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This is getting painful. I stuck it out through the Monday Night Massacre, I stuck it out when Drew Brees broke records against us in a 43-19 romp on Monday Night Football, and I stuck it out countless other times when this team looked like a lifeless mess and didn't show up for work in my 36 years of fandom. Today, I did something I haven't ever done before. Down 24-0 at half-time vs. Philadelphia at home, I walked away. Maybe it's the fact that I am 42 years old and realize that stress isn't good for me. Maybe it's the fact that my son is a Chiefs fan and I told him he had to wait to stream his game until the Washington game was over and I felt bad that he couldn't watch his favourite player, Patrick Mahomes. It could very well be though that it is just easier to walk away now because these are the Commanders, a new entity different in appearance from the Redskins. Whatever it is doesn't matter I suppose. What does matter is that despite the different appearance and different name, the same awful play on a football field awaits us every Fall in Washington. Let's get to Studs, Duds, and Hat Tips for Week 3.
Studs:
1. Washington Fans - if any of you stuck it out and watched that entire horror film on Sunday afternoon, I congratulate you. Everybody on this board is a great fan. We all have our moments of frustration and anger, but at the end of the day, you all deserve so much better for your dedication and commitment to a franchise that has given us absolutely nothing back in the last 30 years.
Last week, a few people disagreed with my assessment to award "Stud" status to anybody after that awful first half against Detroit. After what I watched in the first two quarters vs. Philly, it is extremely difficult to call anybody in Washington's locker room a stud right now. We remain a pushover in our division and let the opposition walk into our stadium year in and year out and have their way with us. Will the nightmare ever end?
Duds:
1. Entire Coaching Staff: I put out a stat on the BGO board last week stating that in 36 games as Washington coach, Ron Rivera's team has been losing at halftime in 25 of 36 contests, being vastly outscored by the opposition. Make it 26 out of 37. At 1-1, with the premiere team in the division coming to your home in an early September game, it is a great opportunity to make a bit of a name for yourself, flex your muscles, and show Philly that they are going to have to pay attention to you down the stretch. Instead, we laid a massive egg, going into the break down 24-0. We played exactly the way other teams around the NFL perceive us - like a joke. Rivera just doesn't seem to have an answer right now, and his players are never ready. Lifeless, lack of emotion, and lack of urgency seem to characterize this team right now. This is not a good look for a coaching staff whose ship seems to be sinking quickly. Defensively, Del Rio's group kept us hanging for a brief amount of time early in the game, but some of the same problems persist - big plays, the opposition moving the ball at will and in big chunks, poor tackling, the list goes on. Perhaps the biggest slap in the fact today was with the Eagles up 17-0 seconds before halftime. On a 4th and Goal, instead of taking the points with a field goal, knowing they were getting the ball back to start the second half, the Eagles elected to go for it and of course, converted for a TD to Devonta Smith. If that doesn't show you that nobody fears this defense, I don't know what will. As for the offensive side of the ball, Scott Turner seems lost as well. For the second straight week, we elected to go with plays that took a long time to develop and Carson Wentz got killed. Arguably, Wentz was at his best when the coordinator put him in a position to get rid of the ball quickly to his skill players, allowing them to do the rest of the work with their feet (see Week 1 vs. Jacksonville). Instead, we played right into the opposition's hand and took a beating on Sunday afternoon. It just looks way too easy for our opponents matched up against Rivera, Turner, and Del Rio. Will there be a scapegoat in the coming weeks?
2. Offensive Line: I spent months on BGO Blind Pig podcasts talking about how great of a coach John Matsko was and what a remarkable job he has done with the offensive line in his time spent in Washington. Right now, I suppose I look kind of silly because this offensive line has been beaten up badly against Detroit and Philly. The Eagles generated 4 first quarter sacks for the first time since 2014. On the day, they amassed nine total sacks. The Guard play of Trai Turner and Andrew Norwell has been atrocious, Leno and Cosmi were getting abused, and it seems as though we are missing the likes of Ereck Flowers and Brandon Scherff greatly. Matsko will undoubtedly have to put forth the coaching job of his life the rest of the way in the 2022/23 season to get this mess sorted out. Otherwise, Carson Wentz's acquisition will mean little.
3. Defensive Secondary: Kendall Fuller has given up several big plays this season, and that disappointing trend continued on Sunday in the first half. On the Dallas Goedert TD, one of our safeties (I believe McCain) decided to try and bring him down with a shoulder tackle, whiffed, and Goedert walked into the end zone untouched. Devonta Smith amassed 169 yards receiving on 8 receptions with a TD. That should tell you everything you needed to know about this secondary's performance on Sunday. Did I tell you I didn't even start Smith in fantasy football...
