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It's these types of Sundays where I sometimes wish I wasn't so passionate about the Burgundy and Gold. It's these kinds of Sundays that leave you miserable for an entire week. They refer to it as the "agony of defeat" for a reason I suppose...
If you couldn't already tell, I am very bitter today. Let's get right to our Studs, Duds, and Hat Tips for Week 2 at Detroit. Afterwards, let's close the book quickly on this forgettable Sunday and start focusing on the clash with the Eagles next Sunday.
Studs:
1. Dotson/Samuel/McLaurin - I saw somebody on Twitter refer to these guys as the "Holy Trinity." I chuckled at the nickname, but the fact is that this trio has proven for two straight weeks early in the season that they are going to be a major handful for the opposition all season long. Samuel and Dotson scored touchdowns for the second straight week, and Terry McLaurin continued to do Terry McLaurin type-things. His 35 yard reception where he practically came across the entire field and then adjusted to make an amazing grab on an underthrown ball was an absolute thing of beauty. We are watching a special player that I hope nobody ever takes for granted. On the day, Samuel led the way with 78 receiving yards, while McLaurin and Dotson had 75 and 59 respectively. The wealth is definitely being spread around. As the season wears on, Curtis, Jahan, and Terry are going to be worth the price of admission alone. As a group, they have the talent to keep us in any game, as they showed vs. the Lions.
Duds:
1. Ron Rivera - a recurring theme for now the third straight season under Ron Rivera is the team's inability to get off to solid starts, whether that is in-game or in-season. Today, the Commanders decided to sleepwalk into Ford Field, they were down 22 points before they could blink, and then were forced into a position where they had to play next to perfect in order to have a chance. Despite outscoring Detroit 27-14 in the 2nd half, it was too little too late. To me, this falls at the feet of Rivera. As a team hoping to take that next step in Year 3 under Rivera, you cannot give a perennial loser like the Lions any sort of reason to start believing in themselves. You have to get on them early and bury them early. It is the responsibility of the coaches to have the players ready and to understand the importance of getting to 2-0 on the young season. Instead, we went through the motions and looked lifeless for a long stretch of the game. As for the two-point convert attempt instead of kicking the extra point to get within 7 of the Lions in the 4th quarter, I can't really explain it. To me, it seemed like a case of complicating things in a game that was already too complicated for our team. Unnecessary.
2. Jack Del Rio - My complaint with Del Rio is kind of the same type of complaint I have for Rivera this week - get your players ready to play! We saw miscommunication between St. Juste and Jackson on a 49 yard pass to St. Brown early in the game. We saw DJ Chark streaking downfield and wide open right before halftime on a 3rd and 10 that easily could have been another 6 points if Goff put it on him. We saw D'Andre Swift and Amon Ra St. Brown gash us for very big chunk plays all day. We saw the Lions have 12 plays inside our 20 yard line in the first quarter. We even saw a 3rd and 15 get converted for a TD...you thought we were over that, right? All in all, in the biggest moments of the game in the 2nd half (down 22-15 and 29-21 respectively), the defense fell flat on their faces and gave up scores instead of getting the ball back into the hands of a hot offense that appeared capable of stringing together a comeback.
3. Scot Turner - I will be the first to acknowledge that I might be a bit harsh with this one. Scot's name likely doesn't deserve to be on this list given that we put up 27 points and have now scored 7 TDs through two weeks via the pass. Could it be though that the obvious elevated level of talent at wide receiver and QB is masking some of the deficiencies in the offensive approach? It's something that has crossed my mind today. In the first half, the Lions had our offensive line on their heels. They were bringing a ton of heat and we didn't really have an answer for it. A week ago, we saw Turner getting the ball out of Wentz's hands really quickly and letting the skill players do their thing with their feet. This week, our early struggles on offense seemed to coincide with some slow developing plays. I am not an offensive coordinator, but when Detroit is bringing really effective pressure and Aiden Hutchinson is having a career day in his second NFL start, would you not try to neutralize that a bit by using the likes of McLaurin, Samuel, and Dotson in the quick game? We amassed zero first downs in the opening quarter, there were no visible adjustments from Turner early on, and in a flash, the game got away from us bigtime. Before I forget, what was up with attempting a "trickeration" play down 22-0? That screamed desperation.
4. Dax Milne - It has only been two weeks, but I am officially done with Milne on returns. It is a night and day difference with what we had in De'Andre Carter. With Milne, there seems to be zero threat of a potential big play happening. He seems to be unsure of himself, indecisive, and does not get upfield. On the day, Milne was stopped shy of the 20 yard line three times, and was held within the 25 yard line four times on returns on the day. It almost seemed as though the Lions were intentionally kicking to a distance at which they knew Milne would have to return it to gain an obvious field position advantage. Credit to them and their strategy.
