Random Commanders Thoughts

[Voice_of_Reason]

I couldn't find anything to watch last night so I was noodling around on YouTube and stumbled on the Denver Super Bowl. I just had to watch the first half. I remember it was obvioiusly a bad start but 10-0 does not do it justice. Redskins offense was pathetic and Denver missed a makeable field goal and was in scoring position again before a big sack took them out of field goal range.

Dan Dierdorff was an asshole. I actually like announcers who are critical of players but this guy was just a dick. Early in the game when Denver had it going he was so anti-Redskins. When Gifford mentioned a feat a Redskins player accomplished in the regular season Denver/Washington game Dierdort had to chime in "but Denver won the game". Then when the game turned he was absolutely brutal on Tony Lilly and the entire Denver team.

Did you see the in-game preview for the Wonder Years? It might have been in the second half after the game was out of control.

I saw a "full game replay" on NFL Network years ago, and apart from the second quarter, the thing I remember best from the re-watch was the preview of the Wonder Years, which became one of my favorite shows. I don't remember exactly what they did, but Gifford and Dierdorff previewed and talked about how good it was or something.

I was 11 when the game was played. I don't remember the Wonder Years thing when I watched the game live, but I found it really awesome on re-watch.

 

[heisenberg]

An undrafted Australian/New Zealander who had NEVER played American football in college was coached up to dominate our defense in run blocking. Coaching matters.

He was drafted in the 7th round and he is as good if not a better example of good scouting as he is good coaching.

A good coach can turn this



Into this.

But not this.



Into this

 

[SkinsFTW]

The Eagles and Jalen Hurts okedoked us into believing that he was limited physically. The fact that they immediately gutted our run defense before we even knew we were hoodwinked is, well, very disappointing to say the least.

Thats why they will probably go heavy on the defense this off-season. The OL moved the ball on everybody all season with a rookie QB. That defense couldn't stop the run when they knew it was coming. They need a lot of help.

 

[RandyHolt]

I feel the story of our defense can be told by digging into what happened at CB.

Forbes. Coached up. Benched. Cut.
Mike Davis. Physical starter grade corner inked in free agency. Wondered why they had him drilling press man so much in camp. Benched.
BSJ. Holdover starting corner. Physical. Benched.
Lattimore. Physical high grade shutdown corner. Play was hit or miss. Exposed or he did great. No in between. A move for the future for sure.

Lets go ahead and cut Forbes out of the talk. Quinn clearly wanted physical corners. To me it pointed to an aggressive defense up front not relying on our big corners in space. I feel we didn't get the pass rush for that scheme and ended up bringing 5/Luvu a lot. Bring 5 leaves 1 LB and Barkley having field days. Old man Wagner was expected to make a lot of sideline to sideline tackles. Did he, and was that a fair expectation?

It may circle back to Payne and Allen. And sadly, Newton not meeting expectations IMO WRT his draft slot. Were they allowed to 1 gap? Did they free lance? Were they 2 gap and my ~1st round grade expectations should have been shelved? I think we needed more interior pass rush to make our physical corners work. The moves to more finesse corners tells me the scheme failed.

We all knew our edge was likely a weak spot. I think they over acheived but Whitt needed more from the 4 to make his physical corner preference work. It failed.

Dont forget Whitt simplified his defense after week 3 or 4. Said it was too complicated. I call bunk. He saw he wasnt getting the pressure needed.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

I feel the story of our defense can be told by digging into what happened at CB.

Forbes. Coached up. Benched. Cut.
Mike Davis. Physical starter grade corner inked in free agency. Wondered why they had him drilling press man so much in camp. Benched.
BSJ. Holdover starting corner. Physical. Benched.
Lattimore. Physical high grade shutdown corner. Play was hit or miss. Exposed or he did great. No in between. A move for the future for sure.

Lets go ahead and cut Forbes out of the talk. Quinn clearly wanted physical corners. To me it pointed to an aggressive defense up front not relying on our big corners in space. I feel we didn't get the pass rush for that scheme and ended up bringing 5/Luvu a lot. Bring 5 leaves 1 LB and Barkley having field days. Old man Wagner was expected to make a lot of sideline to sideline tackles. Did he, and was that a fair expectation?

It may circle back to Payne and Allen. And sadly, Newton not meeting expectations IMO WRT his draft slot. Were they allowed to 1 gap? Did they free lance? Were they 2 gap and my ~1st round grade expectations should have been shelved? I think we needed more interior pass rush to make our physical corners work. The moves to more finesse corners tells me the scheme failed.

We all knew our edge was likely a weak spot. I think they over acheived but Whitt needed more from the 4 to make his physical corner preference work. It failed.

