Commanders News (Social Media)

[Ghost of Sarge]

These two statements contradict each other. How can you say this feels like the seasons we'd luck into the playoffs and get blown out in the first round when this year we made it to the Championship game and handily beat the Super Bowl-favorite NFC 1 seeds in their own house?

Hmmm. I knew that was going to be hard to convey. So, those years during Snyder when we somehow managed to get into the playoffs, we got bounced every year. And we got bounced in part because we didn't have a fundamentally sound football team. It was always the imported, flashy players that led the way, but even during Gibbs, it took playing for Sean Taylor to get them into the post season. This season, it was Daniels. And no, I'm not knocking him. Frankly, I've never seen a rooking like him before. But, had we kept Howell ( Who I liked BTW) we wouldn't have done as well because we have very mediocre lines on both sides of the ball, and in other areas as well. But as we saw with RGIII, the QB running is only going to last so long. As I said, we played some scrub teams, we played some teams where we got lucky, and we played some teams we caught flat footed or uninterested. We're not going to have that schedule next year, and we better do some major upgrading or JD is going to have a "sophomore year" at QB and we will probably break even. Of course, I predicted 5 or 6 wins this year, so what do I know?

 

[SilentThreat]

I think what Ghost of Sarge is trying to say is that this was not a Championship run that was in year 3 or 4 or a roster build, where the development has progressed and we were clearly the favorite in most games.

This was a season where we got a lot of good bounces, and 'puck luck' that helped aid us in our run, as magical as it was. We were not a dominating force, as much as we were a grinding buzz saw.

We should not draw a line in the sand that the only progress we can make in 2025 is to make a Super Bowl, even though that's the next 'step.' A lot of differences will have to be factored, including once again turning over a large part of the roster, as well as now playing a much more difficult schedule, a sophomore Qb with a years worth of film, and more 'needs' that have to be addressed if we want to 'expect' a sustained level of success.

 

[skinsmarydu]

And our schedule next season is grueling. Nothing's gonna be a "gimme" putt from 6 inches.

 

[burgold]

 

[Ghost of Sarge]

I think what Ghost of Sarge is trying to say is that this was not a Championship run that was in year 3 or 4 or a roster build, where the development has progressed and we were clearly the favorite in most games.

This was a season where we got a lot of good bounces, and 'puck luck' that helped aid us in our run, as magical as it was. We were not a dominating force, as much as we were a grinding buzz saw.

We should not draw a line in the sand that the only progress we can make in 2025 is to make a Super Bowl, even though that's the next 'step.' A lot of differences will have to be factored, including once again turning over a large part of the roster, as well as now playing a much more difficult schedule, a sophomore Qb with a years worth of film, and more 'needs' that have to be addressed if we want to 'expect' a sustained level of success.

Thank you. We had solid teams in the 80's and still the Giants were handing us our asses for a few years in the playoffs. But you knew the team was solid. This team, IMO, is not solid.

 

[skinsmarydu]

Thank you. We had solid teams in the 80's and still the Giants were handing us our asses for a few years in the playoffs. But you knew the team was solid. This team, IMO, is not solid.

Exactly. Our young little one had to run waaaaay too much. I'm glad that he can, but that puts our stud at enormous risk of injury. I don't want another RGIII. I want him around for a very long hot minute.

 

[SilentThreat]

Thank you. We had solid teams in the 80's and still the Giants were handing us our asses for a few years in the playoffs. But you knew the team was solid. This team, IMO, is not solid.

While I agree the team may not be 'solid'... yet.


We appear to have an X-factor that has a bigger effect on the success of the team than it ever has. The QB. It changes everything. That's not to say that we're 'good' and we don't need to do anything else cuz we got Jayden... but it does mean that the thinking CAN change a bit. I'm not saying he's Pat Mahomes, so please don't take this the wrong way.... but there's a reason Andrew Wylie and Austin Reiter have SB rings despite the fact that Wylie appears to be less than adequate, and Reiter wasn't even good enough to make it off our practice squad for more than a cup of coffee.