5. Offensive Line - We rarely see this unit on the list, but today was tough sledding. Sam Cosmi and Charles Leno had their hands full all day on the edge, we gave up a safety on a hit to Wentz in the end zone, and had zero push in run plays. Simply put, we were getting blown off the line repeatedly.
6. Defensive Line - the Lions had a guy starting at LG who was called up from the practice squad. Their RG was getting his 2nd ever NFL start. They started a backup C. They went up against a front four that is often applauded as being one of the best in the league. Despite all that, the Lions destroyed us in the physicality department, and averaged 8 yards per play on route to a quick 15-0 lead. For the game, they had 191 rushing yards. You read that correctly.
7. Defensive Secondary - St. Brown had his way with Washington's secondary all day, accumulating 119 yards receiving. As mentioned earlier, we saw miscommunications, guys in blue/silver streaking wide open, and three players (McCain, St. Juste, and Forrest) whiff on tackles with awful angles on a 3rd and 15 that went for a Lions score.
8. Joey Slye - his missed extra point when the Commanders inched closer and got the game to 36-27 in the final minutes of the 4th quarter essentially ended any remaining hope for a comeback. Who knows...maybe Slye felt really bad for Rivera and his awful math skills, and was trying to deflect a bit of blame elsewhere. An onside kick attempt that travelled 5 yards was ugly to watch as well.
9. Christian Holmes - on Tress Way's opening punt of the game, Holmes missed a perfect opportunity to down the ball on the Lions' 1 yard line. Could the game have turned out differently had we had an early advantage in the field position game? The way our defense played today, likely not, but you never know...you got to make a play when you have an opportunity.
10. Dan Snyder - just because I'm miserable today...
Hat Tips:
1. Carson Wentz - our new QB has now thrown for over 300 yards and for 3+ TDs in two straight weeks. It has been a long while since we have been accustomed to that kind of production. We saw an overthrow that led to an INT, but it appears as though Wentz's big play ability will keep us alive more often than not. I think Sunday could have been a lot uglier without Wentz behind center. He is far from our biggest problem and will likely bring some good stability to the quarterback position in 2022.
2. Jamin Davis - I may be wrong, but it appeared as though Davis was as active as we have ever seen him in a Washington uniform. We saw him make some solid plays against the run, in particular an important tackle inside the 5 yard line on the Lion's 2nd drive that stalled near our goal line. As well, he made a nice play in pass coverage on an end zone throw to D'Andre Swift, and had a sack. The coaches might disagree, but it appeared to be a step in the right direction maybe.
That's it for this week. Do you agree? Disagree? Who are we missing? Let us know your thoughts and thanks for reading.
Here is hoping that next week vs. Philly will be a step in the right direction for Washington.
If you couldn't already tell, I am very bitter today. Let's get right to our Studs, Duds, and Hat Tips for Week 2 at Detroit. Afterwards, let's close the book quickly on this forgettable Sunday and start focusing on the clash with the Eagles next Sunday.
Studs:
1. Dotson/Samuel/McLaurin - I saw somebody on Twitter refer to these guys as the "Holy Trinity." I chuckled at the nickname, but the fact is that this trio has proven for two straight weeks early in the season that they are going to be a major handful for the opposition all season long. Samuel and Dotson scored touchdowns for the second straight week, and Terry McLaurin continued to do Terry McLaurin type-things. His 35 yard reception where he practically came across the entire field and then adjusted to make an amazing grab on an underthrown ball was an absolute thing of beauty. We are watching a special player that I hope nobody ever takes for granted. On the day, Samuel led the way with 78 receiving yards, while McLaurin and Dotson had 75 and 59 respectively. The wealth is definitely being spread around. As the season wears on, Curtis, Jahan, and Terry are going to be worth the price of admission alone. As a group, they have the talent to keep us in any game, as they showed vs. the Lions.
Duds:
1. Ron Rivera - a recurring theme for now the third straight season under Ron Rivera is the team's inability to get off to solid starts, whether that is in-game or in-season. Today, the Commanders decided to sleepwalk into Ford Field, they were down 22 points before they could blink, and then were forced into a position where they had to play next to perfect in order to have a chance. Despite outscoring Detroit 27-14 in the 2nd half, it was too little too late. To me, this falls at the feet of Rivera. As a team hoping to take that next step in Year 3 under Rivera, you cannot give a perennial loser like the Lions any sort of reason to start believing in themselves. You have to get on them early and bury them early. It is the responsibility of the coaches to have the players ready and to understand the importance of getting to 2-0 on the young season. Instead, we went through the motions and looked lifeless for a long stretch of the game. As for the two-point convert attempt instead of kicking the extra point to get within 7 of the Lions in the 4th quarter, I can't really explain it. To me, it seemed like a case of complicating things in a game that was already too complicated for our team. Unnecessary.
