Tag: Terry McLaurin

Terry McLaurin: ‘I’m having the time of my career’

Terry McLaurin shares why this season is so special for him.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin is smiling a lot these days. That’s what winning does for you. At 6-2, the Commanders are in first place in the NFC East almost halfway through the season, and McLaurin is on pace for career-high numbers.

On Sunday, McLaurin experienced one of the most, if not the most, exciting moments in Northwest Stadium’s 27 years of existence. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels uncorked a pass 65 yards through the air with injured ribs and into the hands of wide receiver Noah Brown to give the Commanders a shocking “Hail Mary” win over the Chicago Bears.

On Tuesday, McLaurin joined Kay Adams on “Up & Adams,” discussing this dream season.

“I’m having the time of my career,” McLaurin said. “I’m having a lot of fun. The cameras catch me a lot, just being in the moment and being able to let loose, like going into each and every week. Believing in the guys we have in this locker room and the way we’re coming out with some of these games, we don’t really know how it’s going to show up. But all the training we put in since the offseason started is really starting to show up in different ways. So, when you’re doing that, and you’re doing it with a group of guys you really love going to work with, it makes it really fun. And when you’re making plays, too,  and helping your team win, that’s always the cherry on top.”

Is there any player you’re more happier for than McLaurin? Playing a position where players often put their numbers ahead of team success that’s not McLaurin. Despite how bad things have been, McLaurin has always remained positive on the field, in the locker room, and the community.

And if he stays at the same pace for the remaining nine games, he will have established career highs in all of the top receiving categories.

 

Benched Giants cornerback who trashed Commanders will start in Week 9

Remember Banks’ rant against the Commanders last season? He will start vs. Washington in Week 9 despite recent struggles.

From all indications, New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks had a solid rookie season in 2023. Banks, the No. 23 overall selection in the 2023 NFL draft, started 13 games as a rookie, finishing with 55 tackles, 11 passes defended and two interceptions.

During his rookie season, Banks helped New York sweep NFC East division rival Washington. That mattered to Banks, who was born and raised in the DMV and played collegiately at the University of Maryland, only a few minutes from the Commanders’ home stadium.

When the Giants swept a terrible Washington team, Banks took to social media to issue an NSFW rant against the Commanders. We aren’t going to repeat it here, but here’s the video in case you forgot.

Well, Deonte, that’s 2-1 now. The Commanders defeated the Giants in Week 2, and the two old rivals have a rematch this weekend at MetLife Stadium. And, despite his recent struggles, Banks will be on the field vs. Washington.

The Giants benched Banks in Monday’s loss at Pittsburgh, one week after his effort was questioned in Week 7. New York head coach Brian Daboll explained why he’s sticking with Banks in Week 9.

“I have full confidence in Tae that he’ll be ready to go this week and we’ll do everything we can to help him be ready to go,” Daboll added about Banks, per Dan Benton of Giants Wire. “He will start.”

Do you think Terry McLaurin has forgotten some of those things Banks said? Probably not. Never forget, during Banks’ rant, he said the following on McLaurin:

“Did 17 play today? That’s all I wanna know. Did he play today?”

Head coach Dan Quinn always looks for an edge, while offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury looks for a weakness. Could Kingsbury and quarterback Jayden Daniels view Banks as a weakness that should be exploited?

We shall see. These aren’t the same ol’ Commanders from 2023.

What did Commanders coach Dan Quinn say about Terry McLaurin?

Dan Quinn a big fan of Terry McLaurin, the player and the person.

Dan Quinn likes what he is seeing from Terry McLaurin

The 29-year-old wide receiver leads the Washington Commanders with 40 receptions after a slow start to this 2024 season.

“Yeah, early on, it jumped out to me as professionalism,” said Quinn. “He was so squared away and so on his own details. What’s been really cool for me to see is this relationship with him and the entire team build and take place and leading.”

Last week against the Panthers, McLaurin took it upon himself to provide the team some extra leadership, with Jordan Daniels going out of the game with a rib injury during the first offensive possession.

“Like I was referring to yesterday of him up and down the different position groups, to the offensive line, to the quarterbacks last week discussing what he was seeing with [QB] Marcus [Mariota.] And so, I’d say that is probably one of the coolest things to see, is that development of the leader because the professional, it’s there and he’s got very high standards about how he does things. But now to see the extra gear taking place of bringing out in others, that’s the big deal to me.”

