Tag: Take Command Podcast

Logan Paulsen’s analysis of Commanders WR Jahan Dotson after Jets game

As always, Paulsen provides some excellent insight on Dotson. It’s mostly praise, with one area of improvement needed.

There’s been much speculation regarding Commanders receiver Jahan Dotson. Former 8-year NFL veteran Logan Paulsen watches the team closely, and he offered his analysis of Dotson’s situation to Craig Hoffman on Tuesday.

“I love him as a route runner, I love his feel for catching the football. But his play strength shows up more than I would like it to.”

“When you are watching Terry, OZ (Olamide Zaccheaus), even Jamison Crowder, there is a strength to them that allows them to play through contact. The fade in the second quarter going into the red zone where he (Dotson) beats the guy, but gets a little bit of a bump and then loses his footing and falls down.”

“If I am a coach, I want to see him play through that. The only way I get to see it is as he’s getting reps. I think that’s something coming out of the game.”

“I think Jahan did some good stuff. I think he had a screen where he was a little creative, but I need to see him play stronger.”

“Again, I love the route runner, I love the nuance, I love how he layers stems and indicators. He catches the football well, but he is always going to be limited if he can’t get through this. I think that is maybe why he plays a lot because you want to see him fight through some stuff.”

I also think he is playing multiple positions, he’s playing inside and outside. So you’re going to play more because you’re maybe the number 1F or the slot receiver. Then, when the outside guys go out, you become the number one outside guy. So maybe that’s another reason why.”

Former player says Ron Rivera’s comments about Eric Bieniemy ‘not that big of a deal’

Logan Paulsen had no issues with Ron Rivera’s comments and is a big believer in Eric Bieniemy.

“Surprise, surprise — I don’t think it is that big of a deal.”

Those were the words of former Washington tight end Logan Paulsen, who was a guest Wednesday with Craig Hoffman on the “Take Command” podcast and commented on this week’s Ron Rivera-Eric Bieniemy storyline.

Rivera clarified via a written statement Wednesday what he had sloppily (and unnecessarily) communicated Tuesday to the press regarding a number of players coming to him with concerns about Bieniemy’s coaching style.

Paulsen pointed to the college game as a comparison. If players are unhappy, they can simply transfer elsewhere. However, Paulsen reminded his listeners that is not a luxury present in the NFL.

“There were coaches in the NFL that coached me very hard,” said Paulsen. “And I had to adjust to that. But so many college players today, it is like it is sunshine and daisies all of the time. That is just not true of the NFL.”

Paulsen, who played for Bieniemy at UCLA, said coaches and players all have different personalities, and everyone has to learn how to adjust and work with other individuals.

“That’s life, man. You have to learn to adapt to different personalities, different leadership styles,” Paulsen said. “You talk to EB for like five minutes and you learn he is a very uncompromising dude. That is something I respected about him when I played for him, and it is something I respect in him now.”

“To me, Ron basically said just a bunch of facts, and everyone is freaking out about it. It doesn’t mean the locker room is screwed up, nor that everyone hates EB. It’s learning to deal with different types of people.”

Paulsen spoke of meeting various Commanders coaches but then separated the rest from Bieniemy.

“Then EB came in there, and his passion was evident from the time he came in and sat in the chair. His motivation, his love … I haven’t played in like five years, and I was ready to run through the wall.”

“So, I am 100 percent positive that the guys understand who he is and understand what he is doing. There is no doubt in my mind that he is the right guy for the position (offensive coordinator).”

There is much more; here is the link if you would like to listen.

 

 

Commanders Brissett, Howell still in battle for starting quarterback

Ron Rivera confirmed no starting quarterback has been decided, even with Howell receiving first-team reps.

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“Things have not been going great for Sam Howell, they’ve kind of trended the wrong way.”

That is how Craig Hoffman began his Take Command Podcast this week with Logan Paulsen.

Hoffman continued, “And it feels like Jacoby Brissett is getting a bit more comfortable.”

