2025 Washington Commanders Camp / Preseason

[aledb11]

People are bailing on Quinn over preseason losses?

For the record I am not a Joe Whitt fan, he's never been a DC and that aggressive downhill defense we were promised never materialized. But I'm good with Quinn.

Im great with DQ. Not Whitt

 

[Chris 44]

Im great with DQ. Not Whitt

Yeah i think this year there is no excuse to have a sieve for a defense. I wonder if it came to it if DQ has it in him to let Witt go? Almost seems they are tied at the hip. I think he gets the benefit of the doubt for last year but this year it needs to show improvement.

 

[DWinzit]

Yeah i think this year there is no excuse to have a sieve for a defense. I wonder if it came to it if DQ has it in him to let Witt go? Almost seems they are tied at the hip. I think he gets the benefit of the doubt for last year but this year it needs to show improvement.

I was thinking the same, they are tight. Can he can him and live with himself. He looks for such unity and almost family type community.
DQ will really need to keep on Whitt if the D is faltering but I can't see him keeping him under his thumb...hopefully he wont need to

 

[heisenberg]

People are bailing on Quinn over preseason losses?

Where did you get that from?

I went back ten years and i didn't hear anyone even mention the preseason.

 

[skinsinparadise]

One worry I have is this sense of entitlement. This sense of "We're too good for the preseason and playing in a preseason game is beneath me."

I don't know if I'm right about that, but it just seems that the effort and discipline in all the preseason games were off which seems strange to me because we kept hearing how sharp practices were. The level of play makes me think some of these bubble players and backups need an attitude adjustment. I suppose this could be the downside of all the one year contracts. Too many ten year vets who just tune out the preseason games.

It does make me wonder how flat we'll come out against the Giants because as much as it seems we never matched up in talent it worries me more that we never seemed to match up in intensity (minus the first quarter against the Bengals.)

Yeah Doc Walker (he's for me hit and miss generally) is going off on the lack of intensity in the radio, saying if they think they will just turn it on during game 1 they will struggle to do it.

Who knows. But the juxtaposition of the best team in the preseason versus the worst. And a team that seems hungry and excited versus this team which feels more likely a mystery as to whether they will have that same edge -- makes what's coming next very interesting.

 

[Simeon]

Yeah i think this year there is no excuse to have a sieve for a defense. I wonder if it came to it if DQ has it in him to let Witt go? Almost seems they are tied at the hip. I think he gets the benefit of the doubt for last year but this year it needs to show improvement.

Absolutely. Last year the defense was less talented for sure but there were also times when the issue was players being out of position, particularly on run defense. The secondary seemed to get better as the season went on, which was Whitt’s history of excellent.

In his second year as DC I expect to see major improvement in all phases. If not then Whitt may have reached his Peter Principle.

 

[Skinfanjon]

Doc is a dusty piano with one key and he likes to bang it incessantly with his fist.

I don’t care about preseason in the slightest. Let’s see how they come out week 1. Season with expectations, rejuvenated fanbase, playing at home against a division rival. Once Jayden starts bouncing around the team should feed off that energy. LFG

 

[HOF44]

In the past I would have been worried. But for some reason, with JD I just think it’s gonna be fine. With him on the field it just changes the dynamics of the whole team. He’s like a force multiplier.

 

[Discobob]

Im great with DQ. Not Whitt

Whitt rubbed me the wrong way right off he bat when he bristled at a reporter that asked him why he thought he was ready to be a DC. I don't remember his exact answer, but he acted as if it was offensive to even ask the question.

Well, if he doesn't put together a much more effective defense this year - it just demonstrates, despite all his bravado, that he doesn't have what it takes.

 

[SkinsInSATX]

Hmm could be that now since we've been there after decades of not being there,,we're acting like it. And the Giants are what we were last year,,all they can do is go up like we did! Just a thought and just not against us though lol!

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I'm starting to think Joe Witt is not the answer. It does not seem to matter what team or QB we play we can never get off the field on D. We give up 6 or 7 yards on most run plays If Detroit would have stuck with the run more last year I do not know if we win that game. Maybe I'm over reacting but it's very hard to watch us play

Drawing any conclusion about literally anything other than the fact Sam Hartman is better served to be an underwear or hair model from anything that happens in the preseason is a fools errand.

If the defense doesn't perform in the regular season, then we can start having discussions about Joe Witt.

But last year he was asked, at least at the beginning of the season, to try and coordinate a defense with so many missing pieces, it's incredible. Remember at the beginning of the season our 2 starting outside CBs were Forbes and St. Juste.

Forbes would be undersized if he tried out of the Langley High School Saxons football team and St. Juste is grabbier than a porn star. Then they traded for Lattimore, who was hurt and then didn't play really well.