Dont forget Whitt simplified his defense after week 3 or 4. Said it was too complicated. I call bunk. He saw he wasnt getting the pressure needed.

This may be the first post I've seen agreeing with me about Johnny Newton. I know he missed time but he was supposted to be a top 10 talent and he showed very little. Going into the season they were worried about the edge but the real weakness turned out to be right up the gut.

,

 

[Riggo Reincarnated]

Will Lattimore be willing to take a pay cut? He should be

 

[RandyHolt]

This may be the first post I've seen agreeing with me about Johnny Newton. I know he missed time but he was supposted to be a top 10 talent and he showed very little. Going into the season they were worried about the edge but the real weakness turned out to be right up the gut.

,

I didn't like the pick. Yeah I know he dropped and the OL were gone. Draftniks were elated.

Maybe I had PTSD from taking Mathis. But I wanted tools and toys for Jayden instead of building DL depth for the future. Our street DTs in the playoffs looked as good as any of our big 3. I also have PTSD from all the stud DTs we had here that didn't do dick. Stubby Dana Gilbert Haynesworth whatever I can't remember them all but sure some had a good year maybe wasting away in soft bend dont break for 2 decades. A DT is a JAG sucks when not used to their strengths. I'll throw Chase in there - PTSD ignoring we DON'T HAVE A F'n QB. I want high end skill players taken as a priority over the line. Yeah I know you build teams starting with the lines but our patchwork OL did damn good kept Jayden's jersey clean no sack fumbles and we made it to the final 4. So just how important was it for us to take an OT/DT at 2.4? Meanwhile our WRs/RBs were shutdown. Robinson looked all of JAG.

Nothing against Newton he is what he is and should get better. Maybe it wasn't injuries that made him drop. I just don't always fully buy into the you gotta take the BPA philosophy and know I am in the minority and don't wanna open a big can a worms here

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

I didn't like the pick. Yeah I know he dropped and the OL were gone. Draftniks were elated.

Maybe I had PTSD from taking Mathis. But I wanted tools and toys for Jayden instead of building DL depth for the future. Our street DTs in the playoffs looked as good as any of our big 3. I also have PTSD from all the stud DTs we had here that didn't do dick. Stubby Dana Gilbert Haynesworth whatever I can't remember them all but sure some had a good year maybe wasting away in soft bend dont break for 2 decades. A DT is a JAG sucks when not used to their strengths. I'll throw Chase in there - PTSD ignoring we DON'T HAVE A F'n QB. I want high end skill players taken as a priority over the line. Yeah I know you build teams starting with the lines but our patchwork OL did damn good kept Jayden's jersey clean no sack fumbles and we made it to the final 4. So just how important was it for us to take an OT/DT at 2.4? Meanwhile our WRs/RBs were shutdown. Robinson looked all of JAG.

Nothing against Newton he is what he is and should get better. Maybe it wasn't injuries that made him drop. I just don't always fully buy into the you gotta take the BPA philosophy and know I am in the minority and don't wanna open a big can a worms here

I loved the pic. As DT was perceived to not be a need it proved that Adem is going BPA and by every source Johnny Newton was the clear BPA. At this point they have to be worried, he showed very little and every time I watching him on passing downs he was stood up, one on one, and never got past the LOS.

 

[RandyHolt]

I loved the pic. As DT was perceived to not be a need it proved that Adem is going BPA and by every source Johnny Newton was the clear BPA. At this point they have to be worried, he showed very little and every time I watching him on passing downs he was stood up, one on one, and never got past the LOS.

Again I had nothing against the player and admit he was widely touted as a first rounder. But we have all seen that song and dance before. I believe people are unknowingly affected by what they hear. He's a stud all american... consensus... blah blah we see top picks crash and burn every year. And all that graded them wrong get a free pass, and get to tell us who is best the next year. We are often easily influenced by those around us. If not, cults wouldn't exist.

I have a radical draft philosophy that prioritizes more dynamic players read: offense being difference makers with top picks.... I don't want depth "an eye for the future" when there are glaring holes. Trade the pick instead if no one to fill a hole is there. I don't want a 166 pound bean pole. I'd like to think that maybe my philosophy is not all that radical after all.

Hopefully he can be coached up to be a difference maker. He's a speed finesse guy that was too easily eaten up.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

Again I had nothing against the player and admit he was widely touted as a first rounder. But we have all seen that song and dance before. I believe people are unknowingly affected by what they hear. He's a stud all american... consensus... blah blah we see top picks crash and burn every year. And all that graded them wrong get a free pass, and get to tell us who is best the next year. We are often easily influenced by those around us. If not, cults wouldn't exist.