This is not to say necessarily that you put it all on Jayden either. It's more about the idea that the player fit changes. The emphasis on his front side changes, so the type of OT that you have lined up is different. The scheme and playcalling changes too, so the 'fit' for O-linemen changes. I would love to re-create the Hogs in 2025 for the current game, but even then they weren't all high priced free agents (which wasn't nearly as prevelent as it is now obviously) or top end draft picks. All of these things mean we may not be 'far' either. In reality, a solid LT and this line is likely set for the next 2 years. New LT / Allegretti @ LG / Biadasz @ C / Cosmi @ RG / Coleman @ RT. Of course you could interchange RT w/ LT if you wanted. Bring in a stud RT and the line see's a similar increase in production with Coleman still being at LT.

All of that said, I do agree with you, that we can't have an expectation of being 'there' yet. That's not to say we can't recreate the run we had this year, not all hope is lost, but given the dynamic changes between the offseason leading up to 2024 vs the upcoming offseason, it would be hard to 'expect' an NFC Championship run. Just the dynamics in opponents could create a tougher task.

 

[burgold]

To build on that, there have been several Franchise, all-time QBs who never got a ring. Marino never got a ring. Elway only got his ring after he became a shadow of himself and almost an afterthought. Denver won because of the defense and running game.

So, having that amazing franchise QB is important, but he can't do it alone. He needs a team around him. What Peters has to figure out is how to do that? How to upgrade the defense, better the o line, and add weapons while not destroying the chemistry and brotherhood of what's working. We don't want to sacrifice the Ryan Clarks for the Adam Archulettas.

 

[SilentThreat]

To build on that, there have been several Franchise, all-time QBs who never got a ring. Marino never got a ring. Elway only got his ring after he became a shadow of himself and almost an afterthought. Denver won because of the defense and running game.

So, having that amazing franchise QB is important, but he can't do it alone. He needs a team around him. What Peters has to figure out is how to do that? How to upgrade the defense, better the o line, and add weapons while not destroying the chemistry and brotherhood of what's working. We don't want to sacrifice the Ryan Clarks for the Adam Archulettas.

True... but it's also a different game. It is the era of the QB now more than ever. It's not a mistake that the top 10 in MVP voting is riddled with QBs that played beyond the first round in the playoffs. The exception oddly enough is ultimately who won the Super Bowl, which again reinforces something i've said for years, there's more than one way to skin a cat, but plans need multiple years to execute. The Eagles latest SB win should not completely re-align anyone's multi year plan, simply because of the fact that a Defensive oriented, running game dominant team was able to reach the pinnacle. What it should do is reinforce the the mentality that defense cannot be neglected, but you still need high quality QB play to be successful.. Hurts was really good in the Super Bowl, but he was not super human. He did exactly what they needed, when they needed it and they played at a high level in all 3 phases.

 

[Enforcer]

 

[Bulldog]

Yep, if Adam Peters is smart he goes into the offseason looking at this team as a 5-12 team with an emerging quarterback.

There are a couple of top shelf pieces like Terry McLaurin, but a lot of Washington players would not be starters on the best teams in the NFL.

We also need to start acquiring and locking up guys that are difference makers in free agency that are 26 or 27 to be here for the balance of Jayden's rookie contract term.

Yes, 1 and 2 year deals to fill out the roster, but we need prime age guys that are going to be here long-term to add to the draft picks to form the core.

And with Jayden's rookie contract running the time is NOW.

 

[TakeCommandRollTide]

Peters and Co aren't dumb. They know we outperformed with a roster that probably ranks in the bottom half of the league. They also know the super bowl is easiest to reach when you have a QB on a rookie contract. I expect we will be pretty aggressive in improving the team this year but without selling out for a super bowl next year.

We need 2 great off-season's (this year and next) to get to where we need to be to really push for a super bowl. We also probably need Daniels to be as good as it looks like he might be. The good news is the NFC doesn't have a ton of great QBs and it looks like Stafford may be moving on from the Rams. Basically leaving Philly and Detroit as the only major players in the NFC. Close the gap on those 2 rosters and hope our QB is as much better than their QBs as he seems to be and we are cooking. Again, this will take at least this offseason and next to accomplish unless Daniels is on GOAT trajectory lol.

 

[Enforcer]

 

[Chris]

 

[CapsCommies]

I think what Ghost of Sarge is trying to say is that this was not a Championship run that was in year 3 or 4 or a roster build, where the development has progressed and we were clearly the favorite in most games.

