Tag: WR Dyami Brown

Commanders turn over NFC championship to Eagles

Turnovers plagued the Commanders in NFC championship loss to Eagles.

The Washington Commanders played giveaway Sunday and were blown out by the Eagles 55-23 in the NFC championship game.

Not wanting to be overly simplistic, it is true that early in the final quarter, the Commanders fumbled three times, all of which resulted in Eagles touchdowns.

Then, because they were down by three scores, Dan Quinn chose to go for a fourth and long, and Jayden Daniels was sacked on the 30-yard line. Needing only 30 yards, this turnover (on downs) led to another Eagles touchdown.

If that was not enough, when Jayden Daniels threw an interception in the end zone late in the game, the Eagles then drove 70 yards for yet another touchdown after the final turnover.

Dyami Brown fumbled in the first quarter, having caught a first-down reception for 6 yards. The Eagles leading 7-3, converted Brown’s fumble into a 14-3 lead.

The turning point of the game (if there was a single turning point) came with the Commanders trailing 20-12 late in the second quarter. Jeremy McNichols fumbled his kickoff return and the Eagles with a short field suddenly led 27-12.

Though Washington turned the ball over four times, Sunday, it should not be overlooked that it was the Eagles defense that was forcing these turnovers.

In addition, the Eagles, recipients of each turnover, then pounced on the Commanders’ defense, seizing each opportunity. Four Washington turnovers actually did result in four Eagles touchdowns.

Suddenly the dream season comes to an end. Finishing 4-13 in 2023 became 12-5 in 2024, two playoff wins, a trip to the NFC Championship game.

But today, the Eagles proved to be the much better team, the deserving team, heading to the Super Bowl.

Quick facts from Commanders’ playoff road win over Detroit Lions

Several quick facts and stats from Commanders’ playoff win over Lions.

The Commanders are unbelievably going to the NFC Championship game after defeating the Lions 45-31 in Detroit.

Here are some of the quick facts from the Commanders’ 14th win of the season:

  • The Commanders entered Saturday’s game as either a 9.5 or 10 pt underdog against the Lions.
  • Washington won the turnover battle 5-0, with four interceptions of Jared Goff and a sack-fumble of Goff.
  • With the win, next week will be Washington’s first NFC Championship game since the 1991 season (33 years).
  • Rookie corner Mike Sainristil collected two interceptions.
  • Second-year safety Quan Martin’s pick-six from 40 yards is the second defensive touchdown for the Commanders this season. It was also the first pick-six of his NFL career.
  • Jayden Daniels completed 22 of 31 for 299 yards, two passing touchdowns, and no interceptions or sacks.
  • RB Austin Ekeler was huge, gaining 47 yards on six carries while also contributing 41 receiving yards on four receptions (88 yards from scrimmage).
  • The Washington defense, which has struggled at times this season, forced five Lions turnovers, sacked Jared Goff twice, and had five tackles for a loss.
  • Though the Commanders struggled terribly to run the ball in recent weeks, tonight, they ran 42 times, gaining 182 yards. Brian Robinson, Jayden Daniels, and Austin Ekeler rushed for 77, 51, and 47, respectively.
  • Last year’s team under Ron Rivera won four games. This year’s team under Dan Quinn is four quarters from the Super Bowl.
  • Sadly for Detroit fans, the Lions remain the only NFC team never to reach the Super Bowl.
  • Jared Goff came into the game tonight 1-4 against Dan Quinn. Tonight, Goff had four interceptions and one lost fumble.
  • The Commanders’ defense had no answer for Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs, as he gained 105 rushing yards on only 14 carries and 70 receiving yards on six receptions (175 total yards from scrimmage).
  • The 42 points scored in the second quarter are the most in NFL playoff history (Washington 28, Detroit 14). Before tonight, the Lions had a +128-point differential in the second quarter.
  • The Commanders came up with several big plays: Quan Martin’s 40-yard pick-six, completions to Terry McLaurin (58 yards), Dyami Brown (42 yards), Austin Ekeler (24 yards), John Bates (20 yards).
  • The Lions were in the red zone, about to go up 14-3, when DE Dorrance Armstrong sacked Jared Goff, forcing a fumble that LB Frankie Luvu recovered.

Commanders-Falcons inactives: Who’s in, who’s out for Week 17

Which players are in for the Commanders in Week 17? Who is out? The Week 17 inactive list is here.

