2025 Washington Commanders- All Things Defense

[DWinzit]

I think we all want to have the sort of FO/coaching staff that can pinpoint the strengths of an underrated player, plug them into a specific role that hides their weaknesses, and watch them thrive in that role and then go get overpaid elsewhere by a less discerning org while we reap the compensatory picks and develop the next homegrown guy. That’s the dream.

So it’s disheartening that we don’t seem to be on the road to that reality right now with the defensive scheme and personnel usage.

It is what I'd like to see but at this stage it is more of a futuristic dream. In order to get to that point not only does the team need to bring in the right FAs, they need to hold onto all of their draft picks and be capable of hitting on great deal of them. For those of you that argue they are already hitting on a high enough percentage then they need more draft picks. Right now we do not have enough of the home grown talent. We can still blame Ron and company for that but for how long?

In fairness they have hit on some of the FAs they have brought in but you can't rely on tons of mediocre 30+ year old players. The FA's they spend the most money on need to be the perfect fit. Last year Luvu was a perfect example but where is he this year? And of course this years example is Kinlaw. That dude needs be used like they initially planned for him and he needs to be standing out as a stud or taking on double or triple teams and the other DL are taking advantage and pressuring the QB.

I did like them bringing in Harris and Jones but it was pretty evident that we couldn't afford any big injuries in the backfield, or anyplace on the defense really. The significance of Jones's and Wise injuries were glossed over due to the injuries of Jayden, Terry and Ekeler. Right now we aren't able to apply much pressure or cover well. It's up to the coaches to right that asap or the season is going to be in major trouble, even if JD is back at full health and stays that way all year.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I'm still not entirely out on Whitt. I also think Quinn knows defense.

Conn, I think Quinn will make a change at DC if he thinks the DC is going to get him fired. He's been through this once before, and he has definitely has learned from his first stint as HC. I don't think it's a definite Quinn sticks by Whitt if Quinn thinks that's wrong for him and for the team. He had all kinds of OC problems in Atlanta after Kyle left, and it cost him his job. I doubt he's going to want to go through that again. He knows this is likely his last shot as a HC.

I am, however, starting to question some of the position coaches. Scheme is one thing, and you put that on the DC. Players being out of position and not being able to play the scheme, that's more on the position coaches to teach the scheme. Maybe there are changes needed there.

My guess is if the defense underperforms, the first thing they will look at is the assistant coaches before the coordinator. Quinn knows scheme. He'll know if the scheme is bad. Or if the game is not being called well. I trust him to know that. I trust him to know if he thinks it's more players not doing their job or scheme not working. If he thinks is the players, then you have to either change the players or change the position coaches teaching the players.

We'll see.

 

[Chris]

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Were either called? I don't remember either penalty being called...

 

[Chris]

Were either called? I don't remember either penalty being called...

I don’t think so. I don’t recall that they were.

 

[SkinsFTW]

Did that dude get fined for injuring JD with a hip drop tackle? If so I must have missed it.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

Did that dude get fined for injuring JD with a hip drop tackle? If so I must have missed it.

According to Florio a couple of weeks ago, no -

Kingsley Enagbare avoids fine for tackle that apparently injured Jayden Daniels

A debate emerged in the aftermath of a Week 2 tackle that seemed to injure Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels — and that appeared to be a hip-drop tackle.

www.nbcsports.com

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

According to Florio a couple of weeks ago, no -

Kingsley Enagbare avoids fine for tackle that apparently injured Jayden Daniels

A debate emerged in the aftermath of a Week 2 tackle that seemed to injure Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels — and that appeared to be a hip-drop tackle.

www.nbcsports.com

Fuck Fake News Florio.

 

[DWinzit]

Did that dude get fined for injuring JD with a hip drop tackle? If so I must have missed it.

How was he not. They review the game and should have known Daniels was injured on the play. I should have brought extra scrutiny to that play.

