Official Game Thread - Week 10 - Commanders @ Eagles - MNF Edition

[SkinsNumberOne]

I was coming here to say the same thing. Houston is getting gashed on the ground. Their pass defense is decent, but that’s likely due to their run defense being so poor. Teams haven’t needed to pass on them. And that’s why they haven’t been blown out too much. Monday’s gameplan should work against Houston and Atlanta after that. The Giants are bottom third in rush defense as well. This is the plan of attack they need to follow, which means that Sunday they will come out empty backfield chucking it all over the place.

Ugh; just listening to him, his dislike for running the ball comes through when you listen closely. You just have to read (or in this case listen) between the lines.

 

[Om]

Yeah, the part where he says "I really love to run the ball" is particularly galling.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

Yeah, the part where he says "I really love to run the ball" is particularly galling.

Haha, he says that in every single interview. He says that all of the time. So, you have to combine the actions with words. Usually when he's getting grilled on why he doesn't run enough, he says "I love running the ball, but we weren't getting enough yards per carry" or he says "We were behind for too long." That is the usual go-to excuse taht comes right after how much he loves running.

He will simply not "take what the defense gives you" - he admits as much in this interview. I really dislike Bellichick for many reasons, and I think he gets overhyped, but when he ran the ball on every play of a game one time... you just watch that and you think, "Scott Turner will never do this. Scott thinks he knows better." I don't think BB is some big genius necessarily, but Scott is a moron.

 

[Bulldog]

Ironic isn't it? We had two offensive assistants here in Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay that are credited with being gurus and creative NFL minds, and yet at the core of their philosophy is to establish a sound ground game.

I don't have a problem with Robinson and Gibson sharing touches in a 1-2 punch given their skillsets, but the overall goal EACH week needs to be to control the ball and limit turnovers.

And when it is time to make plays in the passing game that is best accomplished with Taylor rolling out or throwing off a short drop to get the ball in receivers' hands.

The 5 and 7 step drops Turner's offense favors assumes you have a productive and capable offensive line that can give you time and a quarterback who can make all the throws and is tall enough to see over the line of scrimmage and avoid deflections by the DL.

That's NOT who he has on the field right now. And the team is winning at times in spite of the playbook.

 

[Om]

I guess we just heard that interview differently, brother. I listened to every word and came away thinking he pretty much answered exactly the way I'd want/expect a pro coach to do it. And even listening between the lines I didn't hear any disdain for running it.

The one time against Philly I DID blow a gasket was when we had 1st and goal at the 2, ran it once, but then threw it twice, with neither throw being a quick read, or rollout with run/pass, option, etc. Mostly because we'd pounded it down there with the run and Philly's D looked about ready to quit. Beyond that, though, I though he called a great game.

Now if he comes out and has TH4 wing it 50 times against Houston even though the run is working, I'll definitely be seeing something between the lines I'll plotz about.

 

[Bulldog]

Things could be worse. We could have Josh McDaniels as the head coach.

Here's a guy that can take a team with .500 talent and make it one of the few worst teams in the league.

I remember him in Denver insisting on drafting Tebow at #23 overall.

These assistants really are nothing without Belichick.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

I guess we just heard that interview differently, brother. I listened to every word and came away thinking he pretty much answered exactly the way I'd want/expect a pro coach to do it. And even listening between the lines I didn't hear any disdain for running it.

The one time against Philly I DID blow a gasket was when we had 1st and goal at the 2, ran it once, but then threw it twice, with neither throw being a quick read, or rollout with run/pass, option, etc. Mostly because we'd pounded it down there with the run and Philly's D looked about ready to quit. Beyond that, though, I though he called a great game.

Now if he comes out and has TH4 wing it 50 times against Houston even though the run is working, I'll definitely be seeing something between the lines I'll plotz about.

To be clear, this game was called great just like Tampa last year. We have seen this play out before and while I celebrate the win (division rivals with a big head? Any fan takes that win!) at this point I need him to say something different from what he has said over the past two years of watching a) his weeklies and b) the actual playcalling. If this interview came out in year one I’d be thrilled. If this interview came out from a guy with a pedigree of good playcalling I would be ecstatic. With this guy, and his history of action (and words in weeklies not too dissimilar) I am apprehensive.

To be fair, he has not often talked about getting to the linemen and telling them to be ready to run like that. So there were a couple of tidbits. However the main issue (again in complete context) probably came towards the end where he says he will do whatever at different times to “try it out.” In context, against tough passing D, this guy historically tends to pass a lot even when the game is in reach and passing has been unsuccessful (first eagles game is most egregious in my mind but there are others). Against tough running D, he also tends that way. Where he REALLY passes:
- behind by 7 or more in fourth, whole quarter
- if running backs have made “mistakes” (low ypc, but also fumbles)

It has just seemed like his mental decision tree ends with pass way more than run. Not so Sunday! But also not so last year for a lot of that four game win streak. And yes, back to the usual after that streak.

I accept it may be hard though for me to see a presser of his and think “he gets it” because he has said things with potentially tiny hints of passing favoritism like this before and it has blown upon the field. So I look at it skewed right now.

what I would love:
- run the ball more than pass when down by 7+ in fourth
- call a game like this, consistently, through to the end of this season. It doesn’t have to be every game but against bad rushing Ds you have to be prepared to do it. I listen to that last comment and shudder thinking about 9 sacks against Eagles earlier this year.

if I can get both of those, I will be back on the cautious turner bandwagon. If I can get one, I can be optimistic that he is learning no matter his words.

 

[Om]

 

[Boone]

what I would love:
- run the ball more than pass when down by 7+ in fourth
- call a game like this, consistently, through to the end of this season. It doesn’t have to be every game but against bad rushing Ds you have to be prepared to do it. I listen to that last comment and shudder thinking about 9 sacks against Eagles earlier this year.

I think there are legit concerns about Turner. But I think the view that we are radically 'pass heavy' is wrong. So far in 2022, we are 19th in terms of frequency of passing vs. rush. In 2021 we were 25th ranked in terms of the most passing plays.

We have rushed the ball more frequently than most of the league during Scott Turner's tenure. Over the past 2 years, we are running the ball about 45% of the time, not 25% of the time as we seem to believe.

Those are the numbers. I think Turner deserves some criticism, but the whole 'Turner hates to run the ball' argument doesn't stand up to scrutiny guys.

 

[Neophyte]

Interesting development that I didn't notice on Monday Night.

 

[SilentThreat]

Interesting development that I didn't notice on Monday Night.

I wondered, i thought I said something in chat that Davis was moving guys around but I couldn't find a picture of the back of his helmet

 

[SilentThreat]

 

[Om]

Not even trying to be funny or edgy here, but ... for the love of god please tell me they got the numbers right.

 

[Boone]

Not even trying to be funny or edgy here, but ... for the love of god please tell me they got the numbers right.

Yep. Got em.

 

[Om]