The Washington Commanders, in preparation for their matchup against the Atlanta Falcons at Northwest Stadium Sunday, released their final list of inactive players ahead of kickoff. Seven Commanders will be unavailable for tonight’s game:

  • Marshon Lattimore– is rehabbing that nagging hamstring he reinjured against the Eagles last week. Lattimore has been limited to playing in nine of the 16 games in 2024.
  • Andrew Wylie– injured his groin against the Eagles. Wylie has appeared in 13 of the 16 games this season. Cornelius Lucas will start in his place.
  • Dyami Brown–strained a hamstring against the Eagles. This is the first game Brown has missed in 2024. Can the Commanders find enough receivers to stretch the Falcons defense?
  • Jordan Magee– injured a hamstring. Injured in the preseason, Magee has appeared in eight games thus far in 2024.
  • Tyler Owens– has an ankle injury. He has been good for the Commanders on kick and punt coverage teams this year. Owens has played in 12 games this season.
  • Jeff Driskel– will be the emergency third quarterback against the Falcons. Driskel has appeared in one game in 2024.
  • Dominique Hampton–is the only draft choice who has yet to play in a game during the 2024 season. Maybe next week for Hampton.

Atlanta Falcons Inactives:

  • RB Carlos Washington
  • CB Kevin King
  • DL Brandon Dorlus
  • OL Elijah Wilkinson
  • OT Tyrone Wheatley Jr.
  • OT Brandon Parker
  • WR Casey Washington

Commanders will be shorthanded against Falcons in Week 17

Multiple players out means others must step up. Could this mean the debut of K.J. Osborn for the Commanders?

The Washington Commanders are looking to clinch their first playoff appearance since the 2020 anomaly season, but they will be short-handed against the Falcons.

The Commanders (10-5) will be without five players for Sunday night’s home game against the Falcons (8-7), which will be broadcast nationally.

Cornerback Marshon Lattimore is no surprise to be out for the Falcons game. He has already missed games against the Eagles, Cowboys, and Titans. Then, following another week (bye), he played against the Saints and was injured again last week against the Eagles. Dan Quinn confirmed Friday that the same injury was recurring again for Lattimore.

Emmanuel Forbes, a first-round 2023 Ron Rivera draft pick, has already been released this season and picked up by the Rams. So, the Commanders will need Benjamin St-Juste and/or Mike Davis to step up and play admirably on Sunday.

Washington also ruled out RT Andrew Wylie, WR Dyami Brown, LB Jordan Magee and S Tyler Owens. Swing tackle Cornelius Lucas will most likely replace Wylie. Brown’s absence could result in K.J. Osborn being activated for the first time.

During his weekly Friday press conference, Quinn initially chose not to rule out the quartet of players and would meet later in the day with Commanders’ general manager Adam Peters before making any of these declarations official.

Washington can clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Falcons or a Buccaneers loss to the Panthers on Sunday. They last made the playoffs in 2020, though they were not a winning team, finishing 7-9 in a horrible year for the NFC East teams.

Commanders’ Kingsbury: ‘McCaffrey has done everything we’ve asked’

Someone needs to step up. Does Kliff Kingsbury think it will be Luke McCaffrey?

Do you remember the show, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”

The show was a smash television hit, and Thursday, Commanders’ offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury referred to the million-dollar question.

He talked of the Commanders’ offense now needing to find extra offense, and it was the million-dollar question of from where it was going to be produced.

Listening to Kingsbury, he suddenly presented some of the options that have been running through his head, but he certainly was broad enough, he didn’t actually give away anything to the Saints or Eagles.

“Do we need to have different sets and run the ball more, or can we take more shots now? Is that something that’s going to help us get those yards back and maximize the guys who will be playing. And that’s what we gotta figure out over this next couple game stretch is where does that come from?”

Kingsbury was also correct, noting that Noah Brown and Austin Ekeler both have very physical, aggressive styles in their play.

“It’s hard to replace two guys like that, the production they had and just the type of teammates and the effort they played with. But young guys get the opportunity, and we kind of see where it fits.”

Kingsbury was asked about the Commanders’ third-round selection (100 overall) in the 2024 draft, Luke McCaffrey. “Yeah, I mean he’s a talented young man, we’ve asked him to play inside and outside because he can handle it. And that’s a lot on a young player.”

Kingsbury praised the other receivers, Olamide Zaccheaus and Dyami Brown, saying, “It’s a loaded receiver room that there’s a bunch of guys that can do a bunch. I know they don’t get the notoriety that some people talk about, but the way they play, the way they perform, it’s been a good group for us.”

Remember, GM Adam Peters drafted McCaffrey based on his athleticism and intelligence, believing that McCaffrey, who only played the position his last two years in college, was going to grow and develop.

Kingsbury declared he is pleased with McCaffrey thus far, saying, “…he’s done everything we could have asked from him, but other guys have made plays and it’s just a crowded room right now.”

McCaffrey will certainly be getting more snaps this week, so perhaps he will see more targets and receptions against the Saints in New Orleans.

