Tag: Jay Gruden

Commanders request permission to interview Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris

Morris spent three seasons in Washington working under Mike Shanahan and Jay Gruden.

You can add the name of Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris to the list of potential candidates to become the next head coach of the Washington Commanders.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Commanders have requested permission to speak with Morris for their vacant head coaching position.

Morris, 47, has an impressive resume. He began his NFL coaching career in 2002 with Tampa Bay as a quality control assistant. He spent four seasons with the Buccaneers before accepting the defensive coordinator position at Kansas State in 2006.

He returned to the Bucs in 2007 as defensive backs coach under Jon Gruden. When Gruden was fired at the end of the 2009 season, Morris was promoted to head coach in 2009. In three seasons as head coach, Morris had a record of 17-31. In 2020, he was named interim head coach of the Falcons, where he had a record of 4-7.

After his stint as head coach of Tampa Bay, Morris served as Washington’s secondary coach for three seasons from 2012-14. For two years, he was on the staff of Mike Shanahan, along with Kyle Shanahan, Matt LaFleur and Sean McVay. Jay Gruden retained Morris in 2014.

In 2015, Morris moved on to Atlanta, serving in multiple roles until his interim head coaching stint in 2020.

He was named the Rams defensive coordinator in 2021.

Rivera discusses how difficult it is to find a franchise quarterback

Rivera talks how hard it was to find a franchise QB, and even mentioned Alex Smith and Jay Gruden.

Ron Rivera is likely entering his final days as head coach of the Washington Commanders. Rivera accepted his fate months ago and heads into this weekend’s game against the Dallas Cowboys, realizing it’s probably his last game as coach.

On Wednesday, the coach was in a reflective mood when reporters were discussing his time in Washington. One of the questions for Rivera focused on the franchise’s inability to find a franchise quarterback. This isn’t only a Rivera problem; it’s one that has plagued the organization for years.

Rivera acknowledged how difficult it has been, but, correctly said it’s not only difficult for Washington, but it’s tough for every team.

“In all honesty, that’s probably been the biggest crux of it all, is trying to find that guy,” Rivera said. “I mean, that’s the hardest thing for anybody. It doesn’t matter whether you’re here or that you’re at one of the other places that are looking for that guy. I mean, you’re fortunate if you get a head coaching job where there’s a guy, you better relish that, and you better succeed.”

He’s 100% correct. Some will look at this as Rivera blaming others for his lack of success. He has made plenty of mistakes at the quarterback position alone. There’s no debating that, but he is correct in saying that head coaches are not going to consistently win if they don’t have a franchise quarterback.

Rivera then spoke of the regime before him that featured quarterback Alex Smith and former head coach Jay Gruden.

“I’ve said this before, if you know a guy like Alex Smith if he never gets hurt, I never come here because I think Jay and what they were doing would’ve continued,” Rivera said.

Before he came to Washington, Rivera was the head coach in Carolina, where he was Cam Newton’s head coach for nine seasons. So, he understood what it meant to have a franchise passer.

“I mean, you get a guy like that, man, you run with it. I promise you that. It would’ve been cool to have a guy like that, it really would’ve, because I think there’s a lot of talent in that room. I think there are some good playmakers. In the last four weeks, we’ve only given up three sacks. So, there’s some potential there. But to have a guy that’s been there, that’s been developed, that’s pretty cool. I promise you that if you go there, you’re a head coach and you got to have success. You should.”

You can appreciate Rivera’s honesty here. What he is saying is true, although Washington wasn’t lighting up the scoreboard with Smith under center in 2018 before his unfortunate injury. No one would debate the impact Smith had in the locker room and who he was as a leader, though.

Gruden, before Rivera, was also a victim of not having a franchise quarterback. Unfortunately for Gruden, he did have one in Kirk Cousins, but Cousins was never going to re-sign with Washington as long as Bruce Allen and Dan Snyder were in charge. While Cousins isn’t considered an elite quarterback, he is a borderline top-10 passer and was playing at an MVP level for the Vikings this season before his injury.

