Tag: Terry McLaurin

Why Commanders offense is struggling the last two games

Why has Washington’s offense struggled the last two weeks? There are multiple reasons.

The Washington Commanders offense is looking to rebound from two subpar performances.

The Commanders, in the last three games, have been outscored 39-11 in the fourth quarter.

In their last game, a 26-18 loss to the Eagles (8-2), the Commanders generated only 264 offensive yards, averaging 4.2 yards a play.

One of the early season successes for OC Kliff Kingsbury’s offense was the largely effective conversions on third and fourth downs. However, against the Eagles, the Commanders were only 3-12 on third down.

In particular, Jayden Daniels was not getting the ball down the field, as Terry McLaurin never even had a reception until 10:27 in the final quarter. Daniels was visibly inaccurate more often than usual.

In addition, Daniels only passed for 191 yards, though he attempted 32 passes. This resulted in Daniels averaging 5.9 yards per attempt, much lower than he was accomplishing earlier in the season.

The offensive line is beat up, though able to continue to play. Rookie Brandon Coleman had his worst pass-blocking performance in the last two weeks, but then again, he is playing with a shoulder that is not 100 percent. Guard Nick Allegretti and center Tyler Biadasz are playing injured.

Local DMV sports media might consider thinking a bit more before lashing out at Kingsbury, as some have. They suggest the Commanders’ offense is falling off because Kingsbury’s offenses always do later in the season.

That may or may not be true this season with Washington. What is undeniably true is that the Commanders’ offense is wounded right now, and the bye week can’t come soon enough for Washington.

The offensive personnel has many members playing injured. Consequently, their performance is bound to decrease. Kingsbury has not been the one bouncing passes, dropping passes, and being unable to pass in the last two weeks.

Understand the Steelers and Eagles are both division leaders through Week 11. They are simply better teams than the Commanders right now.

Yes, the offense has been struggling lately, but injuries to an offensive personnel already not one of the elites in the league while playing against two quality opponents only stand to reason there were going to be more struggles.

Former Washington coach believes the injury has impacted Commanders QB Jayden Daniels

He also expressed his biggest offensive concern and it’s not Jayden Daniels.

Jayden Daniels is not hurt, according to Commanders head coach Dan Quinn.

“I do think it has affected his playing, and I think it has affected the play-calling as well,” countered former Washington head coach Jay Gruden in his appearance Monday with “Grant and Danny” on 106.7 The Fan in Washington, D.C.

Gruden coached the Redskins from 2014-2019 and still keeps a close eye on the football team. Yes, that was pun intended.

Watching the Eagles game last Thursday night, Gruden, of course, is correct. The Commanders were not throwing the ball down the field, and Daniels was not moving with the same energy and quickness he had earlier.

Gruden continued, “For him to be ultra-successful and for this offense to be where it needs to be, to get to the playoffs and win games in the playoffs, he (Daniels) has to be able to use his legs to be an aggressive runner. And he is not right now because his ribs are hurt.”

What about the Commanders losing consecutive weeks to the Steelers and then the Eagles? Gruden replied, “Both teams can get aggressive with their fronts and keep Jayden in the pocket. The biggest concern moving forward is who is going to get open in man-to-man situations other than Terry.”

Gruden also pointed to how the Commanders were so good on third and fourth downs in their first several games this season. Yet the Commanders against the Eagles at one time were only a dismal 1-9, finishing 3-12 on third downs. He said Kliff Kingsbury may attempt to be more aggressive on first downs.

Gruden also expressed his hope that the coaches and players would get away for a day or two during their mini-break so they would return refreshed and ready to face the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday.

Loss to Eagles highlights major Commanders’ need

Thursday’s loss to the Eagles highlighted a major need for the Commanders.

Terry McLaurin entered Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles ranked No. 3 in the NFL in receiving yards. Against the Eagles, McLaurin would finish the game with one reception for 10 yards.

After the game, the narrative was that Eagles rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell put the clamps on McLaurin and didn’t let go. As always, people love a good narrative. That’s not to discount Mitchell. He’s really good already. And he played a terrific game against the Commanders. In Mitchell, the Eagles found a star.

But there was more to the story. Mitchell did have some help. Philadelphia’s safeties chipped in to help limit McLaurin’s impact and force quarterback Jayden Daniels to look elsewhere.

Which brings us to this — and stop us if you’ve heard it before — McLaurin needs more help. So does Daniels. Washington has been looking for a quality No. 2 or 1b to McLaurin’s 1a since his second season (2020). The loss to the Eagles highlighted why that remains a need, especially when facing the top teams.

