Official Game Thread - Commanders @ Lions

[Primus Porcus]

@

Washington Commanders @ Detroit Lions

When: Sunday September 18, 2022 - 1pm EST
Where: Ford Field, Detroit Michigan
How to watch: Fox - Coverage Map​

 

[MikefromOH]

The lions ran for days against the iggles. I expect the same to happen to us. We need our D to step up

 

[Primus Porcus]

The lions ran for days against the iggles. I expect the same to happen to us. We need our D to step up

I agree...

Intriguing news though is that Swift has not practiced... That dude scares me and I'd be lying to say I was upset if he missed the game, if he ultimately does.

 

[Primus Porcus]

Friday injury update

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I’m feeling better about the game this week than I did last weeks game. But my overall feeling is the same as I’m still nervous about this game. They need to win this game because they need to beat the teams they should beat. The Lions were the funnest losers in the league last year. They took chances and never gave up and then took more chances. That scares me. As much as they have lost recently, I’m more afraid of them than I am most teams. Swift is really good and Jamaal Williams has been a great #2 back. The defense needs to step up this week. Goff isn’t a great QB, so they better not make him look all world.

 

[Primus Porcus]

I’m feeling better about the game this week than I did last weeks game. But my overall feeling is the same as I’m still nervous about this game. They need to win this game because they need to beat the teams they should beat. The Lions were the funnest losers in the league last year. They took chances and never gave up and then took more chances. That scares me. As much as they have lost recently, I’m more afraid of them than I am most teams. Swift is really good and Jamaal Williams has been a great #2 back. The defense needs to step up this week. Goff isn’t a great QB, so they better not make him look all world.

I heard a report that they called up an RB off the practice squad on Thursday... so just reading between the tea leaves, I don't think they're confident swift can go. Teams can call up players as late as Saturday, so to call a guy up on Thursday potentially means their mind is made up, because the Practice Squad still practices with the team.... so no reason to call him up early if Swift has a chance to play.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I heard a report that they called up an RB off the practice squad on Thursday... so just reading between the tea leaves, I don't think they're confident swift can go. Teams can call up players as late as Saturday, so to call a guy up on Thursday potentially means their mind is made up, because the Practice Squad still practices with the team.... so no reason to call him up early if Swift has a chance to play.

I saw that too. Then I saw he was able to practice Friday in a limited fashion, giving him a chance to play. Williams is still really good, but he’s obviously not Swift or he’d be starting.

 

[Lovin Cousins]

I heard a report that they called up an RB off the practice squad on Thursday... so just reading between the tea leaves, I don't think they're confident swift can go. Teams can call up players as late as Saturday, so to call a guy up on Thursday potentially means their mind is made up, because the Practice Squad still practices with the team.... so no reason to call him up early if Swift has a chance to play.

I saw that too. Then I saw he was able to practice Friday in a limited fashion, giving him a chance to play. Williams is still really good, but he’s obviously not Swift or he’d be starting.

Officially, Swift is listed as Questionable. I believe that means 50/50 chance.
It could mean that if he does play, he won't be 100%
And I've seen a lot of Questionable players end up playing, so who knows.
I never seem to see the Doubtful status anymore. Did they drop that term ?
Or even Probable. Maybe I missed them, but it seems the only status I see these days are either OUT or Questionable.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Officially, Swift is listed as Questionable. I believe that means 50/50 chance.
It could mean that if he does play, he won't be 100%
And I've seen a lot of Questionable players end up playing, so who knows.
I never seem to see the Doubtful status anymore. Did they drop that term ?
Or even Probable. Maybe I missed them, but it seems the only status I see these days are either OUT or Questionable.

Probable is no longer an injury designation. Only questionable, doubtful, and out. I looked for a more recent article about it, but I found this from 2016. What that means is that guys who are questionable could really be probable under the old designations. Apparently Swift just rolled his ankle a bit, so he may be fine or he may not be good to go. I guess we will find out in about 24 hours.

 

[Canadian Hog]

 

[MikefromOH]

Our D is taking a huge hit there.

 

[Boone]

Keim says Jon Allen will likely play. I hope if he does suit up, he's really close to 100%. We can't afford to lose him for an extended period in a game where he's not absolutely needed.

 

[Primus Porcus]

Looks like Swift is expected to play... i'm kind of surprised.

POSSIBLE he's a decoy and will be pretty limited... but i was hoping we wouldn't have to face him today.

 

[Boone]

So (at the risk of jinxing us), and my memory may be entirely off here - but when's the last time we let a RB run all over us and cost us a game? For the past several seasons, I've always felt like it was the middle-of-the-field passing game where we were really weak defensively. Our rushing D has always seemed pretty decent to me. We did not let Etienne beat us last week and I don't expect us to let a banged up Swift (if he even goes) to beat us.

If anything, it will be his replacement that lights us up - because that would be so Washington

 

[Boone]

 

[Primus Porcus]

So (at the risk of jinxing us), and my memory may be entirely off here - but when's the last time we let a RB run all over us and cost us a game? For the past several seasons, I've always felt like it was the middle-of-the-field passing game where we were really weak defensively. Our rushing D has always seemed pretty decent to me. We did not let Etienne beat us last week and I don't expect us to let a banged up Swift (if he even goes) to beat us.

If anything, it will be his replacement that lights us up - because that would be so Washington

Swift's 'fear factor' for me is his ability beat us in the passing game.

Etienne beat us in the passing game... his hands let us back in it. Swift has a similar ability to be a weapon, so an easy game plan would be for Detroit to figure out a way to get Swift in space in the passing game... in the middle of the field.

 

[Boone]

Yeah - I get that. I just think it's a hard sell that a RB will be the reason we win or lose a game. How often does that even happen in today's NFL? I'm not saying we shouldn't be concerned, but I will be absolutely shocked if how well or how badly we shut down Swift is the major deciding factor in the game.

I think for a lot of 'experts', they make the mistake of looking at the previous week's game and assuming the same things will happen - and that's almost never the case in the NFL.

So what will be the deciding factor?

Can the Commanders force turnovers.

 

[Primus Porcus]

Yeah - I get that. I just think it's a hard sell that a RB will be the reason we win or lose a game. How often does that even happen in today's NFL? I'm not saying we shouldn't be concerned, but I will be absolutely shocked if how well or how badly we shut down Swift is the major deciding factor in the game.

So what will be the deciding factor?

Can the Commanders force turnovers.

I think it happens a lot.. especially when you have those types of guys that are suited to take advantage of a defenses deficiency. Our weakest areas are CB and LB (to this point). I don't think we're looking at Detroits WRs with a large level of fear, so their best 'bet' is to attack our LBs in the middle of the field... and Swift is better suited to do that (so far) than Williams. I think we also need to worry about Hockenson, and more-so Amon-Ra St Brown. I think Detroit is going to watch what Jacksonville did and duplicate it with St Brown doing what Kirk did and Swift (if he's good enough to truly play) doing what Etienne did.

Does Swift playing mean we lose? Not necessarily, but he's much better at beating our weakness than the guy replacing him.

 

[Boone]

I guess the only point I'm trying to make is that I think we're pretty stout against the run. Passing to playmakers like Swift is a different conversation, but I just don't see us getting gashed on the ground. We have been pretty good at keeping marquee RBs in check in terms of the rushing attack. Knock on wood please.

 

[Primus Porcus]