Rivera never tried to develop a young quarterback in his first three seasons with Washington. After seeing a then-rookie, Sam Howell, play well vs. Dallas in Week 18 last season, Rivera put everything on Howell as the future heading into 2023. At times, Rivera looked wise for making that bold move as Howell looked like a future franchise QB at times, but his play has trended downward throughout the second half of the season.

It’s also true that Rivera didn’t exactly set Howell up for success. The offensive line was a mess heading into the season and while it has improved lately, it’s too little too late.

Now, as Rivera departs, his greatest gift to Washington will be the potential No. 2 overall pick that the next regime will likely use to choose the Commanders’ quarterback of the future.

Interestingly enough, Rivera came to Washington in 2020 and had the No. 2 overall pick. He chose defensive end Chase Young, who he traded in October.

Meanwhile, Miami selected Tua Tagovailoa, and the Chargers selected Justin Herbert a few picks later. At the time, it seemed like a good move, considering Young was considered a generational prospect who could impact games as an elite pass rusher. That never happened after a promising rookie season.

While Tagovailoa has blossomed under Mike McDaniel with the Dolphins, if Rivera could go back, Herbert would’ve been the slam-dunk choice.

Unfortunately, no one in life has the ability to make decisions with the benefit of hindsight. Don’t expect Washington’s next regime to pass on a quarterback with a top-three pick, though.

Is this Washington team one of the worst in franchise history?

We look at some of the worst seasons in franchise history over the last 30 years. Which is the worst?

The 2023 season has sadly turned into one of the more disappointing seasons in Washington NFL history since the NFL merger.

Some may ask if this team is one of the worst teams in modern franchise history? There have certainly been other Washington teams that could be considered to be some of the worst teams in franchise history.

Yet, sadly this team losing as it has the last two weeks (45-10, 45-15) can’t help us wonder if this team will lose the remainder of their games, finishing the season at 4-13.

2013

The 2013 team first comes to mind. That team was awful on offense and defense. They were 29th in scoring offense and 30th in scoring defense. They did conclude the season, losing their last eight games, finishing 3-13. That coaching staff was loaded (Mike Shanahan, Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur, Mike McDaniel), but the team entirely unraveled largely due to Daniel Snyder and Robert Griffin.

2019

The 2019 team began the season losing their first five games, and head coach Jay Gruden was fired. That team struggled terribly at quarterback, and the offense was dead last in scoring. That team also finished 3-13, earned the second overall draft selection, and chose Chase Young in the 2020 NFL draft.

2009

Jim Zorn’s second and final season as head coach was with the 2009 team. The defense was actually 18th in scoring defense but 26th in scoring offense. The final two home games were the worst of the season. Against the Giants, Zorn attempted the Swinging Gate to end a half as Washington fell embarrassingly 45-12. The following week, they were shut out by Dallas 17-0. That team finished 4-12.

1994

The 1994 team was Norv Turner’s first as an NFL head coach. Though they had the 13th-scoring offense, they were the 28th-scoring defense, finishing 3-13. This team started three quarterbacks (Heath Shuler, Gus Frerotte and John Friesz). The team had a five-game losing streak and another 7-game losing streak.

1993

1993 was a shockingly horrible season. Joe Gibbs had retired following the 1992 season in which there was a road playoff win at Minnesota. Richie Petitbon, Gibb’s long-time defensive coordinator, became Gibbs’s successor. Washington actually defeated Dallas 35-16, opening Monday Night Football, but then lost six straight. Being so spoiled by the Joe Gibbs teams, this season for me might have been the worst because it was so shocking to see the franchise play so poorly, and have such a bad team.

 

 

Jay Gruden says it’s like a ‘fire drill’ every time Sam Howell drops back to pass

Gruden discussed his culture tweet, Sam Howell’s lack of protection and Washington not looking like an NFL defense.

Former Washington head coach joined “The Chris Russell Show” on Team 980 Monday for his regular weekly appearance during the NFL season. Gruden not only reviews the most recent Commanders’ game but other action from around the NFL.

Before Gruden dove into Washington’s latest loss to the Miami Dolphins, Russell asked him about his tweet after the game ended on Sunday.

