Tag: Zach Ertz

Will Zach Ertz play Sunday? Injury update for Commanders TE

Will Commanders TE Zach Ertz play on Sunday vs. Eagles?

Will Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz play on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles?

The veteran tight suffered a concussion in last week’s 20-19 win over the New Orleans Saints. Ertz did not practice on Wednesday, but was limited on Thursday and Friday. The Commanders listed him as questionable for Week 16.

Ertz is second on the team in all major receiving categories, with 54 receptions, 526 yards and four touchdowns.

Zach Ertz injury update

Commanders TE depth chart

  • TE1: Zach Ertz
  • TE2: John Bates
  • TE3: Ben Sinnott

Washington has Cole Turner on the practice squad and signed Tyree Jackson to the practice squad this week. Undrafted rookie Colson Yankoff initially made the 53-man roster but remains on injured reserve.

 

What’s the injury status of two key Commanders ahead of Week 16?

What’s the latest on Jeremy Chinn and Zach Ertz?

The Washington Commanders (9-5) have a big game this weekend. Washington hosts the Philadelphia Eagles (12-2) in a rematch from Week 11. While the Eagles won the first game, it wasn’t easy, as Washington controlled the game through three quarters before wearing down in the fourth quarter.

The NFC East remains a possibility but a distant one. Philly has a three-game lead with three games remaining, and it’s difficult to see the Eagles — who have won 10 straight games — losing three in a row to end the regular season.

The Commanders look to remain in control of the seventh seed in the NFC playoffs, but they could be without key starters against the Eagles.

Tight end Zach Ertz and safety Jeremy Chinn are in the NFL concussion protocol after suffering concussions in last week’s win over the Saints. Chinn surprised everyone by participating in practice on Wednesday, although he was limited.

It was the same situation on Thursday for Chinn.

Ertz missed practice on Wednesday, but he never practices on Wednesdays. Like Chinn, Ertz was limited on Thursday.

It’s difficult to assess a player’s availability regarding head injuries. However, it is a good sign that Chinn and Ertz are on the practice field. Their situations will likely come down to Saturday’s deadline to elevate players from the practice squad.

Multiple Commanders dealing with illnesses ahead of Week 16 showdown vs. Eagles

While other players are now sick, Tyler Biadasz will be back vs. Eagles.

On Sunday morning, the Washington Commanders were surprised to learn that center Tyler Biadasz had woken up with an illness. The Commanders immediately added him to the injury report and worked him out before the game against the New Orleans Saints. Unfortunately, Biadasz wasn’t able to go, and Washington missed him.

While the Commanders won, the offensive line wasn’t the same without Biadasz. Quarterback Jayden Daniels was sacked a season-high eight times, and the running game, outside of Daniels, never got going.

Good news: Biadasz will be on the field Sunday when Washington hosts the red-hot Philadelphia Eagles.

“Absolutely, I’m playing, I’m playing,” Biadasz said about Sunday. “You can’t get me out of this game.”

While Biadasz will return, Biadasz’s illness has spread through the locker room. On Thursday, right guard Sam Cosmi and tight end John Bates missed practice due to illness. With Zach Ertz in the concussion protocol, Bates will play even more against the Eagles, while Cosmi is Washington’s top offensive lineman. Cosmi also missed Wednesday’s practice.

Sunday is still a few days away, and there’s a good chance Cosmi and Bates will be fine. However, now the concern will be the illness making its way through the entire locker room.

 

Positive injury news on Commanders’ defensive starter

More potentially good news for the Commanders.

It’s getting to the point in the season where injuries mount. The Washington Commanders, who just came off a bye week, saw two key starters leave Sunday’s win over the New Orleans Saints due to concussions.

Starting tight end Zach Ertz left during the second quarter and was quickly ruled out. Ertz’s head hit the ground hard after a catch inside New Orleans’s five-yard line.

Safety Jeremy Chinn left the game in the second half and did not return. On Monday, head coach Dan Quinn confirmed that Ertz and Chinn were in the NFL’s concussion protocol.

Running back Austin Ekeler is currently on injured reserve after suffering his second concussion this season in Week 12.

On Wednesday, the Commanders returned to practice in preparation for a Week 16 rematch with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles won the first meeting in Week 11, 26-18.