Paulsen replied that Howell, the first three OTA workouts, “came out looking very sharp on rhythm, timing, balls out of his hand quickly, finding the open guy, confident throws down the field.”

The second week brought a different result, according to Paulsen. He felt the blitz package was something the offense had not yet built in their protections, and the young secondary guys were effectively matching up with receivers.

“On the sixth day, I would say Sam had, not a bad day, but it definitely wasn’t a good day, a day he would probably want to have back,” expressed Paulsen.

Jacoby Brissett? Paulsen quickly asserted, “we talked about it when they signed him, we expected him to be better earlier…His experience is helping him out…He understands what’s happening at a higher level.”

Then we have head coach Ron Rivera Tuesday on this first day of mandatory workouts. He said to the media, “Again, it’s one of those things that, guys, it’s … just because I said (Howell’s) gonna start off as QB1 doesn’t mean he’s gonna finish as QB1. I like to believe, though, that if he goes out and does things he’s capable of, he’s got a very, very good chance of doing that.”

“I think Jacoby’s shown us some things that have really caught people’s attention. We talk about Jacoby almost as much as we talk about Sam. I just think as we go through this process and until we play games, it’d be unfair to start making assessments. Again, there is a lot of confidence.”

But Rivera was also quick to add that Howell and Brissett are both team players. They are supportive of each other for the good of the team. “You want a good room where you know there’s a lot of cooperation and everybody’s pulling for one another and there’s not a split dynamic between them. That’s really been probably the best thing I’ve seen.”

Who would Logan Paulsen take for the Commanders at No. 47?

The first two picks would make Washington fans really happy.

Logan Paulsen and Craig Hoffman utilized an ESPN draft simulator and one of the more interesting discussions was who would be a good draft selection for the Commanders in round two at No. 47?

Paulsen began with the starting point of taking an offensive tackle at No. 16. In this case; the simulator had Paris Johnson (Ohio State) still available, so Paulsen declared if that would be the case Thursday, he would not hesitate to take Johnson at 16.

So what about round two for Paulsen and No. 47?

“For me, this is really interesting, and I would never do this, but I think Jahmyr Gibbs (Alabama RB) fills a huge need for this team. And I really like him… He’s excellent as like a satellite player move piece. If I’m trying to put myself in the shoes of Eric Bieniemy, I think Eric is not going to like him as much as me because he’s bad in pass protection.”

“So, what I would do here, probably if I had a gun to my head, is I would take Steve Avila (TCU G/C) and put him at center. That’s what I would do. I would have Paris Johnson play right tackle, move Andrew Wylie to left guard and put Steve Avila at center.”

“Again, you have to play the board here.”

“Is there a corner that I would take here? Probably not. I like Cam Smith (South Carolina CB), but do I love him at 47? Is he a true game-changer? Maybe. DJ Turner is interesting, and Tyrique Stevenson is interesting (both cornerbacks). But are these guys really high on my board? Probably not.”

“He (Avila) is my number one guard, you know, and he can play center. So, you are doing ok, I think.”

Here is the link if you would like to watch the entire segment on YouTube.

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Logan Paulsen looking ahead to Bieniemy offense for Commanders

Paulsen is excited about the possibilities for Bieniemy’s offense in Washington.

Logan Paulsen and Craig Hoffman conversed on their Take Command Podcast regarding what Eric Bieniemy’s Commanders offense might look like this upcoming season.

Paulsen initially pointed out that from a particular motion by Travis Kelce, the Chiefs were able to force the defenders to switch coverage responsibilities. (They) mess with their rules, mess with their alignment/coverages.

“Another alignment the Chiefs offense liked was motion into a 3 by 1, now giving an offense a 4 by 1 look (four receivers on one side of the field and a lone fifth receiver on the other side of the field). This forces the middle linebacker to shift to the “4 receiver side”, and the slant on the opposite side now is wide open.”

“There is a ton of stuff they do really well. I mean, it’s all high-level. It’s the best offense in football for the last couple of years. I think the philosophical element is so valuable here because it does create easier throws, easier looks, easier opportunities for the quarterback.”