Here’s the tweet:

Washington fans, obviously angry, felt it was a cheap shot from Gruden, while others agreed with him.

On Monday, Gruden was honest about his message.

“Yeah, basically, that was kind of my going away present was the horrible culture I left behind. Which I didn’t figure was that bad, but a lot of people said it,” Gruden said via Lou DiPietro of Audacy. “So I just reacted to it. I just thought after four or five years they’d have the right people in there, and it’d be a much better place, but it looks like it’s worse.”

Gruden is referring to his firing in 2019 and former owner Dan Snyder and current coach Ron Rivera’s constant comments about the improved culture under the new regime.

Yet, Rivera’s winning percentage in four seasons is .421, while Gruden’s was .418 in less than six full seasons. Gruden did have two winning seasons in Washington, something Rivera has never done and something Mike Shanahan only did once.

Next, Gruden discussed Washington’s defense.

“They can’t stop the run, don’t get a pass rush, can’t cover, and are in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Gruden said, summing up Washington’s defensive problems. “They just don’t look like they’re in sync, they don’t look like they’re fast or tough…they look confused, and they don’t look like an NFL defense right now. It’s just weird watching them on tape.”

Gruden, a former college quarterback and NFL offensive coordinator, has praised quarterback Sam Howell this season. Gruden sees some of Howell’s shortcomings, but has overall been impressed with the young quarterback.

He isn’t impressed with the pass protection, something almost anyone who watches Washington play can understand.

“I see a fire drill on every snap when Sam Howell goes back to pass. It’s not good,” Gruden said when asked if Howell had regressed recently.

“The protection is poor, and this poor guy just needs some help because he’s playing his tail off. I have a lot of respect for Sam and the way he plays and competes, but from a system standpoint, he’s just not getting a lot of help. It’s just, ‘Sam, you go out there and scramble, try to find somebody open.’ I mean, if he couldn’t run, I don’t know if they would have got a completion. It’s just a weird dynamic of what’s going on this late in the season. There seems to be a lot of protection issues and a lot of miscommunication as far as receivers and backs.”

While Howell has started 13 games this season, it’s almost impossible to fairly evaluate him. The pass protection has been terrible; he has lacked a consistent running game, and the ups and downs of his first year as a starter wouldn’t be so glaring if Washington’s defense had played up to expectations.

What did Jay Gruden think of Jack Del Rio’s firing?

Jay Gruden weighs in on Jack Del Rio’s firing. He isn’t wrong.

Former Washington head coach Jay Gruden is a frequent guest on several Washington-area radio shows and podcasts these days. Gruden coached Washington from 2014 through the first five games of the 2019 season, when he was fired after starting 0-5.

While some think Gruden comes on local airwaves to “hate on” the Commanders, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Gruden praises Washington and offers excellent insight into players, schemes and game situations. He also provides analysis on the rest of the NFL, too.

Gruden recently opened a Twitter — or X — account. You can see Gruden’s personality in some of his tweets. He’s never afraid to bust his own chops from his time as a coach.

On Friday, Gruden had a different response to the Washington Commanders firing defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio.

He’s right. Despite the franchise’s enormous amount of investments on that side of the ball, Washington’s defense was terrible under Del Rio in two of his four seasons.

But Gruden had one more tweet on the matter, and it was personal.

So, what was Gruden talking about?

It could be this.

Need more context?

Del Rio was fired as the Raiders head coach after the 2017 season. Why? So owner Mark Davis could bring Jay’s brother, Jon, to coach the Raiders, whom he coached from 1998-2001.

Jay Gruden likely remembered Del Rio’s comments about his brother from 2021.

As for Del Rio, he was no stranger to controversial comments himself, which earned him a fine in 2022.

Jay Gruden on Sam Howell: ‘He’s been outstanding’

Jay Gruden praises Sam Howell’s development.

Former Washington head coach Jay Gruden certainly knows good — and bad — quarterback play. Gruden played a significant role in the development of former Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins during their time together before Cousins left as a free agent in 2018.

Unfortunately for Gruden, he was often saddled with bad quarterbacks during his time in Washington, whom former owner Dan Snyder and ex-GM Bruce Allen handpicked.

