Tag: Washington Redskins

The open-market price has been set for RG Brandon Scherff, thanks to the Eagles

Scherff will be looking for a new contract from the Redskins this offseason after his expires, and it will likely be an expensive one.

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Earlier this season, Washington Redskins offensive lineman Brandon Scherff expressed his desire to be a member of the Redskins for the rest of his career, which is convenient, as his contract is set to expire this coming offseason.

As one of the premier right guards in the NFL, it has been expected that Bruce Allen and Co. would do what they could to retain Scherff, who the Redskins drafted with the No. 5 overall pick in 2015. However, it was unknown how much Scherff would be looking to get in a new contract.

Thanks to the Philadelphia Eagles, the market has now been set for a premier right guard in the NFL.

On Tuesday, the Eagles signed Brandon Brooks to a four-year, $56 million extension to keep him in Philadelphia. You can be assured that Scherff made sure to take note of that number. If he is able to test the open market in a few months, he will undoubtedly be looking for an extension that rivals that $14M annually, and chances are that he could ask for a bit more, as he is a couple of years younger than Brooks and Dallas’ Zach Martin, the other top paid guard in the NFL.

Everything was sunshine and roses earlier this year when Scherff showed his HTTR pride and expressed his love for the team, and nothing has changed on that front. What’s different now is that Washington has become aware of what it will take to keep that relationship strong, and it’s going to cost a pretty penny.

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Breaking down Ezekiel Elliott, Saquon Barkley’s miserable Week 10s

Jason Garrett and Kellen Moore fail to adjust their offense to suit the strengths of their personnel, setting Dallas back to a 5-4 record.

Half of the NFC East sat out this week on a bye, while the other half lost to teams they were favored against.  The New York Giants fell to the Jets in what’s closer to a race for draft position than the playoffs.  At the other end of the standings, the Dallas Cowboys hurt their own playoff bid with a loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Both the Cowboys and the Giants were sunk by abysmal days on the ground for star running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Saquon Barkley.

The effectiveness (or lack thereof) of those running backs in Week 10 is easily seen with advanced box scores based on expected points.

Expected Points, the foundation of many analytical arguments, uses data from previous NFL seasons to determine how many points a team is likely to come away with on a given play based on down, distance, time remaining, and field position. The difference in expected points at the start of a play and expected points at the end is referred to as expected points added, or EPA.

A play with a positive EPA means it put the offense in a better position to score, while negative EPA implies the offense is in a worse position.

Barkley and Elliott finished with the worst and sixth-worst EPA/carry, respectively, among rushers with at least 10 carries this week.

For backs with at least 20 carries in a game without a fumble, Elliott finished with the fifth worst EPA/carry this season.

Both Elliott and Barkley even saw a below average rate of loaded box counts, per NFL’s Next Gen Stats.  That being said, there is still evidence that Elliott isn’t entirely to blame for the lack of a run game in Dallas this week.

Of Elliott’s 20 carries, 15 of them came with 10 yards to go.  He averaged 2.9 yards per carry in these situations and never gained more than six yards on a given run.  It was an ineffective ground game that the Cowboys simply refused to get away from throughout the game.  Despite a 57% success rate in the air on 14 first down throws, Dallas elected to run the ball 16 times with a 12.5% success rate.

The point at which Dallas’ commitment to the run game proved to be a fatal flaw came in the Cowboys’ final drive (excluding the hail mary drive in the final 24 seconds).  Dak Prescott threw for eight yards on first down, only to watch Ezekiel Elliott, in his first short yardage carries of the day, run for 0 and -3 yards on the next two plays.  That was enough to drop Dallas’ win probability nearly 25%.

Meanwhile, in the passing game:

After Lamar Jackson, who had another ridiculous game this week, Dak Prescott was the most effective passer in the NFL on Sunday.  He finished with the 10th highest completion percentage over expected (CPOE) in the NFL this week as well, completing nearly 4% more passes than expected based on target depth.  Daniel Jones wasn’t quite the same level, but he was above average in both EPA/pass and CPOE.  A significantly better day for him than Barkley’s 13 carries for one yard.

Top Offensive Play

Daniel Jones’ quick strike that turned into a 61-yard touchdown to Golden Tate earned the top EPA play this week in the division. (6.5 EPA)

Top Defensive Play

A big third-down sack from Robert Quinn was the biggest EPA play among the defenses in the division this week. (-2.3 EPA)

Looking Ahead

Washington comes back from their bye week with what is likely to be their weakest remaining opponent.  They’ll take on a Jets team that has been below average in the air and on the ground.  It should be noted, however, that Sam Darnold has been throwing for -0.09 EPA/pass since returning from illness.  Dwayne Haskins, Washington’s new starter, has an EPA/pass of -0.53.  Even so, Washington is still currently favored by one in their home game coming back from a bye.