“What takes them from a top 20 offense to a top 5 offense is Patrick Mahomes, his ability to do that special stuff, he extends plays, finds big plays, elevates the whole group. And that is an important thing to acknowledge here as well.”

The discussion is only 13 minutes in length and is well worth your time.

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What did game film of Sam Howell reveal to Logan Paulsen?

How did Logan Paulsen view Sam Howell’s first NFL start?

Logan Paulsen told last week of how he had been led to believe that the Commanders staff did not think Sam Howell was ready for a regular season NFL game.

Paulsen then asked listeners last week not to expect too much of Howell, as in kindness and thoughtfulness, he was attempting to protect Howell in case he would play poorly Sunday.

However, Howell played fairly well. There was a very bad interception and a couple of passes Howell missed. However, he ran well and made enough good decisions and good passes that he had to have pleased Commanders coaches and teammates.

Paulsen has now reviewed the game tape and offered his assessment to Craig Hoffman Wednesday on the “Take Command” podcast.

“There were some things physically that were just awesome: quick release, decisive throw, strong arm…his ability to run at this level. When you have a quarterback who can run, it’s a tremendous value added to the offense.”

That is a significant check in the box going forward for him next year (making plays off schedule). All of that was very positive and gets me excited about him moving forward.”

“I will say Scott (Turner) did a good job, to his credit, of basically designing very simple stuff for Howell to do. There was nothing overly complex.”

“There was a slant to Jahan that was a dragging concept; it is a day-one install, a very simple read.”

Paulsen expressed how there were some completions that were one-read throws. You look there, see if it is doable and let ‘er fly. Paulsen noticed that there were plays where Howell’s eyes were fixated on the receiver to whom he passed the ball.

“You love that he was finding throwing windows, his quick release, he was leading the receivers, his ball placement. All of that stuff was excellent. But some of the concerns that I had were about his ability to process an NFL offense. I’m not sure those questions were answered. But he did show you enough of his physical stuff to see why some talked of him being the best in college football in 2021.”

 

Logan Paulsen concerned Sam Howell could be in trouble

Paulsen loves Howell’s talent, but the matchup against Dallas is a tough one.

Logan Paulsen says he is going on past history; thus, he is concerned regarding Sam Howell’s first NFL start.

Howell will not only be making his initial NFL start, but it will be against the Dallas Cowboys, who have a good pass rush and have wreaked havoc on the Washington offensive line the last three times the teams have met.

“How many times has a fifth-round rookie come in and played well?” Paulsen asked Craig Hoffman Friday on the “Take Command” podcast.  “I can’t think of any.”

Paulsen was quick to point out for those who answer 49ers rookie Brock Purdy, that Kyle Shanahan schemes up and protects his rookie quarterback quite well.

“The preseason stuff makes me a little nervous,” expressed Paulsen. “Classic stuff that gets young quarterbacks in trouble.”

I agree with Paulsen here. I, too, recognized during the preseason Howell was making plays that were off schedule, but I didn’t notice much of him planting his foot on the third or fifth drop step and getting rid of it quickly. I noticed Howell running around and taking off on a run when he could. Perhaps too much.

“In the preseason, he was playing against guys that might not even be in the league anymore. You can get away with some of that stuff. But against the Dallas Cowboys, the window is going to be extremely tight.”

“I am just worried for the kid. I’m worried for him. That is where this comes from,” Paulsen clarified to Hoffman. “I want to see him because he is incredibly talented. He’s got the arm, the release, the athleticism.”

“But the stuff he showed me (preseason) makes me think he is farther away. He is not Malik Willis far. But he is farther away than many people think.

Howell lacked good anticipation, and his accuracy was not great. As far as tools for development? Sam Howell is your guy; he’s got what you want. But in terms of a guy who is going to come in and play well right away in an NFL offense? Probably Bailey Zappe.

“If they (Scott Turner and Ron Rivera) can abide by this play-action pass, insulate the quarterback, don’t put a lot on his plate, I feel better. But this offensive staff, for whatever reason, does not do that.

“That is another reason I am unsettled.”