These days, Gruden freelances as an NFL analyst and pays specific attention to his former team as a weekly guest on multiple Washington-area radio shows.

This week, in an appearance on “Grant and Danny” on 106.7 The Fan, Gruden broke down Commanders quarterback Sam Howell’s performance in a 29-26 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

It’s safe to say Gruden was impressed by the second-year quarterback.

“I thought he played a great game,” Gruden said via Lou DiPietro of Audacy.

“The one fumble was too bad, a great run where he was trying to get a couple of extra yards and didn’t hold on to the ball, but other than that, he made some unbelievable plays; off schedule, in the pocket, deep throws. I mean, really, there’s not a lot not to like about Sam at this point, the last three games. He’s been outstanding.”

Gruden also praised offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy but couldn’t contain his praise for Howell’s continued growth.

“Really, it’s about Sam Howell’s development,” Gruden continued. “I think the way Sam Howell is developing at this rate, right now for a young quarterback, I would say, yes, give him an opportunity.”

Some are critical of Gruden, calling him bitter, but if you listen to him, he’s an insightful analyst with an excellent sense of humor. He’s a much better listen than many of the TV analysts.

When they last met: Commanders and Patriots

The last time these two teams played was the end of the Jay Gruden era.

“When they last met” is an ongoing series during the NFL season, recalling the preceding game between Washington and the next opponent on the Commanders’ schedule.

New England 33, Washington 7 – Week 4, October 6, 2019

This was the last game in the Jay Gruden era, as the Washington Redskins fell to the New England Patriots 33-7 at FedEx Field in Landover, MD.

Gruden was then fired, as Washington had opened the season losing their first five games of 2019. Offensive line coach Bill Callahan was named the interim head coach and would win in his first game the next Sunday at Miami.

After an exchange of punts, the Redskins from their 35, had receiver Steven Sims line up as a flanker on the left side. Colt McCoy had to Sims on an end around, Sims moving from left to right. Sims broke a tackle at his own 45, and sprinted down the left sideline, putting Washington on top 7-0.

It was the last time Washington would score all day.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady threw touchdown passes to Julian Edelman (6 yards), Brandon Bolden (29 yards) and Ryan Izzo (10 yards), while kicker Mike Nugent added field goals from 37 and 23 yards. Sony Michel also ran for a 14-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

Colt McCoy struggled against the Patriots defense, passing for only 122 yards and being sacked six times. The Patriots outgained Washington 442-223, accumulating 23 first downs while limiting Washington to a mere 11.

The Washington defense limited the Patriots in the first half to only a 12-7 lead. However, the Patriots offense came out dominating Washington in the second half and they outscored their burgundy and gold opponents 21-0.

Jay Gruden: Sam Howell making his case to be Commanders’ franchise quarterback

Gruden with some praise for Sam Howell.

Former Washington head coach Jay Gruden still watches his former team closely. Gruden doesn’t only watch the Commanders, as he’s an analyst for the NFL with The 33rd Team. But Gruden is also a frequent guest of some of the local D.C. radio stations, so he sees every Washington game.

The former college quarterback, NFL offensive coordinator and head coach understands quarterback play. Gruden doesn’t often receive enough credit for the development of Andy Dalton and Kirk Cousins, a pair of quarterbacks who may not have the talent of elite QBs but are still playing to this day. And regardless of what Washington fans may think, Cousins is still playing well.

As for Washington’s current quarterback, Sam Howell, Gruden likes Howell. What did he think of Howell’s performance in an otherwise embarrassing performance from the Commanders on Thursday Night Football?

“Sam Howell is making a case to be the franchise quarterback for sure,” Gruden said.

“He’s a tough, competitive guy. And that’s what Washington needs right now. They need competitiveness. Their offensive line is not playing that well right now. They need a quarterback with some toughness, a guy that can get out of trouble and make some tough throws. And Sam’s doing that. He’s taking a lot of sacks; they’re leading the league in giving up sacks. And Sam’s part of that for holding the ball. He’s young; he’s still getting to know the offense with Eric Bieniemy. And they’ll come along as the season goes on.”