Philadelphia gets the league’s top defense this week, but at least they get them at home.  New England proved that they were at least partially a product of the poor offenses they faced in the first eight weeks when Baltimore ran all over them, but Philadelphia is no Baltimore.  The Eagles will need to hold down New England’s fairly average passing attack to keep this one close.

Dallas faces what could potentially be a Matt Stafford-less Detroit Lions.  Stafford is having one of his best seasons yet and leading the NFL in average depth of target.  If he can’t go for the second week in a row, Jeff Driskel looks to take the reigns.  Driskel’s EPA/pass is in the negative, a far cry from Stafford’s 0.27.  Prescott remains in the top-3 in the NFL by EPA/pass.  Should Jason Garrett allow Prescott to throw just a bit more, and should Stafford sit out again, this should be a perfect get-right game for Dallas.

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Oddsmakers pick Washington over Jets in D.C.

Gang Green is preparing to travel to the nation’s capital this week but will have to do so as underdogs.

New York improved to 2-7 on the season after Sunday’s win against the Giants. Still, oddsmakers are giving the nod — ever so slightly — to Big Blue’s NFC East rival in this Week 11 meeting with the Jets.

Gang Green will travel to the nation’s capital this week as underdogs. The Jets are currently seated at +1.5 points in the spread, according to BetMGM. This comes as somewhat of a surprise, as Washington holds a 1-8 record and sits dead-last in its division.

Still, the Jets are -106 in the money line, -115 against the spread and the greater odds sit with the over, set at 37.5 total points.

The Redskins, as 1.5-point favorites, sit at -115 in the money line, -106 against the spread and hold the advantage of playing at home on Sunday.

The last time these two teams met was in October 2015, when the Jets defended home turf with a 34-20 victory. In fact, New York has gotten the better of Washington in the last two meetings. The second came in 2011 with a 34-19 win at Washington.

That, however, is where the good news stops. All time, the Jets are 3-8 when facing the Redskins. The total points have favored the opposition by way of 248-192, leaving Washington as clear winners of the 11 matchups.

These representatives of the AFC and NFC East will meet this Sunday at 1 p.m. in Washington. While oddsmakers suggest it will be close, they also lack the confidence to see a future where the Jets take home a second-straight win.

Former Longhorn Malik Jefferson waived by Cleveland Browns

Former Texas Longhorns linebacker Malik Jefferson was waived by the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday

On Tuesday, former Texas Longhorns linebacker Malik Jefferson was waived by the Cleveland Browns.

Jefferson is in just his second year as a pro. He was drafted in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.

With the Browns in 2019, Jefferson only made an appearance in one game, and that game came in week one against the Titans. In that game, Jefferson recorded just one tackle.

Hopefully, we see Malik find a new home soon. After all, he was a third-round pick last year for a reason.

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Redskins players feeling the pressure of coaching change

Certain Redskins players know they’re auditioning for next year and a new coach.

It’s no secret Bill Callahan isn’t the long-term head coach for the Washington Redskins.

This puts a huge amount of pressure on the players. They started the year playing for Jay Gruden, transitioned to Callahan and are now seemingly auditioning for the next coach.

Guys like Paul Richardson are feeling the pressure, per Kareem Copeland of the Washington Post:

“Thinking about the business side, yeah, it’s challenging at times because so much is out of my control,” Richardson said. “I’m playing for my future in terms of being a part of the future plans of this organization. … That vision is blurred because of the position I play. There’s only so much I can do without the ball.”

Richardson has some other things going on, of course. He hasn’t matched expectations since coming over via free agency. He’s one of many passing-game weapons struggling to put up numbers given the constant shuffling under center.

But at the same time, it speaks to the broader trend here of players struggling with another transition period as the front office gets ready to hire a new head coach.

All players like Richardson can do is put their best film out there and hope they remain part of the plans.

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Here’s the moment Redskins knew Dwayne Haskins would start rest of season

The Redskins saw something special from Haskins away from the field.

Bill Callahan briefly made it interesting, but Dwayne Haskins will start for the Washington Redskins.

While Callahan has stressed the team’s record played a role here and that it’s a good time to let a rookie develop in live-action, he also noted something else interesting.

Sitting down with the “Redskins Talk” podcast, Callahan noted the young quarterback put in extra work after a loss, per NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay:

“He took it to heart. That loss stuck deep into him. He wanted to know exactly what he could do. He came in on a Saturday, on our off day, and we visited for a good hour or so and just talked about what he could do better, how he could perform better, how he could prepare better.”

This meet on an off day apparently took place after the 19-9 loss to Washington. Haskins started against Buffalo the next week, a 24-9 loss, and didn’t throw a touchdown or interception.