Quinn himself continues to learn about leadership, and leadership of a team in particular. Yesterday, he spoke of learning that leadership is not only about his leadership but also about how he influences other players to take on more leadership.

“Like I said, you may have heard me say early on, I thought leadership was about me and then I found out really, it’s about how I can bring out the leadership in others. And so, man, have I seen that in Terry, seen that leadership develop in its own way and it has to be authentic to that person. So, he has been a lot a bit fired up and I’ve liked what I’ve seen from the leading aspect as well.”

Don’t forget the play before Commanders’ Hail Mary in win vs. Bears

Don’t forget the play before the Commanders’ Hail Mary.

The CBS Sports duo of Jim Nantz and Tony Romo were previewing the final seconds of the Washington Commanders’ Week 8 game against the Chicago Bears. What chance, if any, did the Commanders have of pulling off the win after blowing the lead?

With six seconds remaining in the game, Washington hoped to get two more plays. Romo called for a shorter completion near the sideline. That’s precisely what the Commanders did when Jayden Daniels found Terry McLaurin for a 13-yard gain. The play only took four seconds and put Daniels in a better position for the eventual Hail Mary pass.

Here’s Romo.

Well, we all know what happened next, as Daniels scrambled around before unleashing a pass that went 65 yards through the air off a Bears’ defender’s fingers into the waiting hands of Noah Brown for the Washington win.

It’s easy to remember the Hail Mary pass. It will be talked about for years, and rightfully so. But this likely wouldn’t have happened if Daniels had not completed that pass to McLaurin in only four seconds on the play before.

It’s amazing enough that Daniels put the ball 65 yards in the air with injured ribs. Had Washington been at the 35-yard line, he likely would have made that throw from the 25-30-yard line.

So, Daniels deserves all the praise for the Hail Mary, but don’t forget about the heads-up play just before the final one.

Daniels finished Sunday’s game with a career-high 326 passing yards, and the Commanders are now 6-2.

Terry McLaurin, Jayden Daniels appreciative of Commanders’ fans

After the win, Terry McLaurin and Jayden Daniels share their appreciation of Commanders’ fans.

Terry McLaurin has been in Washington since 2019. While that’s only six seasons, it feels like a lot more. McLaurin has seen it all: multiple owners, multiple coaches, name changes, a lot of quarterbacks, and even more losing.

Finally, things are heading in the right direction, and McLaurin couldn’t be happier.

While there are many reasons for the Commanders’ turnaround, rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels stands out above them all. On Sunday, Daniels led the Commanders to an 18-15 win over the Chicago Bears. It wasn’t just any win. Daniels’ Hail Mary into the waiting hands of wide receiver Noah Brown pushed Washington to 6-2 on the season.

McLaurin was excellent again, finishing with five receptions for 125 yards.

After the game, McLaurin was leaving the field and wanted to take a second to show his appreciation for Washington fans.

Through the good and bad, Washington fans have always chanted McLaurin’s name. And he’s always made time for them.

While McLaurin shared his love for the fans, Daniels joined Scott Van Pelt on ESPN’s Sportscenter and showed his appreciation for the fans, too.

They love you too, Jayden.

WATCH: Jayden Daniels’ Hail Mary to Noah Brown gives Commanders the win

Wow.

Once the Chicago Bears scored their second touchdown with under 30 seconds remaining in the game to take a 13-12 lead, things looked bleak for the Washington Commanders. When the Bears converted on the two-point conversion, making it 15-12, the best Washington could hope for was a tie.

Jayden Daniels and the Commanders took over deep in their territory with 19 seconds remaining and only one timeout. The goal was to complete a few passes, get out of bounds and bring on kicker Austin Seibert to hopefully force overtime.

Daniels had other plans. After completing a pass to Terry McLaurin with two seconds remaining, the Commanders had one play left. The only option was a Hail Mary. They never work unless it’s Aaron Rodgers. Right?

Under pressure, Daniels rolled to his right, then reversed field, stopped and unleashed the ball from the Washington 35-yard line to the opposite end zone. The pass fell just a bit short of the end zone as multiple players from both teams were huddled around the goal line. Someone tipped the pass, and it went to wide receiver Noah Brown, who was waiting by himself in the end zone.