Noah Brown has excelled for the Commanders this season. However, he profiles more as a No. 3 receiver. Rookie Luke McCaffrey continues to get open, but he has yet to develop that chemistry with Daniels. He’ll be fine. Daniels needs another outside playmaker who will make opponents regret double-teaming McLaurin or even draw double teams himself.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins comes to mind. The 25-year-old is playing on the franchise tag and is expected to depart Cincinnati this offseason. He has the size and pedigree to give the Commanders another star wideout for years to come and grow with Daniels.

Higgins will come with a premium price tag. The good news is that Washington has cash, cap space, and a young quarterback with whom other receivers want to play.

Whether it’s Higgins, another free agent, or a rookie, the Commanders must get Jayden Daniels more help. Defenses can’t get double McLaurin the entire game if Washington has another player opposite him who can routinely make them pay. Adding another playmaking wide receiver can also help Daniels take his game to the next level.

Terry McLaurin challenges Commanders after second straight loss

Terry McLaurin doing what great leaders do.

This is a different Washington Commanders team. Don’t let a recent two-game losing streak fool you. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin has seen it all in six years and knows things are different.

That’s why, after Thursday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, McLaurin wanted to see the team’s “brotherhood” respond to adversity the way it has to success.

“I think it’s easy to preach brotherhood when everything’s going good, when you’re winning and having a good time and things like that,” McLaurin said after Thursday’s game.

“So, this is when kind of those…..what your program is built on, this is when it needs to stand out. So, you know, we hang our hat on our brotherhood and this is definitely the time that we need to stand up for that.”

Truer words have never been spoken.

Since taking over, head coach Dan Quinn has preached brotherhood. It’s not a motto for Quinn; he believes in it, he teaches it, and players love and respect him for it. The Commanders began the season with lots of smiles and little adversity.

That changed after two consecutive losses, moving Washington into second place in the NFC East. How will the Commanders and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels respond?

In moments like this, we learn more about a team than when they are succeeding. The Commanders face the Dallas Cowboys in Week 12 and are heavy favorites.

Quick facts from Commanders’ Week 11 loss to Eagles

Some quick numbers and facts from the Commanders’ loss to Eagles.

The Commanders led going into the final quarter and then were totally outplayed in the last 15 minutes, falling to the Philadelphia Eagles 26-18.

Here are some of the quick facts from the fourth loss of the Commanders’ season:

  • The most basic fact is that the Commanders were outscored 20-8 in the final quarter. What’s more, they have been outscored 39-11 in the final quarter in the last three games.
  • For the first time this season, the Commanders have lost two consecutive games.
  • When Jayden Daniels threw an interception in the fourth quarter, it was the first Commanders’ turnover in their last six games.
  • Speaking of six games, the Eagles have now won six straight.
  • The Commanders gave up 228 rushing yards on 40 carries by the Eagles, including 146 yards in 26 carries by Saquon Barkley.
  • The Commanders were out-gained by the Eagles 434 to 264, averaging 4.2 per play to 6.2 for the Eagles.
  • The Commanders were only 3-12 on third downs.
  • The Commanders’ ground game was beaten badly by the Eagles 228-93 yards.
  • Terry McLaurin was shut down tonight, not receiving his first target/reception until 10:27 in the final quarter, with one 10-yard reception.
  • The Commanders’ defense held the Eagles out of the end zone in the first half. This was only the second game this season in which the Eagles have not scored a first-half touchdown.
  • With tonight’s 146 rushing yards, Saquon Barkley now has six games this season where he has rushed for 100+ yards.
  • The Eagles entered the game with 19 sacks during their five-game winning streak, and they added three more tonight.
  • Dante Fowler came into the game with 8.5 sacks this season and eight in the last six games. He did not record a tackle or assist Thursday.
  • Austin Ekeler and Zach Ertz led the Commanders in receiving yards with 89 and 47 yards, respectively.
  • It was exactly two years ago tonight that the Commanders went to Lincoln Financial Field and upset the 8-0 Eagles 32-21 on Monday Night Football.
  • With his reception, Terry McLaurin became the sixth player in Washington NFL franchise history with 6,000 receiving yards, joining Art Monk, Charley Taylor, Gary Clark, Santana Moss, and Bobby Mitchell.
  • The Eagles entered the game as a 4.5-point favorite, and with the win tonight, they have now defeated Washington six of the last seven times the two teams have faced each other.
  • Tonight’s game was Zach Ertz’s first game in Philadelphia since being traded by the Eagles to the Cardinals in October 2021.

Eagles cornerbacks hold Terry McLaurin to one catch, for ten yards in win

Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell holds Terry McLaurin to one catch, for ten yards in win over the Washington Commanders

Terry McLaurin entered Thursday night football with 58 catches for 847 yards and five touchdowns in 10 career games versus the Philadelphia Eagles.

That was before the Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean era.  McLaurin was held to one catch for ten yards in a game that saw the Eagles star slow and finish fast.