The passion from Haskins that Callahan speaks of is surely infectious for his teammates. So while there are bound to be struggles as he develops, the personality and drive that helped him secure the job in the first place is bound to keep morale running high.

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Quinton Dunbar is Redskins’ highest-graded player at PFF

The Redskins CB is quietly having a monster season.

Quinton Dunbar is having himself quite the season.

Dunbar has quietly been a big bright spot for the Washington Redskins, even if it is hard to see through all the trying times.

Pro Football Focus has made a point to keep spotlighting Dunbar though by revealing he’s the team’s highest-graded player so far:

Dunbar has very quietly been one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks to start the 2019 NFL season. He ranks second in overall grade (88.0) and first in coverage grade (90.0) among qualifying cornerbacks. He also ranks tied for fourth in passer rating allowed (52.6) with three forced incompletions on the year.

Those are some gaudy numbers from Dunbar, though NFL teams seem to be getting the hint as they direct more attempts at other Redskins defenders.

So far, Dunbar has been targeted 41 times, with Josh Norman checking in higher.

If Dunbar keeps playing like this, teams will only continue to stop going at him.

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WATCH: Quandre Diggs gets first interception with Seahawks

Watch as Seattle Seahawks defensive back Quandre Diggs gets his first interception with his new team

A few weeks ago, former Texas Longhorn defensive back Quandre Diggs was traded from the Detroit Lions to the Seattle Seahawks. Last night, Diggs saw his first action with Seattle in a clash between the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers went into this Monday Night Football matchup as the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL. The Seahawks were able to stun the 49ers in San Francisco, winning in overtime by a score of 27-24.

About midway through the 3rd quarter, Diggs was able to intercept 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo with the score being 10-7 in favor of San Francisco. This interception led to a Seahawks touchdown, giving them the lead.

On the night, Diggs was able to tally two tackles, one of which was solo, a pass defense, and this interception.

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‘Tank for Tua’ Week 10

Week 10 of the NFL regular season not only shook football fans, but the ‘Tank for Tua’ rankings as well. The Dolphins are on a win streak, the Bengals are still winless, the Patriots haven’t won a game in November and the 49ers lost their first game …

Week 10 of the NFL regular season not only shook football fans, but the ‘Tank for Tua’ rankings as well.

The Dolphins are on a win streak, the Bengals are still winless, the Patriots haven’t won a game in November and the 49ers lost their first game of the season.

All of the aforementioned events have changed the overall landscape of the NFL, let’s dive in and see how this crazy week affected the worst of the worst and if their chances of landing Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa have been hindered.

3. New York Jets

Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Jets in Week 10 were able to capture yet another win, this time over their in-state rival, the New York Football Giants.

They are tied for last place in the AFC East, tied with the Miami Dolphins at 2-7, and it seems as if the win column may stay stuck at two for the remainder of the regular season.

The NFL Power Rankings currently has them listed at No. 29, one of the worst teams in the league.

With an inconsistent quarterback, such as Sam Darnold, that ranking may fluctuate higher or lower.

In the Jets’ win over the Giants, Darnold had an impressive outing. He amassed 230 yards, one passing touchdown and a lone rushing touchdown.

While a win must feel nice for the team, it’s still clear a winning culture has not been spread throughout the locker room.

With a team full of talent, there’s only one position on the field to turn to and potentially point the finger. The quarterback.

Whether Darnold is the future of the franchise is still to be determined, but with a lot of elite collegiate talent at the quarterback position in this draft class, it would be hard to believe that the Jets’ front office hasn’t thought about the possibility of bringing in a fresh, and even younger, face, such as Tagovailoa.

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Ex-Redskins coaches, players have found massive success since leaving

A number of the top minds in the NFL were at once a part of the Redskins organization, but they’ve found success elsewhere.

“I wish there was actually a way to know you’re in the good old days before you actually left them.”

Andy Bernard — played by Ed Helms — said that on the Season 9 finale of “The Office” years ago, but it fits pretty well with how the Washington Redskins might feel just about now. While they are currently sitting with the second-worst record in the NFL, a look around the rest of the league shows numerous staffers, coaches, and players finding great success in new locations. Whether it’s a coach who used to be a coordinator in Washington or a GM who found a new team to manage, it seems that the Redskins franchise was exactly the jumping-off point that these guys needed to get their careers going.

In case you need help remembering who all of those future stars were they go as the following: Kyle Shanahan, Redskins OC; John Schneider, Redskins VP of Player Personnel; Matt LaFleur, Redskins QB coach; Kirk Cousins, Redskins QB; Sean McVay, Redskins OC.

All of them were at one point in the building, working to bring success to Washington. Now, they’ve been able to find success elsewhere, and the Redskins are still sitting at the bottom of the league, looking for the right answers. Here’s to hoping that the good old days are right around the corner.

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