4. Dan Snyder: the incompetence on the football field on Sunday was a perfect reflection of Dan Snyder's ownership of the Washington Redskins/Commanders.
Hat Tips:
I have no hats to tip today, because I threw them all out the window by halftime.
Time for this organization to get their heads out of their behinds and start getting serious about winning football games.
Being beyond embarrassing as a franchise is getting really old.
Beat Dallas.
Studs:
1. Washington Fans - if any of you stuck it out and watched that entire horror film on Sunday afternoon, I congratulate you. Everybody on this board is a great fan. We all have our moments of frustration and anger, but at the end of the day, you all deserve so much better for your dedication and commitment to a franchise that has given us absolutely nothing back in the last 30 years.
Last week, a few people disagreed with my assessment to award "Stud" status to anybody after that awful first half against Detroit. After what I watched in the first two quarters vs. Philly, it is extremely difficult to call anybody in Washington's locker room a stud right now. We remain a pushover in our division and let the opposition walk into our stadium year in and year out and have their way with us. Will the nightmare ever end?
Duds:
1. Entire Coaching Staff: I put out a stat on the BGO board last week stating that in 36 games as Washington coach, Ron Rivera's team has been losing at halftime in 25 of 36 contests, being vastly outscored by the opposition. Make it 26 out of 37. At 1-1, with the premiere team in the division coming to your home in an early September game, it is a great opportunity to make a bit of a name for yourself, flex your muscles, and show Philly that they are going to have to pay attention to you down the stretch. Instead, we laid a massive egg, going into the break down 24-0. We played exactly the way other teams around the NFL perceive us - like a joke. Rivera just doesn't seem to have an answer right now, and his players are never ready. Lifeless, lack of emotion, and lack of urgency seem to characterize this team right now. This is not a good look for a coaching staff whose ship seems to be sinking quickly. Defensively, Del Rio's group kept us hanging for a brief amount of time early in the game, but some of the same problems persist - big plays, the opposition moving the ball at will and in big chunks, poor tackling, the list goes on. Perhaps the biggest slap in the fact today was with the Eagles up 17-0 seconds before halftime. On a 4th and Goal, instead of taking the points with a field goal, knowing they were getting the ball back to start the second half, the Eagles elected to go for it and of course, converted for a TD to Devonta Smith. If that doesn't show you that nobody fears this defense, I don't know what will. As for the offensive side of the ball, Scott Turner seems lost as well. For the second straight week, we elected to go with plays that took a long time to develop and Carson Wentz got killed. Arguably, Wentz was at his best when the coordinator put him in a position to get rid of the ball quickly to his skill players, allowing them to do the rest of the work with their feet (see Week 1 vs. Jacksonville). Instead, we played right into the opposition's hand and took a beating on Sunday afternoon. It just looks way too easy for our opponents matched up against Rivera, Turner, and Del Rio. Will there be a scapegoat in the coming weeks?
2. Offensive Line: I spent months on BGO Blind Pig podcasts talking about how great of a coach John Matsko was and what a remarkable job he has done with the offensive line in his time spent in Washington. Right now, I suppose I look kind of silly because this offensive line has been beaten up badly against Detroit and Philly. The Eagles generated 4 first quarter sacks for the first time since 2014. On the day, they amassed nine total sacks. The Guard play of Trai Turner and Andrew Norwell has been atrocious, Leno and Cosmi were getting abused, and it seems as though we are missing the likes of Ereck Flowers and Brandon Scherff greatly. Matsko will undoubtedly have to put forth the coaching job of his life the rest of the way in the 2022/23 season to get this mess sorted out. Otherwise, Carson Wentz's acquisition will mean little.
3. Defensive Secondary: Kendall Fuller has given up several big plays this season, and that disappointing trend continued on Sunday in the first half. On the Dallas Goedert TD, one of our safeties (I believe McCain) decided to try and bring him down with a shoulder tackle, whiffed, and Goedert walked into the end zone untouched. Devonta Smith amassed 169 yards receiving on 8 receptions with a TD. That should tell you everything you needed to know about this secondary's performance on Sunday. Did I tell you I didn't even start Smith in fantasy football...
4. Dan Snyder: the incompetence on the football field on Sunday was a perfect reflection of Dan Snyder's ownership of the Washington Redskins/Commanders.
Hat Tips:
I have no hats to tip today, because I threw them all out the window by halftime.
Time for this organization to get their heads out of their behinds and start getting serious about winning football games.
Being beyond embarrassing as a franchise is getting really old.
Beat Dallas.
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