Frustrating when any player is injured on an illegal hit and there are no infractions yet your team is penalized for similar actions.

 

[DWinzit]

It will be interesting if they take a flyer on DE Drake Jackson. Dude was talented coming out of college but hasn't stayed healthy at all. AP drafted him in the 2nd round with the Niners. We need DE help pretty badly and there's not a lot of help available.

 

[Always Commander Never Captain]

So this is a weird stat that most people probably did not realize he was on pace for...Bobby Wagner is (by counting stats) having a career year. That's below in the table. Unfortunately he's also on pace for career worst in passes defended, as he's got 0.

	Sacks	Total Tackles	Tackles-For-Loss	Assisted Tackles
Current Year Pace	2 (pace for 6.5-7)	56 (pace for 190)	4 (13-14)	30 (pace for 102)
Career Best	6 (in 2022)	183 (in 2023)	13 (in 2017)	87 (in 2023)

 

[Conn]

So this is a weird stat that most people probably did not realize he was on pace for...Bobby Wagner is (by counting stats) having a career year. That's below in the table. Unfortunately he's also on pace for career worst in passes defended, as he's got 0.

	Sacks	Total Tackles	Tackles-For-Loss	Assisted Tackles
Current Year Pace	2 (pace for 6.5-7)	56 (pace for 190)	4 (13-14)	30 (pace for 102)
Career Best	6 (in 2022)	183 (in 2023)	13 (in 2017)	87 (in 2023)

It’s good that he’s laying the lumber and staying healthy, but a lot of this is because the D as a whole isn’t getting off the field. Long opposing drives = big counting stats unfortunately.

Yesterday the bend, don’t break worked well (and was helped by some horrendous sequence of penalties by LA) but in past weeks it hasn’t. Either way our defensive players are racking up a lot of stats in general because they tackling up and down the field all game some of these weeks

 

[burgold]

Yeah, I'd rather lead the league in three and outs, punts forced, and turnovers.

 

[Dah-Dee]

Just watching this first KC drive on MNF, even though they ended up punting, makes me really nervous about playing Mahomes in a few weeks. With his vision, he'll have a career day with the holes in our zone coverage.

 

[Gooseneck]

So Armstrong is headed for an all pro season- 17 sacks and many stops behind the line.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

So Armstrong is headed for an all pro season- 17 sacks and many stops behind the line.

It would be shocking if this pace continues. But he’s having a great season.

 

[SkinsFTW]

He did the same thing last year. Had 4 sacks in the first 5 games and ended the season with 5.

He had 3.5 sacks in the playoffs though.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

I am really disappointed in the secondary. I watched the Chiefs/Jags and most every pass, from both teams, was contested. We just suck at covering and they blow coverages and have guys wide open every single week.

 

[DWinzit]

I am really disappointed in the secondary. I watched the Chiefs/Jags and most every pass, from both teams, was contested. We just suck at covering and they blow coverages and have guys wide open every single week.

I saw the last quarter of the game and was thinking similarly. The DB's were sticky with very good receivers.

Of course generating more pressure is always a cure for at least some of the backfield issues along with getting some back from injury but still, we don't have the stickiest of coverage guys.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I am really disappointed in the secondary. I watched the Chiefs/Jags and most every pass, from both teams, was contested. We just suck at covering and they blow coverages and have guys wide open every single week.

It was MUCH MUCH MUCH better in the last 3/4 of the Chargers game.

The question is, will that continue? Who's to say.

One thing Lattimore said in the off-season was he was still getting his technique back because he basically missed two seasons with injury. So, maybe he's rusty? He played better against the chargers than he had previously, by my eye. I don't go to PFF to look for these things, but maybe somebody else could? I know he was graded as the 8th worst CB through week 4. I don't know his grade for week 5.

Conn and skinsinparadise just had simultaneous heart attacks induced by shock, died, and went to heaven (or hell?) when they saw that request from me. I will pray for your souls.