Official Game Thread - Week 4 - Commanders @ Falcons

Chris 44 said:
Turnovers are still an issue for this D. We did get a pick yesterday, Sanistrill. Re watching the throw from Penix was a real headscratcher, receiver was wide open down the right sideline but Penix made a very bad underthrown attempt.
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The reason we're not getting turnovers is because when you look at the game tape, receivers are catching balls in clear, open space 80-90% of the time. We had ONE pass defense yesterday. And that was the INT.

You get INTs when you are in tight coverage. QB gets hit a little bit, gets sped up, makes a less than 100% accurate pass, and there is somebody right there to pick it off.

We can get pressure, but there's never anybody near the WRs.

Our coverage is ... poor would be an understatement.
 
Simeon said:
The bottom line is we scored 27 points on the road, the offense with Mariota and depleted WRs was not the problem. That part is actually encouraging. Last year the secondary, featuring players like BSJ and Forbes was still middle of the pack in stats because teams realized they could just run over us, and did.

This year we spent a lot of resources on stopping the run by beefing up the line so now they are finding ways to attack the secondary. Even with injuries we should be better there personnel wise. Not great, just NFL credible.

Anytime I see receivers wide open several times a game I think coaching. Sometimes a player just screws up, and last year I was more open to the idea we just needed more players who were smart enough to make fast decisions. Not so much now. If teams are in fact realizing that we get confused by motion or bunching up receivers then that’s a problem that should have been addressed in camp, not something we are still struggling with in game 4.

OK so here we are. They can fix it now and better, but it’s still a bad look for Whitt as a DC. This should be a make or break year for him, just because he was a good position coach doesn’t mean he’s a good DC. Will see.

My nightmare is that he doesn’t improve and Quinn sticks with him out of personal loyalty. I think that was one of his problems before coming here.

And I don’t have a problem with APs drafting. Most of the picks people are criticizing, like Luke and Sinnot last year do seem to be developing. Same for Josh C this year.
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What I don't get is he was supposedly a great Secondary coach. Our secondary looks like the least "coordinated" unit on the field. Lattimore is the current scapegoat but the entire back end looks horridly discombobulated.
 
Due East said:
What I don't get is he was supposedly a great Secondary coach. Our secondary looks like the least "coordinated" unit on the field. Lattimore is the current scapegoat but the entire back end looks horridly discombobulated.
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There is a fair amount of reporting right now on teams flooding zones and QBs having an open target. There is an unpatched hole in our scheme that is (apparently, according to reports) being repeatedly manipulated.

This would result in what you described. One of the things being reported is there are certain types of motion to both flood the zone and result in a lot of confusion, and both apparently did occur.
 
SkinsNumberOne said:
For those who complain the defense lost this game, though - again, that's actually just what's going to happen in most of our Ls this year, just like last year. Our offense needs to carry this team. That doesn't excuse the defense; they need to play better. However, our expectations have to be higher for the offense as that is where more attention has gone.
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I'm sure everyone believes our offense should be the better unit, but the defense can't give up 24+ points. We expected them to be improved from last year. #SadFace
 
Voice_of_Reason said:
I REALLY think, IF, and this is a big IF, but IF JD5, McLaurin and Bates are healthy, this offense could absolutely hum. Could be better than last year, and maybe a lot better depending on the OL.

You and I were in agreement on this (I think) that the OL was going to be a work in progress for the first quarter + of the season because of the way they handled pre-season and the injuries.

But IF, and again IF, they have a healthy McLaurin and Deebo, they have a very scary pair of receivers. The running game is better for sure. Bates is a beast as a blocker. Even without Noah Brown, I think they're a matchup nightmare everywhere because of JD5's running ability.

They just need to do it. The question is, will they all be healthy at the same time? That's entirely unclear.

If they are, then that side of the ball can be better, and the defense needs to not be worse.

My concern is the defense seems to be worse, and I'm not entirely sure why. I think the personnel is actually better, if not slightly. So what's going on? I get they are missing Harris and Wise, and they are big losses, but THIS big? I don't think so. Something just aint right in Denmark.
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Agree with this. I saw somewhere that this secondary statisitically is worse than last season. that needs to be cleaned up.

But agree O line and running game should be better this season over last.
 
Voice_of_Reason said:
The reason we're not getting turnovers is because when you look at the game tape, receivers are catching balls in clear, open space 80-90% of the time. We had ONE pass defense yesterday. And that was the INT.

You get INTs when you are in tight coverage. QB gets hit a little bit, gets sped up, makes a less than 100% accurate pass, and there is somebody right there to pick it off.

We can get pressure, but there's never anybody near the WRs.

Our coverage is ... poor would be an understatement.
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You notice that too, eh? :(

If Lattimore is still here next year, I am burning my jersey.
 
As the leader of the Lattimore fan club 😉 my only surprise is that he hasn’t suffered an injury yet.
 
Chris 44 said:
Turnovers are still an issue for this D. We did get a pick yesterday, Sanistrill. Re watching the throw from Penix was a real headscratcher, receiver was wide open down the right sideline but Penix made a very bad underthrown attempt.
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Their receivers were wide open ALL DAY. It was maddening!
 
Man, reading these replies and seeing Keim's take on the game, I'm appreciative that I spent the day at an auto show and having a few beers with friends instead of watching this debacle.
 
Lattimore just can't play ZONE. He is lost...just stick him on Man coverage on one guy and let the rest play a scheme. I don't think he has the IQ for this system
 
from yesterday

Screen Shot 2025-09-29 at 1.33.35 PM.png


Screen Shot 2025-09-29 at 1.34.07 PM.png
 
Whitt gives press conferences and responds to questions like Axel Foley's boss, Inspector Todd. Glad Keim is calling him out, in his own way. The D isn't adjusting to how teams have obviously figured out how to exploit its scheme.
 
Chris_Hanbuger_the Hangman said:
Lattimore just can't play ZONE. He is lost...just stick him on Man coverage on one guy and let the rest play a scheme. I don't think he has the IQ for this system
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After a day to vent, it’s probably part player and part system. When we traded for Lattimore, he had a PFF grade in the 60s, which is average. He is currently rated one of the worst corners in the league.

After an offseason to regain his health and being < 30, my guess is he is at least as physically capable as he was relative to the first half of last season. The degradation by ~20 points in his grade is probably mostly attributable to coaching whether it is scheme, technique they want him to use, etc.

A place to start would be using him how Dennis Allen used him in NO
 
It's nice to see our OT's grade out like that, especially Conerly. Our revamped OG's however don't grade out very well.

JJB injury is yet another hole to fill.
Wagner will always grade out well because he has such a high NFL IQ, a study of the game with knowledge, intuition, and anticipation. When it comes to covering or in absolute need of speed though, he is a liabilbity.

Whitt and DQ need to use the players the way the were meant to be used when they were signed. If that isn't working, they were mistakes to have been brought in. Use them to their strengths or pull them
 
Chris_Hanbuger_the Hangman said:
Lattimore just can't play ZONE. He is lost...just stick him on Man coverage on one guy and let the rest play a scheme. I don't think he has the IQ for this system
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THANK YOU!!!

We didn't cover, couldn't tackle when we did...it was just a damn disaster. I was on the 35, in the 33rd row, and it was nothing but frustration everywhere.
Couldn't run, couldn't pass...our TDs were the only high points (went a little nuts on Luke's, so happy for him)...can't say another positive thing other than we had the ultimate seats and access to the club with the free food. Couldn't find a hot dog or a pretzel, tho... :chef:
 
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