Some excellent analysis, as always, from Gruden.

While he likes what Howell is doing, he’s far more concerned with Washington’s defense.

 

Jay Gruden ‘probably’ would have had the Commanders go for two

Gruden wasn’t being critical of Rivera, understanding what a tough decision he had to make, calling it a “gut feeling.”

Former Washington coach Jay Gruden said on Monday he “probably would have gone for the two-point conversion” against the Eagles Sunday.

Gruden was making his weekly appearance on the “Chris Russell Show,” broadcast on The Team 980, Monday through Friday, 1-4 p.m.

“I probably would have on the road. I think you need 2 and a half yards to get the victory. You put it in your players’ hands and let them do it.”

Gruden quickly countered that, on the other hand, you also put the game in the players’ hands when you determine to kick the extra point and go to overtime. Then Gruden went full circle, stating that coach Ron Rivera had said his guys were gassed, so Gruden felt that might be all the more reason not to have them have to play overtime against the Eagles but try to win the game with the one play.

All of that being said, the former Redskins head coach was not being critical of current Commanders head coach Ron Rivera. Gruden clarified there is not a simple correct or wrong answer about it. It is how the coach “feels” about that particular game at that particular time.

“It is a gut feeling. It is something you want to put your team in the best position to win the football game…It’s such a tough call for people to make. Nobody can really understand how hard it is in the heat of the moment to make a call like that.”

Gruden then pointed out the extra point is not automatic either, seeing the long snapper Camaron Cheeseman has had his own difficulties with his snaps back to Tress Way on kicking attempts. He also reminded listeners that the extra point is now the equivalent of a 32-yard field goal, whereas, for decades, it was a 20-yard kick.

“I am not going to stand on the table here and say Ron is an idiot for not going for two,” expressed Gruden.

Where Gruden did feel free to question was the final Eagles pass completion on a 3rd & 17 at the Washington 45. Gruden questioned why defensive backs were playing so far off, allowing a 9-yard completion, which allowed the Eagles to attempt the game-winning 54-yard field goal.

 

 

Jay Gruden on Commanders: ‘It was hard to watch’

Some good perspective from a former quarterback and head coach.

The Commanders took major steps backward in Sunday’s Week 3, 37-3 loss to the Buffalo Bills, according to Jay Gruden.

Gruden was appearing for his weekly appearance on “The Chris Russell Show” on The Team 980 weekdays from 1-4 p.m ET.

“I really didn’t see a lot of separation by the receivers; Buffalo did a great job of matching the routes, playing tight coverage,” added Gruden.

Gruden expressed that for a young quarterback who is getting his first starts in his career, it is difficult for them not to get stuck on a receiver. Thus, when the coverage was as good as was the Bills, Sunday, Sam Howell was then holding the ball, resulting in more sacks and quarterback hits.

For the record, the Bills sacked Howell nine times. When they didn’t sack Howell, they recorded an additional 15 quarterback hits and also intercepted him four times.

The former University of Louisville quarterback stated that during the game, when the coaches are talking to Howell through the helmet technology, they should be reminding him often to “check down.”

Gruden clarified, saying you might not need to do this with an experienced veteran, but you really should be proactive in your communication with an inexperienced guy like Howell.

The former Redskins head coach (2014-19) pointed out there are different ways to help protect your quarterback, saying, “You keep a couple of extra guys in to protect, which means you will only have a two and three-man route. You can also come up with three-level throws. You can double-team a defensive end from time to time to give your outside lineman some relief from time to time.”

The former Bengals and Jaguars offensive coordinator admitted, “It is a head-scratcher because it is not like Robinson (Brian) was getting stuffed each time he ran the ball. He was getting four and five yards.”

“When you have a young quarterback, you have to take some pressure off of him, throwing a screen pass, throwing a bubble screen, getting back to some of those RPOs they had some success with in the third quarter.”

“Really, the biggest problem I had was when it was 30-0, and they kept him in and kept getting him killed. It’s not the best way to build a young quarterback’s confidence… it was hard to watch.”