Tag: RB Brian Robinson

Commanders OC Bieniemy understands the need to adjust when things aren’t going well

Bieniemy gives some insight on adjusting when things don’t go according to plan.

Eric Bieniemy has learned preparation before a game does not always suffice.

As offensive coordinator he spends hours each week constructing a game plan, then teaching it and practicing with the offensive unit. However, three times already the game plan had to be heavily altered due to early deficits by the Commanders.

The Commanders found themselves down 21-3 to Denver in the second quarter of their Week 2 contest in Denver. They were also down 16-0 after three quarters against Buffalo in Week 3, and in Week 5, down 27-3 at the half against the Bears.

A great deal of coaching consequently becomes how quickly a coach can adjust during a game, sometimes even throwing out the game plan to address what urgently needs to be addressed.

“There’s a lot of things that go into a game plan you’re wanting to do. But at times, unfortunate things happen. And my job is to make sure that I’m giving us every opportunity to have a chance, said Bieniemy to the press Thursday.

Referring to the Bears first-half disaster, Bieniemy offered, “Now, we obviously didn’t get off to a great start. One thing I’m proud of, and I thought we could’ve played much better, but I’m proud of the way that we played the second half. We came out with the energy that I was expecting in the beginning. Now we just need to find a way to make sure that energy starts from play one. How are we going to get that done? I’m working that out.”

Part of culture construction for a coach is leading the team to respond to adversity with a mental toughness. Some coaches whine and complain when adversity comes; thus, their teams often follow them. But Bieniemy is not making excuses.

“Ideally, you don’t want to be sitting here at 2-3. But for whatever reason, we put ourselves in that situation. And it’s helping us to grow collectively. It’s helping us to grow individually, but the thing I’m loving about it is helping us to grow as an offensive unit together.”

Down 20-3, Bieniemy knew it was time to discard the game plan. So he then called 55 consecutive passing plays.

Sometimes leaders learn they must adjust on the spur of the moment, admitting their best plans were only plans at best.

Commanders need to rebound against Falcons in Week 6

The Commanders badly need a win on Sunday.

If ever there was a week that coaches should have the attention of the Washington Commanders, it was this week.

Last week was nothing short of a disaster. Against the one-win Chicago Bears, Washington was humbled and humiliated, losing 40-20 at FedEx Field.

The embarrassment should have infuriated the Commanders and motivated them to prove themselves this week at Atlanta against the 3-2 Falcons.

The Washington secondary has something to prove after getting burned by Bears quarterback Justin Fields and wide receiver DJ Moore. They will need to do it without starting safety Darrick Forrest, whose shoulder injury landed him on IR for at least the next four weeks.

The offensive line has given up 67 quarterback pressures, which is 26th in the NFL. Quarterback Sam Howell has to prove he can get rid of the ball sooner, having been sacked an NFL-leading 29 times for minus-185 yards. It stands to reason if Howell can deliver the ball sooner, the quarterback pressures will come down some as well.

Yet it is also true Howell has six interceptions in five games, which is tied for second-most in the league.

Meanwhile, the Falcons’ offensive players, like QB Desmond Ridder, tight end Kyle Pitts, WR Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson, are hoping the same Commanders defense shows up in Atlanta.

Ridder has been sacked 16 times this season, suggesting both teams have had troubles at times with their passing game. In fact, through five games, Howell’s passer rating is 22nd at 86.0, and — look at that — who is next? Ridder is 23rd at 85.8. When it comes to QBR, Howell is 19th at 48.2, while Ridder is 24th at 42.7.

Perhaps it will come down to the running game, where the Falcons have certainly been more efficient than Washington. Robinson and Tyler Allgeier have rushed for 364 and 191 yards, respectively. By contrast, Washington is led by Brian Robinson and Howell with 271 and 101, respectively. Bijan Robinson is averaging a sixth-best 5.4 yards a carry and Allgeier 3.1, while Brian Robinson is averaging 4.0 a carry for Washington.

Imagine that — a game in 2023 could be won in the trenches.

When they last met: Commanders and Bears

It was ugly — and on Thursday night.

“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.

Washington 12, Chicago 7 – Week 6,  October 13, 2022

Talk about winning ugly; that is exactly what the Commanders did, defeating the Bears 12-7 in a Thursday Night game at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Darnell Mooney bobbled what would have been the winning touchdown for the Bears, gifting the Commanders a 12-7 win in Chicago.

The Commanders had led 12-7, and Joey Slye had the opportunity to give Washington an eight-point lead with 1:49 remaining. However, Slye badly hooked his attempt wide left.

The Bears then drove 61 yards in eight plays against the Commanders defense. On 4th & Goal from the 4, Justin Fields looked right, spotted Mooney and fired his pass. The ball crossed the imaginary plane of the front of the end zone into Mooney’s hands. However, Mooney bobbled the ball, was hit by Benjamin St-Juste, and, falling back into the field of play, gained possession of the ball at the one-yard line. This gave the ball back to the Commanders for one quarterback sneak/kneel, running out the clock.

The game was ugly from start to finish. The only scoring of the first half was a Slye 38-yard field goal with 46 seconds remaining in the first half.

Fields connected with Dante Pettis on a 40-yard touchdown pass, providing the Bears their 7-3 lead through three quarters. Slye then was successful on a 28-yard field goal nine seconds into the final quarter for a 7-6 Bears lead.

Washington was gifted another scoring opportunity when on a Tress Way 57-yard punt, Christian Holmes recovered a muffed punt, giving Washington 1st & Goal from the Bears 6.

The second of two Brian Robinson runs was good enough with the help of a Carson Wentz block, providing Washington a 12-7 lead in the final quarter.

Fields gave the Commanders defense trouble all night, rushing for 88 yards with a long of 39 yards. But the Commanders defense sacked Fields five times and intercepted him once.

The Commanders offense struggled all night, with Wentz completing 12 of 22 passes for 99 yards, while Robinson could manage only 60 yards on his 17 rushing attempts. It was later discovered Wentz had actually fractured a finger on his throwing hand.