I don't give Witt a pass for last year, but I do think he did what I always criticised Scott Turner for not doing. Turner was cursed by having crappy QBs, but he never tried ANYTHING other than run-run-pray. Never adjusted.

Witt at least tried different things. Different personnel groupings, different schemes, different ways to cover for personnel weaknesses. The problem is, at some point, if you don't have players, there is only so much you can do.

I'm probably on the far end of the "Coaching Matters" group, I think it's super important. Badly coached teams don't win even with high level talent. The exception bein the Cowboys team coached by Barry Switzer, where the coaching was abysmal but the talent was to great to allow the coaching to stop it.

However, even being on that side of the argument, there is only so much a coach can do.

I'm expecting a big step forward year from the defense this year. But drawing any conclusions from preseason is a meaningless exercise.

 

[Simeon]

Vikings sign Carson Wentz, trade Sam Howell to Eagles

The Vikings made a change to their quarterback room Sunday, reaching agreement on a contract with veteran Carson Wentz and trading Sam Howell to the Eagles.

www.espn.com

Sam Howell to the Eagles. I worry he might have improved under O’Connell.



Edit: wrong thread

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Yeah i think this year there is no excuse to have a sieve for a defense. I wonder if it came to it if DQ has it in him to let Witt go? Almost seems they are tied at the hip. I think he gets the benefit of the doubt for last year but this year it needs to show improvement.

If Quinn needs to make a change at the end of the season, I think he will. He won't let his second HC tenure be sunk by a bad defensive coordinator.

But I also think we're miles from that.

I haven't developed an opinion of Witt yet. I liked some things and didn't like other things from last year schematically, but I also have no idea what they were trying to do to cover for the fact they literally had zero outside CBs who should be playing in the NFL, and the DL was not capable of setting the edge or stopping the run.

They should be able to stop the run this year if nothing else, and they have a huge upgrade on the outside. Let's see what happens.

I'm not expecting the '85 bears defense, but a defense that can put away games and rates towards the top of middle of the pack would be my expectation.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Yeah Doc Walker (he's for me hit and miss generally) is going off on the lack of intensity in the radio, saying if they think they will just turn it on during game 1 they will struggle to do it.

Doc Walker is a moronic idiot who's tough guy macho bullcrap lost it's value in 1994.

I get the intensity thing. I get that the Giants seem to have more intensity than the Commanders at the moment in preseason.

I also get that it's hard to have intensity with Josh Hartman playing QB.

So, Doc can shove the caveman bullshit up his ass as far as I'm concerned.

If the team comes out and sleepwalks through week 1 at home against a divisional rival, or looks unprepared, Quinn is going to have to answer a lot of questions.

But until then, I just don't think you can read anything into preseason. Remember Osaka.

Draw no conclusions until at least the conclusion of week 4 of the regular season. I've been saying that for 15 years. It's as true now as it ever was.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Vikings sign Carson Wentz, trade Sam Howell to Eagles

The Vikings made a change to their quarterback room Sunday, reaching agreement on a contract with veteran Carson Wentz and trading Sam Howell to the Eagles.

www.espn.com

Sam Howell to the Eagles. I worry he might have improved under O’Connell.



Edit: wrong thread

Based on a report I just read, Howell will be the backup to Hurts while their regular backup, Tanner McKee, who has a finger injury, recovers. For the record, I have no idea who Tanner McKee is. But unless Hurts gets hurt (I did that on purpose), I guess it doesn't matter that much. I'm somewhat surprised the Eagles parted ways with Kenny Pickett. They have been rotating guys through the backup QB depth chart most of the off-season it seems.

Howell apparently had a disaster of a final pre-season game with Minnesota. 1/5 for 13 yards and an INT. Eeek.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Doc Walker is a moronic idiot who's tough guy macho bullcrap lost it's value in 1994.

I get the intensity thing. I get that the Giants seem to have more intensity than the Commanders at the moment in preseason.

I also get that it's hard to have intensity with Josh Hartman playing QB.

So, Doc can shove the caveman bullshit up his ass as far as I'm concerned.

If the team comes out and sleepwalks through week 1 at home against a divisional rival, or looks unprepared, Quinn is going to have to answer a lot of questions.

But until then, I just don't think you can read anything into preseason. Remember Osaka.

Draw no conclusions until at least the conclusion of week 4 of the regular season. I've been saying that for 15 years. It's as true now as it ever was.

I play it sort of medium as to the preseason. I don't think its very meaningful. i also don't think its nothing.

A team that looks sloppy as for penalties. That basically got smoked in all three preseason games. Their QB not throwing a single pass. their kicker looking erratic. The special teams looking like a hot mess. their #1 WR and #2 WRs having no camp or preseason reps leading into game 1.

