Random Commanders Thoughts

On why he played his starters in preseason, Mike Tomlin had a great quote: " It's difficult to box without sparring..."

Have the same concerns about the starting defense. The ability to stop the run (largely unproven) and overall being prepared to hit the ground running and avoid the usual slow start to the season.

Injuries happen in football. But you can't be so scared of them that it handicaps your preparation.
 
Yes, the starters on the DL played little if any time during the preseason. But I think the lack of size of the linebackers outside of Davis and the two linebacker sets this team uses on say second and 5 or 6 (keying on pass) are the real reasons this team consistently fails to stop the run in these critical situations and makes picking up a cheap first down with a low risk draw play easy for opponents.

I think what Washington and Jack Del Rio are missing out on is for the 2 linebacker set to work and stop the run as well as leverage against the pass you need two VERY GOOD linebackers.

And right now Washington has an average group of linebackers. None of these guys is near a pro bowl level performer. Barton was not resigned by Seattle and they let him walk, Hudson was a late round draft pick and Davis has maturity issues on and off the field.

Mayo is a liability in all but short yardage/goal line.
 
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Damn...Colt has to be shaking his head
 
Well, of course! If we win then the preseason is important. If we lose it's just practice and doesn't matter.
Loop Waiting GIF
 
The preseason IS important if you have a new coaching staff. With Bieniemy coming in these 3 games were important for the unit to gel and show some consistency after getting pushed around in camp by the defense.

I think we saw in the Ravens game and to a less extent the Bengals game that Washington is going to be a much more up tempo and quick snap team that gets the mismatches and like Gibbs uses motion to execute a number of staple plays in the system with a different look.
 
There are two separate and distinct aspects of the conversation. Of course ‘preseason matters’ when we are talking about preparation, chemistry, play rehearsal, player evaluation. Every minute of organized time with players and coaching matters. Everyone knows that. And yes, the time is even more critical with new staff and a new offense.

But it’s also true that there is no historical link between how a team performs or looks in preseason and regular season performance. Zero.

I agree with those arguing that generally speaking the more live play time all of our players can get, the better. However - there are risks associated with maximizing playing time of starters in particular. It’s a balancing act that all teams play. We act like Washington is some anomaly not playing key people for 3 or 4 quarters in preseason games. They aren’t.

The offensive starters got a lot of preseason snaps and fortunately we seem to have gotten away with it (unless McLaurin’s injury lingers). The defense was not inspiring but it’s understandable that Del Rio may feel they will be ready and erred on the side of caution to ensure we lost no one to injury.

We’d feel better if our D starters had looked dominant in preseason but rationally we also would need to understand that these aren’t real games and that preseason performance is rarely a good predictor of regular season performance.
 
Del Rio has never shown he had a good grasp on our D since being here. It always felt like we believed our front four was enough to generate pressure even when a blitz would stop someone. He plays prevent too much, and the corners too soft.

I'm not sure why Young, Sweat, Fuller, and others aren't getting reps in when it's clear they need them.
 
I really think the cancer scare and chemo messed with his brain. That's not a shot at him, but a reality
 
Generally not of fan of Pat M. and his style, but he's definitely onto something we've been saying around here for a while now.
 
I always like listening to McAfee. His show is pretty entertaining. He is spot on here. I like the way he put it by saying outside and inside voice. Ron definitely says things that he should keep to himself or keep in house. I’m glad this is getting some national attention too, because it’s something we have all noticed for a few years. Ron knows his days are numbered.

I do have a theory on some of his odd answers. I think he plays the “I didn’t know” card whenever he messes up. We all know someone who does that. Most kids do that. I feel like Ron has never outgrown this. It’s his defense mechanism for doing something wrong or making a wrong decision. He just acts like he doesn’t know thinking it will lessen the blow, but once you use that excuse more than a few times, people catch on and know you are lying. Which is another reason I’m glad this is getting national attention. Others can now see it and mock it.
 
Ron's been around a LONG time in coaching in the NFL as a headman for someone without a Super Bowl win or number of deep playoff runs.

Outside of that one miracle 15-1 season when an 11-5 roster somehow managed to GET to the dance but lose, Ron's teams have been 7-9 to 9-7 type clubs again and again.

Like Norv though he continues to survive in the job and get further opportunities while others have had to wait years for a chance.
 
To be fair, he has usually owned up to his mistakes. He admitted it was a ‘gaffe’ after the ‘we can get eliminated?’ embarrassment. And even here, he is acknowledging he should’ve gone to Howell sooner.

I really could care less what he says after the fact. The point is that he wasn’t aware of crucial things in the moments that mattered most. It’s happened too often for someone if his experience level.
 
Boone said:
To be fair, he has usually owned up to his mistakes. He admitted it was a ‘gaffe’ after the ‘we can get eliminated?’ embarrassment. And even here, he is acknowledging he should’ve gone to Howell sooner.

I really could care less what he says after the fact. The point is that he wasn’t aware of crucial things in the moments that mattered most. It’s happened too often for someone if his experience level.
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and even further.. we heard stories about how Howell didn't throw a single pass to Terry until he was named the starter leading up to week 17. The guy was our primary back up while Wentz was out and you 'didn't know what you had in him!?!" Who's fault is that...? Rivera stood on a pedastal about how Howell had "first round grades" the year before, and guys IN HIS DRAFT ROOM had 'second round grades' the day he was picked. He has repeatedly drug his feet to name Howell the starter, constantly mentioning Brisett whenever someone asks about Howell and status as a starter.

It's his F___ING job to know this stuff. This is either the most well orchestrated coach speak I've ever heard, or he's completely clueless, not only about Howell, but how to handle the position he's in.
 
Yep. And he’s not even consistent. As you sad, he’s tried to bolster Brissett every chance he’s gotten, often unprompted. He is more or less forced to name Howell the starter by media badgering him. And then out comes this story with Rivera talking like Howell is the next Joe Montana.

I mean - which is it Ron?
 
Boone said:
Yep. And he’s not even consistent. As you sad, he’s tried to bolster Brissett every chance he’s gotten, often unprompted. He is more or less forced to name Howell the starter by media badgering him. And then out comes this story with Rivera talking like Howell is the next Joe Montana.

I mean - which is it Ron?
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someone asked a question on Twitter... .

"If Howell becomes the franchise QB, does that excuse Rivera's QB history in Washington"

HELL NO. If Howell works out, it was by sheer blind luck at this point.. Rivera deserves ZERO credit.
 
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