I have a radical draft philosophy that prioritizes more dynamic players read: offense being difference makers with top picks.... I don't want depth "an eye for the future" when there are glaring holes. Trade the pick instead if no one to fill a hole is there. I don't want a 166 pound bean pole. I'd like to think that maybe my philosophy is not all that radical after all.

Hopefully he can be coached up to be a difference maker. He's a speed finesse guy that was too easily eaten up.

Me thinks you still have PTSD from all the failed DTs this team has acquired going back to Stubblefield. If he was a top 10 talent taken in the 2nd round then who can complain about the pick? Of course we see top picks crash and burn all the time. That does not mean you stop taking your shot when presented with the opportunity.

 

[SkinsLife]

I didnt love the Newton pick .. mostly due to multiple foot injury concerns and how high we got him, but DT was definitely a need since Allen was on his way out.. and did nothing to change that narrative in 24 (called it). Unless Allen is willing to take a major paycut (doubtful) he is gone. So we need another starter level DT. I feel that Newton will be better year 2. (he gets a pass for coming off injury and learning a new D and NFL,) has a great motor and aggression, needs to get stronger.
Picking to trade away Ridgeway over Mathis.. was a miss on the coaching staff... but hindsight is always 20/20

 

[RandyHolt]

Me thinks you still have PTSD from all the failed DTs this team has acquired going back to Stubblefield. If he was a top 10 talent taken in the 2nd round then who can complain about the pick? Of course we see top picks crash and burn all the time. That does not mean you stop taking your shot when presented with the opportunity.

Ill complain. I don't like top picks made on rotational players. Dampens the return on investment, don't you think? Especially when the rotational guys come in and you don't notice a difference. I bet AP had lots of shots to take 2.4 and yeah he threw a dart on a player other GMs didnt want hoping to outsmart them. Hopefully it was the injuries and a slow start but if he is not shooting gaps next year it wouldn't surprise me to learn he added a few pounds.

Those that declare a player a top 10 player find safety in numbers. But are often wrong. Maybe one day scouts will be graded.

 

[Chris]

Newton was a disruptive athlete at Illinois. If he were projected to be a similar player in his 1st year in the NFL against more mature and fully-grown men, he would have been long gone before Peters ever had a chance at him.

 

[heisenberg]

Ill complain. I don't like top picks made on rotational players. Dampens the return on investment, don't you think? Especially when the rotational guys come in and you don't notice a difference. I bet AP had lots of shots to take a 2.4 and yeah he threw a dart on a player other GMs didnt want hoping to outsmart them. Hopefully it was the injury and a slow start but if he is not shooting gaps next year it wouldn't surprise me to learn he added a few pounds.

Not every pick is going to be in the running for rookie of the year, some take time to develop.
Jayden and Mikey sanristil did more than we could have hoped for in their rookie seasons, coleman was serviceable and thats a lot considering he was a 3rd round pick and many of the tackles drafted before him got benched or played worse than he did and there are several players who still have plenty of potential.

Saying peters Threw a dart on a player no other gm's wanted is a Reed Richard's level stretch considering most analysts thought he was a steal and only fell because of how deep the offensive tackle class was.

 

[China]

 

[Riggo Reincarnated]

Dan Quinn was robbed last night. He beat O'Connell in win differential and playoff games.

 

[burgold]

Both were worthy. The reason Quinn lost is because for some (bizarre) reason they exclude the playoffs from their consideration. Getting Darnold to be good enough that the Vikes competed for a number one seed was impressive. I do agree that turning a 4-13 team into a 12 game winner with new coaches, rookie QB, and 60% roster turnover was more impressive to me because the Vikes were considered a very talented team w/o a QB.

 

[Boone]

it’s logical to exclude the playoffs because you’re trying to compare apples to apples over a 17 game season. Of course coaching has a lot to do with getting to the playoffs and what happens when you get there. But I think there are legit candidates for COTY who don’t make it.

I don’t know how you don’t pick Quinn in 2024 though.

 

[burgold]

it’s logical to exclude the playoffs because you’re trying to compare apples to apples over a 17 game season. Of course coaching has a lot to do with getting to the playoffs and what happens when you get there. But I think there are legit candidates for COTY who don’t make it.

I don’t know how you don’t pick Quinn in 2024 though.

Even crazier than Quinn not winning (I honestly can see a case being made for O'Connell based on the Vikes regular season) is the fact that Quinn apparently came in fourth place in AP voting. That's nuts.

 

[Boone]

They may be giving Peters the bulk of the credit or chalking up the bulk of our success to Jayden Daniels.