Commanders, Jayden Daniels have lost No. 3 and No. 4 receivers

Jayden Daniels has now lost two of his top four weapons in recent weeks.

Jayden Daniels and the Commanders received some more bad news on Wednesday.

Coach Dan Quinn declared to the media that there had been a significant injury to receiver Noah Brown.

“He’s going to be out for a while and so he had a significant internal injury from the game. And so, that’s going to knock him out for a while. And we love him and his play style, the identity of how he goes. And so, that one hurts.”

Brown contributed to special teams with his physical nature and aggressive play. On offense, Brown was a good blocker on the perimeter, helping with the running game.

Now, about the receiving. Brown used his body well on slants, utilized his size well, and had the ability to beat corners and draw interference penalties.

Daniels, the Commanders quarterback has now lost his No. 3 and No. 4 targets in consecutive games. Against Dallas, he lost running back Austin Ekeler when he suffered a late-game concussion. The following week, Daniels lost Brown in the Titans game.

Yes, Terry McLaurin leads the team with 896 receiving yards, and Zach Ertz is second (501). However, Brown was third (453), and Ekeler was fourth (346).

Brown and Ekeler were also third and fourth, respectively, in receptions, with 35 and 33. How about yards per reception? Brown was second (12.9) and Ekeler fourth (10.5). Brown and Ekeler were also third and fourth in receptions per game and second and fourth in receiving yards per game.

Consequently, please make no mistake: Jayden Daniels has taken a significant hit as we reach the season’s final four games.

Will someone step up and fill the void in Brown and Ekeler’s absence? Dyami Brown, Luke McCaffrey, and Olamide Zaccheaus will each contribute in the passing game and as blockers in the run game.

Who will take Brown’s roster spot? The likely candidates to vie for the roster spot are WR Jamison Crowder and TE Colson Yankoff, both on injured reserve currently. Four candidates on the practice squad are TE Cole Turner, WR Michael Strachan, WR Mitchell Tinsley and WR Brycen Tremayne.

On Wednesday, the Commanders also signed receiver K.J. Osborn from waivers. The New England Patriots recently released him. He will bring one more receiver with some experience to compete for Brown’s roster spot this last month of the season.

 

Dan Quinn’s answer about a No. 2 receiver is telling

The Commanders like their current group of receivers.

Throughout the 2024 offseason and training camp, it was a foregone conclusion that Jahan Dotson was Washington’s No. 2 receiver.

That is until preseason games began, and head coach Dan Quinn noticeably one day praised some wide receivers but neglected to mention Dotson. After a week of much speculation, suddenly, on the morning of August 22, Adam Peters had traded away Dotson and a fifth-round choice to the Eagles. In exchange, Washington would receive a third-round choice and two seventh-round choices.

To this day, fans and media still discuss the team’s need for a No.2 receiver. Quinn apparently doesn’t agree.

On Wednesday, when asked about “the lingering discussions” about the Commanders’ need to develop a No. 2 receiver, Quinn smiled and responded, “No, I’ll let you and the guys outside have those ones. For us, we’re really focused on the guys that are here, honestly, just absolutely battling for it.”

Olamide Zaccheaus leads the receivers (other than Terry McLaurin) with 10 receptions, averaging 11.4 YPR. Noah Brown follows him with 9 receptions, averaging 12.3, Luke McCaffrey (7/ 11.3), Dyami Brown (5/ 7.4), and Jamison Crowder (1/ 5.0).

Quinn interestingly added, “What you will see sometimes each week is some reps may change by the position, what’s needed maybe for that game plan or for how we’d want to attack. But we’re really pleased with the group and their competitive nature, what they stand for.”

For what it is worth, the Eagles were without DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown last week, and Brown has now missed the last three games. Dotson has not taken advantage of their absences, as he has only accumulated five receptions for 25 yards in his four games.

Two oddities regarding the Commanders’ depth chart

Some takeaways from Washington’s Week 1 depth chart.

So the Commanders’ defensive depth chart is “unofficial,” they say.

When I was looking through it on Tuesday, I read each name quickly and didn’t notice anything unusual. I caught Michael Davis and Dominique Hampton being listed as the backup not once but twice.

So, I looked a second time at the starters, and this time, I noticed they had listed an extra starter. The Commanders had listed 12 instead of ll as their starters. Why?

Though listed as such, the Commanders are not going to start Clelin Ferrell, Dorance Armstrong, and Dante Fowler at the same time. They could, yes, but not if they also start cornerbacks Emmanuel Forbes, Benjamin St-Juste, and Mike Sainristil.

https://Twitter.com/Mason_Kinnahan/status/1822802490443641122

This was not an error. The truth is that, for some reason, the Commanders wanted 12 starters on defense and 11 on offense listed. Had they not yet personally informed one of the 12 that he is not starting? Perhaps they felt it best that the player hear it first from the coaching staff and not social media?