This was a season where we got a lot of good bounces, and 'puck luck' that helped aid us in our run, as magical as it was. We were not a dominating force, as much as we were a grinding buzz saw.

We should not draw a line in the sand that the only progress we can make in 2025 is to make a Super Bowl, even though that's the next 'step.' A lot of differences will have to be factored, including once again turning over a large part of the roster, as well as now playing a much more difficult schedule, a sophomore Qb with a years worth of film, and more 'needs' that have to be addressed if we want to 'expect' a sustained level of success.

The context of this discussion, however, was around how aggressive to be in Free Agency/the trade market. The operative question here is not whether we are likely to win 12 or more games again next year, but rather whether it makes sense to make a play for big money veteran players in the window when Jayden remains on his rookie contract.

In my opinion, the caliber of our team is high and not far from SB-level because Jayden is a force multiplier in a way that Jalen Hurts, for example, is not. We don't need to be five years into a program to contend when we have #5 back there and are generally confident in the coaching staff to get the most out of the players on the roster.

I also think there is a misnomer in how people view consistent contending teams. I believe a team that contends for many consecutive years in fact is able to string together several ~3 year competitive windows. That is, 3 year periods in which the roster is roughly the same before contract and age considerations require a recomposition of who the key contributors are. Typically, QB and HC remain constant. The Brady/Belichick Patriots are a prototypical example of this, but you can look at the Chiefs, 49ers and Eagles, too.

This year's results suggest to me we are in one of those 3 year windows, and when Jayden signs his extension there will need to be significant changes no matter what. So I don't want to squander this window out of some dogmatic sense that we need to build "the right way" and miss out on blue chip players bc of some reactionary attitude toward the Snyder Years. Trading for prime Myles Garrett who has 3-5 HoF/All-Pro caliber years left in him is not the same as signing a 33-year old Deion Sanders entering his 12th year in the league to a 7 year deal. It's just not.

Did this year's roster overperform relative to talent level on paper? Sure. They certainly did relative to expectations. But the truth is we didn't know what to expect because there was so much turnover from the roster to the coaching staff to the rookie QB. And I think winning two playoff games proved we're a top team in the NFC already. If the 7-9 Taylor Heinicke-led Washington Football Team had managed to beat the Brady Bucs in 2020, I would have agreed that it was a mirage and that we still had a long way to go in building the program. But I think the 2024 team led by Jayden proved they are, at minimum, a playoff contender and with a few impact pieces and continued good drafting and development, there's no reason we shouldn't be all-in for SB runs in 2025 and 2026.

 

[SilentThreat]

But I think the 2024 team led by Jayden proved they are, at minimum, a playoff contender and with a few impact pieces and continued good drafting and development, there's no reason we shouldn't be all-in for SB runs in 2025 and 2026.

This is the point. But it doesn't mean we're 1 or 2 moves away. Yes Jayden is a force multiplier, but it doesn't mean we need to panic as though 2025 is the closing window. The dynamics around the team are going to change this year. Schedule, Roster, 19 games of Jayden on film... factors that will effect the outcome of 2025. The point is we should feel confident, but many times fans look at a team as 'progress' by moving to the next step. I don't think that's fair as we have not been building 'up' to an NFC Championship appearance. We made a run. A step 'back' next year is not a failure.

 

[Henry]

Daniels accelerates the timeline. Yes, there are holes all over this team, but with a franchise QB, a coaching staff that maximizes his abilities, and an owner/front office that won’t self-sabotage, those holes can be filled on the fly.

That doesn’t mean that the team will automatically improve on their performance next season. There will inevitably be steps backward here and there. I wouldn’t be shocked at all if we win fewer games next year. But i do think the days of Flashing Greatness For Half a Season followed by the predictable fall back down to earth are behind us. I don’t think we are a sub-.500 team anymore.

Daniels puts us in The Conversation. And I suspect he will for quite a while.

 

[RedWolf]

Please post recent social media updates here!!!

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

What is the difference between JLC and a catfish?

One is a scum sucking bottom dweller and the other is a fish.

 

[burgold]

Please post recent social media updates here!!!

I wonder if our popularity is because of the large indigenous populations.