In the first half, McLaurin played 21 offensive snaps, logging zero catches, on zero targets. McLaurin finally logged his first catch after switching sides of the field, and recording a ten yards grab.

NFL Network analyst breaks down Patrick Queen’s performance in Week 10

Patrick Queen’s dominant Week 10 performance, highlighted by Brian Baldinger, showcased his elite skills and playmaking ability.

The Patrick Queen redemption tour seemingly started to take shape in the Steelers’ Week 10 contest against the Washington Commanders.

While the Steelers’ initial acquisition of Queen this past offseason was met with excitement from fans and players alike, his performance through the first eight weeks of the season had been inconsistent, to say the least.

However, Queen’s elite Week 10 performance caught the attention of fans and analysts alike, as NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger, host of Baldy’s Breakdowns, highlighted what made Queen so special against Washington on Sunday.

Wherever the ball went, more often than not, Queen was following. His speed and spectacular tackling ability were evident on several key tackles on Washington’s QB Jayden Daniels, WR Terry McLaurin, and RB Austin Ekeler.

Queen’s play recognition will surely be of great use in the team’s Week 11 contest against the Baltimore Ravens, where the Steelers will need every physical and mental ability sharply tuned to stop his former teammate, QB Lamar Jackson, from taking over the game.

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Eagles open as slight home favorites over the Commanders in Week 11

The Philadelphia Eagles opened as 3.5 point home favorites over the Washington Commanders in Week 11 on Amazon Prime’s Thursday Night Football

The Eagles are atop the NFC East, and they’ll get a chance to create more separation when they face the Washington Commanders on Amazon Prime’s Thursday Night Football.

Philadelphia is 7-2 after dominating the Cowboys (34-6) on Sunday, while Washington dropped to 7-3 and second place in the division after a 28-27 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

BETMGM has revealed their early betting lines and the Eagles are 3.5-point favorites at Lincoln Financial Field.

Moneyline (ML)

  • Eagles -185
  • Commanders +150 (bet $150 to win $100)

Against the spread (ATS)

  • Commanders +3.5 (-115)
  • Eagles -3.5 (-105)

Over/Under (O/U)

  • 49.5 (O: -110 U: -110)

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What Terry McLaurin said after Commanders’ close loss

Here’s what Terry McLaurin said after Sunday’s loss to the Steelers.

The Washington Commanders have a different standard these days. They are no longer happy playing good teams tough but losing in the end. Washington is now one of those good teams and wide receiver Terry McLaurin sets the new standard.

The veteran wideout is off to arguably the best start of his six-year NFL career and had another outstanding performance in Sunday’s heartbreaking 28-27 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. McLaurin caught five passes for 113 yards in the loss.

After the game, McLaurin was honest about why his team lost. It wasn’t about the refs or blown calls but about missed opportunities.

“That’s not how we wanted to finish that game,” McLaurin said. “We had our opportunities, especially offensively, but you gotta give credit to them. They finished the game better than we did. When they had to make a play, they did. And so, we don’t have too long to really think about this one. DQ is talking about just having a 24-hour rule. We’re obviously going to look at it tomorrow and get some corrections. Going into another tough game against Philly on the road, short week, we just gotta be ready for that. Losing is definitely, especially when you don’t finish like that.”

 

A loss like this would follow some of Washington’s past teams. This team appears to be built differently. We’ll know how the Commanders respond on Thursday against the Eagles.

The good news is that some of Washington’s leaders blamed the team, not the officials, for this loss and are looking to put it behind them with a strong performance later this week.

Steelers-Commanders matchups to watch: Joey Porter Jr. vs Terry McLaurin

CB Joey Porter Jr. faces WR Terry McLaurin in a key Week 10 positional matchup as the Steelers take on the Commanders in a pivotal showdown.

One of the premier matchups heading into the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 10 contest versus the Commanders is none other than Pittsburgh’s young shutdown CB Joey Porter Jr., taking on Washington’s elite WR Terry McLaurin.

JPJ has had an up-and-down start to the 2024 season, to say the least. Through eight games, Porter Jr. has allowed 20 receptions on 32 targets. According to PFF, he is also allowing 11.7 yards per reception, which ranks 75th out of 205 eligible cornerbacks. However, in his past two performances, JPJ has allowed an impressively small 25 yards combined in Weeks 7 and 8 against strong wide receiver units.

‘Scary’ Terry appears to be on the verge of a breakout 2024 campaign, hauling in six touchdowns, which is tied for the second-most in the NFL, and 598 receiving yards on 42 receptions. With an average of 14.2 yards per reception, McLaurin looks to be a major threat in Week 10’s contest.

Can the second-year CB lock down McLaurin in Week 10? Or will McLaurin exploit Porter Jr.’s over-reliance on physicality?

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