In some good news, Chinn was on the practice field for the Commanders. While he was limited, seeing him back on the field so soon after the concussion was surprising. While Chinn is not yet cleared, his status will be worth watching over the next two days.

Ertz did not practice, which is customary for him on Wednesday, as it has been a rest day for the 12-year veteran.

Chinn has been an integral part of the Commanders’ defense, which has significantly improved from last season.

Does Commanders’ roster move indicate Zach Ertz will be unavailable vs. Eagles?

The Commanders made a roster move on Tuesday.

The Washington Commanders used their off day to make a roster move. Washington placed second-year running back/wide receiver Kazmeir Allen on injured reserve. Allen is a member of the Commanders’ practice squad.

General manager Adam Peters wasted no time replacing Allen’s spot on the practice squad, signing tight end Tyree Jackson.

Who is Jackson?

The 27-year-old, 6-foot-7, 250-pound Jackson played collegiately at Buffalo and entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2019. The Bills waived Jackson during final cuts, and he was selected in the XFL draft in October 2019. In 2020, he served as Cardale Jones’ backup for the D.C. Defenders until the league suspended operations.

He signed with the Eagles in 2021 and transitioned to tight end. After two years with the Eagles, he was waived and the Giants signed him to the practice squad.

Jackson has appeared in 16 NFL games, catching three passes for 22 yards and a touchdown.

While Jackson was signed to the practice squad, the Commanders could elevate him to the 53-man roster before Sunday’s game against the Eagles. Why? Starting tight end Zach Ertz suffered a concussion in Sunday’s win over the Saints. That means Ertz will remain in the NFL’s concussion protocol until cleared.

Washington will turn to John Bates and rookie Ben Sinnott if Ertz is out next week. Bates and Sinnott have played a lot this season but haven’t been as involved in the passing game as Ertz.

Commanders give concerning injury updates to a pair of key starters

Two key Commanders could be in jeopardy of missing Week 16 game vs. Eagles.

The Washington Commanders entered Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints without two of their top four receivers. Running back Austin Ekeler landed on injured reserve after Week 12 with a concussion, while wide receiver Noah Brown was placed on IR on Saturday.

That left wide receiver Terry McLaurin and tight end Zach Ertz as Washington’s primary pass catchers.

McLaurin was phenomenal again, catching seven passes for 73 yards and two touchdowns. He has 11 receiving touchdowns, second in the NFL to Ja’Marr Chase — with three games remaining.

Ertz made his presence felt on Sunday, too, making a beautiful one-handed catch, giving the Commanders a first-and-goal from the three-yard line. However, on the play, Ertz landed hard on the ground and slowly got up before entering the medical tent.

He was quickly ruled out with a concussion.

In the second half, starting safety Jeremy Chinn also departed the game with a concussion and did not return. Now, both key starters are in the NFL’s concussion protocol ahead of Washington’s important Week 16 showdown against the Eagles.

“Both Zach and Jeremy are in our concussion protocol, and so we’ll follow each step along the way,” Quinn said Monday. 

Quinn was asked specifically about Ertz and if his absence changes the usage of specific players and formations.

“Yeah, as it goes you would, there’s a couple of ways to think about that,” Quinn continued. “It could be some of the big guy stuff in the run game, just like you suggested, which is definitely a viable plan. And then there’s also the other way, how do you incorporate the backs more they can get outside to move and different types of sets. So, some don’t include a tight end with two halfbacks in the game and three receivers. And so, utilizing different packages will be part of that.”

Ertz has been a safety valve for quarterback Jayden Daniels this season.

Chinn has started every game for Washington and is second on the team in tackles with 93, trailing only Bobby Wagner.

Losing either or both would severely limit the Commanders’ chances of upsetting the Eagles next week.

Zach Ertz injury vs Saints: Latest news on Commanders TE

Injury update on Commanders TE Zach Ertz.

The Washington Commanders were driving for their second touchdown in the first half against the New Orleans Saints when quarterback Jayden Daniels threw a bullet to tight end Zach Ertz. Ertz made a phenomenal one-handed catch, picking up 19 yards and giving the Commanders a first-and-goal from the three-yard line.

Unfortunately, Ertz was slow to get up after the play and entered the blue medical tent. He then headed to the locker room with around five minutes remaining in the first half.