Ballgame. Commanders win, 18-15.

Check it out.

Daniels, playing with injured ribs, passed for over 326 yards. Washington improved to 6-2 and stayed atop the NFC East.

What. A. Game.

Commanders had interest in free-agent WR before he signed elsewhere

Are the Commanders still looking to add wide receiver depth?

The Washington Commanders could still be looking to shore up their wide receiver room ahead of the NFL trade deadline in two weeks.

Of course, Washington may not be interested in trading for a receiver, such as Tee Higgins or DeAndre Hopkins, but instead bringing in a veteran free agent.

According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Commanders were interested in veteran wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling before signing with the New Orleans Saints on Monday. Valdes-Scantling, 30, is an eight-year veteran who spent the first four seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers.

He spent the previous two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he won two Super Bowl rings. Valdes-Scantling signed with the Buffalo Bills in the offseason but was released last week once they traded for Amari Cooper.

The 6-foot-4 Valdes-Scantling appeared in three games for the Bills, catching two passes for 26 yards. For his career. Valdes-Scantling has 188 receptions for 3,181 yards and 16 touchdowns.

It’s unknown how interested Washington was in Valdes-Scantling, but he could’ve been considered depth as the Commanders appear happy with their wide receivers room. Terry McLaurin is having arguably the best start to his NFL career, while Dyami Brown, Luke McCaffrey, Noah Brown and Olamide Zaccheaus have all settled into productive roles for the NFC’s top offense.

What was Terry McLaurin’s favorite part of Commanders’ latest win?

Commanders WR Terry McLaurin sets a new standard.

Terry McLaurin is in his sixth NFL season and having the time of his life. After playing through numerous coaching changes, lots of losing, and countless quarterback changes, the Washington Commanders are finally winning.

The Commanders have also found a franchise quarterback. Jayden Daniels has finally ended Washington’s longtime search for a quarterback.

On Sunday, the Commanders improved to 5-2 after defeating the Carolina Panthers 40-7, remaining in first place in the NFC East. But, Washington didn’t leave Sunday without some concerns.

Daniels was injured on the Commanders’ first drive when he landed awkwardly after a 46-yard run. While he finished the drive, Washington wisely removed him from the game and sent him into the locker room for X-rays. Daniels injured his rib and was questionable to return.

Enter Marcus Mariota. The 10-year veteran took over under center and led the Commanders to scores on every one of his drives except one. With Washington so far ahead, Daniels was ruled out and finished the game on the sideline.

McLaurin, who caught six passes for 98 yards, spoke about Daniels’ injury after the game.

“Yeah, you know, he’s a tough player, so if he’s going down and going into the locker room, it’s, you know, fairly serious,” McLaurin said. “I’m not going to, like, speculate on his injury, but he’s a tough guy and I know he’s going to do whatever it takes to try to be ready for next week.”

McLaurin then praised Mariota for stepping in and delivering.

Finally, McLaurin revealed what he was most proud of coming out of Sunday’s game.

“So, I think my favorite part of the game was us to go down and score in a two-minute drive,” McLaurin said. “When you don’t have your starting quarterback, but you still execute at a high level, I think that’s a standard that we’re set for our offense. No matter who’s in there, the expectation and the production doesn’t drop. So, I’m happy to see that he came in here and did what he did, but I didn’t expect anything different.”

Gone are the days of the Commanders struggling to score 20 points. This is currently the NFL’s highest-scoring team, and they didn’t panic or fold when they lost their star quarterback. It was a business-as-usual approach with Mariota under center.

Coaching, scheme, and talent are all a part of the Commanders’ current offensive success. But so is mindset. And there is no better player than McLaurin to help Washington set a new standard of excellence each week where there are no excuses if that standard isn’t met.

What everyone said after the Commanders’ Week 7 rout of Panthers

Here’s what everyone said after the Commanders’ blowout win over the Panthers.

On Sunday, the Washington Commanders were much better than the Carolina Panthers, running away from them in a 40-7 rout. Here is a collection of postgame quotes from players, analysts, coaches, and media personalities.