Looking at the Week 1 opponent, the Tampa Bay Bucs, I noticed the Bucs list three wide receivers as starters: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan.

Perhaps the Commanders listed three cornerbacks to combat the three Bucs receivers. Does that mean they will alter the depth chart each week accordingly?

Over to the offensive chart, in the minicamps and training camp, Dyami Brown was often praised. Luke McCaffrey, on the other hand, not so much. Yet, the surprise on the chart was that Brown was listed as a backup and McCaffrey and Olamide Zaccheaus as the starters.

Perhaps the key word in the depth charts is “unofficial,” and we should simply view them as a guide from week to week, but not official.

2024 NFL preview: How ready are the Commanders at wide receiver?

How good can Washington’s wide receivers be in 2024?

The receivers group is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, question marks for the 2024 Commanders.

Terry McLaurin returns having caught 79 passes for 1,002 yards, four touchdowns, and 47 first downs, averaging 12.7 yards a reception. McLaurin has persevered and endured inconsistent quarterback play his entire NFL career (2019-2023) with Washington. So, if healthy, McLaurin will again be productive. Terry McLaurin 2023 highlights

All the DMV wants to be optimistic, yet the reality is Washington must replace its second and third receivers from 2023. Curtis Samuel was on the receiving end of 62 passes for 613 yards, four touchdowns, and 26 first downs, averaging 9.9 yards a reception. Samuel departed as a free agent and signed with the Bills.

Jahan Dotson, selected 16th overall by Washington in the 2022 draft, collected 49 receptions for 518 yards, four touchdowns, and 27 first downs, averaging 10.6 yards per reception. Dotson and the offensive coaches were not on the same page in training camp, and he was subsequently traded to the Eagles.

So, where will production come from this receiver group? Dyami Brown has been largely unproductive in his first three NFL seasons. He has flashed, but only a few plays each season. He has also struggled to catch some balls that were certainly catchable.

However, coaches have continued to insist that Brown has worked hard and produced throughout the offseason and training camp. Brown has been publicly praised more than once by Dan Quinn, and apparently, the Commanders believed enough in Brown and rookie Luke McCaffrey that they traded Dotson.

McCaffrey brings some size at 6-2, 198. Coaches believe the rookie has good upside because he converted from quarterback his last two years at Rice and only began playing receiver.

Jamison Crowder and Byron Pringle will not be putting up large numbers. However, the two have both shown that they can still make plays and play physical football, and both are willing and able to contribute on special teams.

According to Quinn, Olamide Zaccheaus has impressed throughout the offseason and training camp. He has experience at age 27 and 72 NFL games, catching 104 passes for 1,492 yards (14.3 yards per reception) and 10 receiving touchdowns. Can he produce enough? Well, in 2022, he caught 40 passes at a 13.3-yard average per completion. We shall see, but he earned more praise than Dotson in training camp.

Noah Brown was cut by the Texans and signed by the Commanders. He has had a few injuries, but he has a reputation for being competitive and physical, which the coaches seek.

Brycen Tremayne (Stanford) and Mitchell Tinsley (Penn State) were brought back and signed to the practice squad. Also, of note, this was not the duo’s first NFL offseason, training camp, or preseason.

Pro Football Focus top grades for the Commanders vs the Jets

Where did Jayden Daniels land? How about Dyami Brown?

I’m not sure how they do it, but Pro Football Focus has already provided the grades for the Commanders’ preseason opener at the New York Jets.

Of course, keep in mind that 11 Commanders did not even play in the game, and many of Saturday’s starters received very little playing time.

But hey, it’s preseason, and the Commanders 2024 football season opener is four weeks from today (Sunday). So, here we go:

With his big 42-yard reception in the first quarter and another reception for 13 yards, receiver Dyami Brown graded out the highest at 91.1.

New receiver Olamide Zaccheaus was actually the second highest-graded Commander with a 90.2. Interesting is the fact that Zaccheaus actually did not have an official reception. He did have one for a nice gain in the first half, that was negated by a penalty. He also contributed a nice 19-yard punt return.

Tight end Ben Sinnott scored an 87.2. On three targets, he made three receptions for 57 yards, including one where he was a bear to bring down, which gained 44 yards.

Starting quarterback Jayden Daniels was fourth with an 85.1. Daniels completed 2 of his 3 attempts for 45 yards and ran once for a 3-yard touchdown.

Offensive tackle Alex Taylor recorded an 82.2. Taylor is one of the newest Commanders. The Commanders don’t even have a photo of him yet for their online roster.

PFF states that players had to participate in at least ten snaps of the Jets game to qualify for their official grading system.