Here’s the catch Ertz made.

The highlight didn’t show where Ertz was injured. The following X post shows that he took a hard hit to the ground when tackled.

The team has confirmed that Ertz suffered a concussion and is ruled out for the remainder of the game.

Ben Sinnott and John Bates will handle tight end duties for the Commanders.

Washington will host Ertz’s former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, next week at a big NFC East showdown.

‘Lead sled dogs’ led the way for Commanders in Week 13 win

Dan Quinn describes which Commanders led the way in ending the team’s losing streak.

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn always has a unique way of describing things. And he always ties it together to make sense to Quinn’s audience.

It’s been a tough few weeks for the Commanders. Washington hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10 with a 7-2 record. A one-point loss was heartbreaking but not devastating, as Washington’s mistakes contributed more to the loss than Pittsburgh’s dominance.

Four days later, the Commanders were on the road, facing the Philadelphia Eagles in a battle for first place in the NFC East. Washington led throughout the game until around 12 minutes remained, when it ran out of gas against a terrific Eagles rushing attack and defense. Again, it was a tough loss but not a discouraging one.

Then, there was last week’s debacle against the Dallas Cowboys. That was more difficult. Still, the Commanders remained undeterred, focusing on their Week 13 encounter with the Tennessee Titans.

After Sunday’s 42-19 win over the Titans, the Commanders improved to 8-5 and head into the bye week on a positive note. Quinn reflected on a difficult, praising veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner for speaking to the team and keeping them focused.

Quinn was especially proud of Wagner and Washington’s other veteran leaders for rising to the occasion when the Commanders needed it the most.

“I love today that the lead sled dogs led the way, and that’s the [Zach] Ertz’s and [Terry] McLaurin’s and Wagner’s and [Daron] Payne’s and others, they led the way,” Quinn said.

“And that’s what you want when you’re going through the challenging times that the lead sled dogs, they’re out in front and Wagner and Ertz and others were a classic example of that. And it was just that type of performance to see those guys lead the way.”

We told you Quinn had a unique way of describing things, but it would make sense.

The Commanders have a much-needed bye next week before returning to play in two weeks at New Orleans, where Marshon Lattimore will face his former team.

What Jayden Daniels, Kliff Kingsbury said about targeting Terry McLaurin

It’s clear: Terry McLaurin needs the football more.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin is off to the best start of his NFL career. A young franchise quarterback (Jayden Daniels) and a creative offensive coordinator (Kliff Kingsbury) have done wonders for McLaurin.

McLaurin has already tied a career-high with seven touchdown receptions and the Commanders have five games left to play.

However, one problem from the past seems to be coming back. Washington hasn’t targeted McLaurin enough, especially earlier in games. The Commanders’ offense operates at a much higher level when McLaurin is involved.

McLaurin is fourth in the NFL in receiving yards. Yet, 27 players have more targets than McLaurin. Over the last four games, Noah Brown, Zach Ertz and Austin Ekeler each have more targets than McLaurin for the Commanders.

That needs to change.

Daniels and Kingsbury understand McLaurin’s importance to the offense.

“I mean, I want to get the guys the ball as much as possible,” Daniels said. “Terry’s a dynamic player, but the defense dictates where the football goes. So, I gotta go out there and do my job.”

Daniels is right. The lack of a surefire No. 2 receiver continues to plague Washington. While Noah and Dyami Brown, rookie Luke McCaffrey and Olamide Zaccheaus are nice offensive pieces, none demand the type of coverage to force defenses to stop double-teaming McLaurin.

“I mean, it’s a fine line,” Daniels reiterated about the balance of forcing the ball to McLaurin or taking what the defense gives him. “If they give me an opportunity, we take it, but if not, we don’t want to put the ball in harm’s way for the defense to be able to make plays on it.”

Kingsbury didn’t dive deep into the subject but made it clear that McLaurin needs the ball more.

“Terry’s the guy we have to get the ball to more, get more targets to throughout the game,” Kingsbury said. “There’s no doubt about that.”

The Commanders are trying to snap a three-game losing streak and face an excellent Tennessee Titans defense on Sunday. Will Kingsbury make it a point to get McLaurin involved early?

 

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.