Craig Hoffman

“Well, that was fun, wasn’t it? Well, maybe. The score, that was fun. But, a big ‘but’ with the Jayden Daniels injury.”

“Dante Fowler gets that pick-6 and I was literally like, ‘I can throw my not pad away.’ There was no point in the notes of this game. The game ended right there. Because from that point, Carolina was going to be chasing the game.”

Danny Rouhier

“I’m happy but there is also something missing, you know?”

“I don’t feel euphoric here after a blowout win. We usually tell people to smell the roses because they don’t come around all that often. Taking advantage of a bad opponent, you don’t apologize for who is on your schedule. You handle them the way Washington just did.”

Marcus Mariota

“When you have a brotherhood like this, you’ll find ways to win.”

“Obviously, it’s going to take some time, whatever it is. We have no idea, but I think he was in good spirits. You check on him, see how he is doing. And then we will take it day to day.”

Austin Ekeler

“He’s (Mariota) been a great leader for us, and he went out there and showed it again.”

Zach Ertz

“Obviously my first thought was just concerned about him (Jayden Daniels). He’s the leader of our team essentially and he’s a phenomenal player. He’s going to be a great player for a long time, and he’s really a good friend of mine. I was obviously just worried about him. From there, you just gotta get back out there and play.”

“We got a lot of confidence in Marcus. They didn’t bring him here just to be a backup. They brought him in here to compete with Jayden obviously. We got a lot of confidence in Marcus.”

Dan Quinn

“The message for this week was, ‘Can we get stronger’? We knew there was another gear for us to find. We had to dig for it and find it. I was pleased to see the fight in the guys. I thought Dante’s touchdown was really the thing that set it off.”

“I cannot give you an update on Jayden. I will just as soon as we find out. We’ll do some further tests tomorrow. Then, when we get together in the afternoon, we’ll give you an update.”

“You know what? I was really proud of Marcus (Mariota). It’s been a tough start, IR and getting an injury. For him to come back and see that kind of poise in the game, there was no flinch.”

“I look back to see post-practice to see who is out there working, and he and the guys are going through the script. I tip my hat to he and Tavita, David Blough and others that are spending that extra time. So, if your moment gets called you are ready to deliver for the team. I  think that is a really powerful thing.”

Sam Fortier

“Dan Quinn said he didn’t have an update, said he would have one Monday. His (Daniels) status going forward is the biggest thing for this organization.”

“The offense kept rolling without him (Daniels). Kliff Kingsbury was cooking. The Panthers defense was very depleted…”

“They (Commanders) are demolishing bad teams. Yes, the five teams they have beaten so far have a combined record of 9-25. But it is still the NFL. I think it says something when you are taking care of business to this degree.”

 

Commanders injury report: No Dorance Armstrong, but Brian Robinson returns

No Dorance Armstrong, but good news concerning Brian Robinson Jr.

The Washington Commanders began preparing for their Week 7 game against the Carolina Panthers by making some roster moves due to injuries. Washington placed starting defensive tackle Jonathan Allen on the reserve/injured list. Allen will miss the remainder of the season with a torn pec.

The Commanders also placed rookie backup defensive Javontae Jean-Baptiste on IR, but he was designated to return, meaning he’ll miss at least four games. The Commanders signed DT Sheldon Day from the practice squad and also added veteran DE Jalyn Holmes.

Washington opened practice Wednesday without three players. Tight end Zach Ertz received his customary veteran rest day, while rookie safety Tyler Owens (shin) remains sidelined. Also out on Wednesday was starting defensive end Dorance Armstrong, who injured his rib in Sunday’s loss at Baltimore.

In some good news, starting running back Brian Robinson Jr. returned on a limited basis.

Here’s the Commanders’ full injury report from Wednesday:

Did not participate: TE Zach Ertz (NIR, rest), S Tyler Owens (shin), DE Dorance Armstrong (rib).

Limited participants: RB Brian Robinson Jr. (knee), G Nick Allegretti (ankle), WR Noah Brown (groin), S Percy Butler (groin), DE Clelin Ferrell (knee), LB Frankie Luvu (toe), S Quan Martin (neck), WR Terry McLaurin (NIR/rest), DT Daron Payne (knee)

Full participants: CB Emmanuel Forbes (thumb), LB Jordan Magee (knee)