2. Jack Del Rio - My complaint with Del Rio is kind of the same type of complaint I have for Rivera this week - get your players ready to play! We saw miscommunication between St. Juste and Jackson on a 49 yard pass to St. Brown early in the game. We saw DJ Chark streaking downfield and wide open right before halftime on a 3rd and 10 that easily could have been another 6 points if Goff put it on him. We saw D'Andre Swift and Amon Ra St. Brown gash us for very big chunk plays all day. We saw the Lions have 12 plays inside our 20 yard line in the first quarter. We even saw a 3rd and 15 get converted for a TD...you thought we were over that, right? All in all, in the biggest moments of the game in the 2nd half (down 22-15 and 29-21 respectively), the defense fell flat on their faces and gave up scores instead of getting the ball back into the hands of a hot offense that appeared capable of stringing together a comeback.
3. Scot Turner - I will be the first to acknowledge that I might be a bit harsh with this one. Scot's name likely doesn't deserve to be on this list given that we put up 27 points and have now scored 7 TDs through two weeks via the pass. Could it be though that the obvious elevated level of talent at wide receiver and QB is masking some of the deficiencies in the offensive approach? It's something that has crossed my mind today. In the first half, the Lions had our offensive line on their heels. They were bringing a ton of heat and we didn't really have an answer for it. A week ago, we saw Turner getting the ball out of Wentz's hands really quickly and letting the skill players do their thing with their feet. This week, our early struggles on offense seemed to coincide with some slow developing plays. I am not an offensive coordinator, but when Detroit is bringing really effective pressure and Aiden Hutchinson is having a career day in his second NFL start, would you not try to neutralize that a bit by using the likes of McLaurin, Samuel, and Dotson in the quick game? We amassed zero first downs in the opening quarter, there were no visible adjustments from Turner early on, and in a flash, the game got away from us bigtime. Before I forget, what was up with attempting a "trickeration" play down 22-0? That screamed desperation.
4. Dax Milne - It has only been two weeks, but I am officially done with Milne on returns. It is a night and day difference with what we had in De'Andre Carter. With Milne, there seems to be zero threat of a potential big play happening. He seems to be unsure of himself, indecisive, and does not get upfield. On the day, Milne was stopped shy of the 20 yard line three times, and was held within the 25 yard line four times on returns on the day. It almost seemed as though the Lions were intentionally kicking to a distance at which they knew Milne would have to return it to gain an obvious field position advantage. Credit to them and their strategy.
5. Offensive Line - We rarely see this unit on the list, but today was tough sledding. Sam Cosmi and Charles Leno had their hands full all day on the edge, we gave up a safety on a hit to Wentz in the end zone, and had zero push in run plays. Simply put, we were getting blown off the line repeatedly.
6. Defensive Line - the Lions had a guy starting at LG who was called up from the practice squad. Their RG was getting his 2nd ever NFL start. They started a backup C. They went up against a front four that is often applauded as being one of the best in the league. Despite all that, the Lions destroyed us in the physicality department, and averaged 8 yards per play on route to a quick 15-0 lead. For the game, they had 191 rushing yards. You read that correctly.
7. Defensive Secondary - St. Brown had his way with Washington's secondary all day, accumulating 119 yards receiving. As mentioned earlier, we saw miscommunications, guys in blue/silver streaking wide open, and three players (McCain, St. Juste, and Forrest) whiff on tackles with awful angles on a 3rd and 15 that went for a Lions score.
8. Joey Slye - his missed extra point when the Commanders inched closer and got the game to 36-27 in the final minutes of the 4th quarter essentially ended any remaining hope for a comeback. Who knows...maybe Slye felt really bad for Rivera and his awful math skills, and was trying to deflect a bit of blame elsewhere. An onside kick attempt that travelled 5 yards was ugly to watch as well.
9. Christian Holmes - on Tress Way's opening punt of the game, Holmes missed a perfect opportunity to down the ball on the Lions' 1 yard line. Could the game have turned out differently had we had an early advantage in the field position game? The way our defense played today, likely not, but you never know...you got to make a play when you have an opportunity.
10. Dan Snyder - just because I'm miserable today...
Hat Tips:
1. Carson Wentz - our new QB has now thrown for over 300 yards and for 3+ TDs in two straight weeks. It has been a long while since we have been accustomed to that kind of production. We saw an overthrow that led to an INT, but it appears as though Wentz's big play ability will keep us alive more often than not. I think Sunday could have been a lot uglier without Wentz behind center. He is far from our biggest problem and will likely bring some good stability to the quarterback position in 2022.
2. Jamin Davis - I may be wrong, but it appeared as though Davis was as active as we have ever seen him in a Washington uniform. We saw him make some solid plays against the run, in particular an important tackle inside the 5 yard line on the Lion's 2nd drive that stalled near our goal line. As well, he made a nice play in pass coverage on an end zone throw to D'Andre Swift, and had a sack. The coaches might disagree, but it appeared to be a step in the right direction maybe.
That's it for this week. Do you agree? Disagree? Who are we missing? Let us know your thoughts and thanks for reading.
Here is hoping that next week vs. Philly will be a step in the right direction for Washington.
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