And them playing a team that is hitting on all cylinders in the preseason and is more seasoned as to preseason reps, etc. Maybe it all adds up to a yawn, nothing. Or maybe it means something. We will find out.

It's not like every team treats the preseason like its meaningless. I know your guy McVay treats it that way. But Andy Reid among others takes it more seriously than Quinn. Right or wrong? Don't know. But I don't totally dismiss it like I have the answer to the question.

What's my best guess? The Giants beat us in week 1. And then the national media overhypes the Giants as the new "it" team. They think they got a franchise QB. They think they got the next Micah Parsons, too. Lot of excitement about NY. And for a week after the game they enjoy the hype. Conversely. this team is challenged as not being the 2024 version -- not as hungry.

Then I think we either beat GB or go on a run after that. I do suspect we need a little Rocky 3, where we get our asses kicked to regain that edge. And I think the Giants end up giving us a gift on that front. They get the attention. They get the hype. Quinn is criticized for a week or so. The Giants start feeling themselves too prematurely.

It feels too much like a Giants win as to the energy --reading about both sides leading to the game. And I know it sounds absurd to be able to gauge motivation from clippings. But it feels like the Giants will came at this with the edge, chip on their shoulder more so than this team.

Washington is the perfect opponent for NY in week 1.

A. What better opponent to show that you are the new upstart team than beat the previous upstart team.
B. What better for a team who played their starters in the preseason, game after game because you say you don't want to get off to a slow start-- to play a team who took the opposite approach as to playing their starters. The best preseaon team playing the worst preseason team.
C. the Giants have our number historically. Getting swept by this team I am sure bothers them especially because both games were so close, and the first one was flukish. So they are hungry.

Sounds like am a bit over the top on this. And hopefully i am wrong. The last time I went off like this before a Giants matchup was the infamous game where the Giants had nothing to play for and we did in order to sneak into the 2016 playoffs. I kept saying it feels like the Giants are more hyped leading into this game. I was treated like a loon on ES about it. People expected a Washington win -- alas my concerns were borne out.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Maybe I'm just trying to convince myself there's no smoke where there is fire. I dunno.

I just take everything with context. If the team is committing a lot of penalties, but the people committing the penalties are going to be selling insurance in 2 weeks, I just don't care that much.

Let me also be clear: I would NOT have taken Quinn's approach to the preseason. I would have played starters in week 1, maybe 1-2 series, and then given them 3-4 series in week 2. I think game action is critical to prepare a team.

But Quinn knows more than me. And there were injuries and context to that also.

I just feel like the sloppy play was mainly attributed to the players playing being guys who won't make the roster and the Sam Hartman effect of being so bad everything else was made worse.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Maybe I'm just trying to convince myself there's no smoke where there is fire. I dunno.

I just take everything with context. If the team is committing a lot of penalties, but the people committing the penalties are going to be selling insurance in 2 weeks, I just don't care that much.

Let me also be clear: I would NOT have taken Quinn's approach to the preseason. I would have played starters in week 1, maybe 1-2 series, and then given them 3-4 series in week 2. I think game action is critical to prepare a team.

But Quinn knows more than me. And there were injuries and context to that also.

I just feel like the sloppy play was mainly attributed to the players playing being guys who won't make the roster and the Sam Hartman effect of being so bad everything else was made worse.

I don't pretend to know. I gather if there was one defintive approach everyone would be doing the same thing.

What I suspect happens is we lose the opener. I feel the GB game could go either way. If they beat NY I think they lose to GB. I think they start 1-1 at best.

Do I think not playing their starters (Jay style ironically) leads to a slow start -- yes, I do. But does that balance out for being fresher and better at the end of the season -- yes, I do.

On both fronts am guessing.

But lol since like you I hate the Giants -- I am braced for some misery in game 1. I don't think as i mentioned you can give the Giants a better opponent than Washington for game 1 -- perfect opponent for multiple reasons for them.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I don't pretend to know. I gather if there was one defintive approach everyone would be doing the same thing.

What I suspect happens is we lose the opener. I feel the GB game could go either way. If they beat NY I think they lose to GB. I think they start 1-1 at best.

Do I think not playing their starters (Jay style ironically) leads to a slow start -- yes, I do. But does that balance out for being fresher and better at the end of the season -- yes, I do.

On both fronts am guessing.

But lol since like you I hate the Giants -- I am braced for some misery in game 1. I don't think as i mentioned you can give the Giants a better opponent than Washington for game 1 -- perfect opponent for multiple reasons for them.

I always brace for misery. It’s the story of my life.

 

[heisenberg]

The paranoia of not being as good as we finished last year is expected but also getting a little nauseating.