surprising. Perhaps he didn’t have to reveal it, but I found the honesty to have integrity. I mean, if you don’t think Bieniemy’s style is going to rub several players the wrong way, aren’t you being naive?

Where Coach Ron did not err, in my view, was that Coach Ron didn’t baby his players. Neither did Coach Ron emasculate nor backstab Bieniemy.

No, Rivera told the players if they have a problem with Bieniemy, they need to first talk to Bienemy about it. Now, some of you apparently don’t get it, but that is good leadership.

Rivera created an avenue where “a number of players” concerned about Bieniemy’s approach and coaching style could talk it out with Bieniemy. In my opinion, that was actually good news. The players needed to muster the courage to confront the right person, and Bieniemy needed to hear it.

Bieniemy is not perfect in his coaching communication; he is not going to handle each situation properly. So why should he think he is exempt from poor communication at times? Why should he be exempt from confrontation?

In my view, too much is being made of this revelation by Coach Rivera’s comments Tuesday. It is not merely the volcano so many are making it out to be.

Andy Reid talked up Eric Bieniemy quite a bit, hoping EB would find a new job. Reid clearly wanted Matt Nagy in the role of Chiefs offensive coordinator. Isn’t it a real probability that Bieniemy had worn out his welcome and some were tired of his constant volume?

Isn’t it also part of the reality that the Commanders offense has under-performed in Rivera’s three seasons in Washington? Isn’t it very likely that Bieniemy’s intensity could be a good thing needed for the Commanders offensive personnel?

It actually concerned me when Rivera later made his comparison of Bieniemy with defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. Yes, Del Rio has been an NFL head coach for 12 seasons. That is a tremendous amount of experience. Yet, I don’t know why Rivera would make that comparison publicly. Shouldn’t that have been made between only Rivera and Bieniemy?

“Hey Eric, your intensity is tremendous for us. Thank you for bringing such an urgency to us. However, there is a time and a place for everything. Take Jack, for example, he is demanding, and you need to figure out how you can still be a demanding coach, sometimes quietly, and not cursing the guys so loudly and so often.”

Linebacker Cody Barton among the early standouts for the Commanders in training camp

One Washington legend is high on the new linebacker.

The Washington Commanders agreed to terms with linebacker Cody Barton on the first day of the legal tampering period this spring. Washington signed Barton to a modest one-year deal worth $3.5 million.

The Commanders had signed Barton to play Mike linebacker, with last year’s starter, Cole Holcomb, still in play to return. However, once Barton landed with Washington, Holcomb agreed to a three-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Mike linebacker position was Barton’s to lose in 2023.

While Barton learned the offense in the spring, he now looks completely comfortable through the first week of training camp.

Barton has been active in training camp thus far, particularly when the pads came on this week. Barton stood out, stuffing running lanes behind Washington’s vaunted defensive line. Barton has looked confident and fast thus far.

Barton has also looked comfortable in coverage.

In a recent appearance on “The Kevin Sheehan Show” podcast, former Washington tight end and longtime analyst Rick “Doc” Walker joined to offer his observations on training camp after one week.

Sheehan asked about specific players, including Barton.

“Love him,” Walker said.

“Cody is the kind of guy that’s on all really good teams. He’s not a combine guy, but as soon as you put the pads on today, he stands out like a sore thumb. He’s a contact freak. He’s athletic enough and got size. He’s going to be a terror. He’s a terror.”

Jamin Davis entered the 2023 season as the only “sure thing” at linebacker. And the third-year former first-round pick is far from a sure thing. Sure, he improved last season, but the coaching staff wants more from Davis. Davis had a procedure this offseason, leading him to miss OTAs, which left him a bit behind entering training camp.

Davis is also dealing with a legal issue involving a reckless driving concision, opening the door for Barton and Khaleke Hudson to impress.

Ultimately, Washington would love for Barton and Davis to start, with Hudson serving as the third linebacker in 2023.

Head coach Ron Rivera and defensive linebacker Jack Del Rio, former NFL starting linebackers, have often been criticized for what fans felt like ignoring the linebacker position.

Have they finally found their guy in Barton? We won’t know until the games begin, but the early signs are encouraging.

 

Ranking Commanders 25 most important players for 2023: No. 11

The Commanders need Jamin Davis to take another step forward in 2023.

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As we look toward the 2023 regular season, we count down the most important players for the Washington Commanders ahead of training camp. On Saturday, No. 12 was center Nick Gates.

We continue our countdown today with No. 11, linebacker Jamin Davis.

The Commanders haven’t made a big commitment to the linebacker position since Ron Rivera took over as head coach in 2020. That’s interesting, considering Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio were both successful longtime NFL linebackers.

They did make one significant addition, though, selecting Jamin Davis in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. Washington envisioned Davis being its Mike linebacker of the future. However, Davis struggled early, looking more comfortable on the outside.

In 2022, Davis started on the outside with Cole Holcomb inside. He appeared in 16 games, starting 15, recording 104 tackles, including nine for loss and three sacks. Davis’ numbers improved, and so did his play. While he didn’t make what many consider game-changing plays, Davis was often in the right place, tackled well and his anticipation looked much better than in 2021.

Before the draft, Davis was praised for his speed and athleticism. But sometimes, as a rookie, he didn’t always look fast because he wasn’t trusting his eyes. Del Rio seemed to use the press to motivate Davis at times. And it appeared to work.

The following shows Davis quickly recognizing the play and running toward the line of scrimmage to make the stop for a short gain on third down.

The next play shows a little bit of everything with Davis.

The expectation is Cody Barton will start alongside Davis. However, Barton needs to hold off Khaleke Hudson, and that’s easier said than done. If Davis can take the step in his development, Washington’s defense could be on the verge of being elite. The combo of Davis and Hudson could give the Commanders one of the more athletic linebacking duos in the NFL.