Washington Commanders Whiteboard: Notes And Observations From Vital Week 8 Win Over Eagles

Before the advent of media devices, football coaches at all levels used simple whiteboards to outline plays, map out player positions and explain schemes in real time. Nowadays digital playbooks and tablets have taken over, but coaches still use whiteboards on occasion to impart information quickly and effectively. The following are some quick notes and observations from the Washington Commanders‘27-10 win on Sunday Night Football.

Dan Quinn and the Washington Commanders continue to start slow

Coming out of a bye week in which Dan Quinn stressed the need for the team to win “four quarters of football,” the Washington Commanders came out looking flat to start the game. Jayden Daniels was horribly inaccurate in the first quarter, completing only four of his first 11 attempts for 26 yards on his way to a lackluster first half.

The penalties and miscues Washington’s coaching staff had vowed to clean up during the bye week continued to plague the team early as Washington’s offense had 4 penalties, 1 dropped pass, 1 fumble, and 1 missed field goal during the first three drives of Sunday night’s game. The Commanders would finish with 7 penalties for 50 yards in the first half, after simplifying their offense in an attempt to clean up the pre-snap mistakes. The NFL average for an entire game this season is right around eight per team.

The net result was a 10-0 deficit to start the contest, before Jayden rallied his offense , scoring 13 unanswered points to take the lead before the half. The offense would go on to score 27 total points, and while the bounce back from the Commanders was nice to see, they aren’t going to win many games spotting teams multiple scores early while incurring self-inflicted wounds at the same time. Despite the inaccuracies, Jayden Daniels has yet to throw an interception this season.

The defense had their best performance of the season

After failing to limit their opponents to less than 23 points in the first six games of the season, Daronte Jones’ defense showed up on Sunday night. They held the Eagles’ offense to just 10 points, getting to quarterback Tanner McKee all night and generating pressure on 46.5% of drop backs , a season-high, with 10 pressures and a sack coming on 12 blitzes.

The defense entered the game without two starters on the defensive line, as Javon Kinlaw and Daron Payne were ruled out earlier in the week. Multiple players stepped up in their absence, including Charles Omenihu (4 tackles, 2 SOLO, 1 sack, and 1 TFL) and Shy Tuttle (6 tackles, 4 SOLO, 1 sack with 2 TFLs). Edge defenders Dorance Armstrong and K’Lavon Chaisson gave rookie right tackle Markel Bell fits all night. Chaisson finished with 7 pressures, the second most of career. Overall, the defense had five total sacks on the night.

The secondary also looked improved, with Trey Amos playing significant snaps (87%) in his second game of the season. They kept McKee under 200 yards in passing until the final play of the game, when the Commanders allowed a 34-yard pass to tight end Eli Stowers. Rasul Douglas had his second interception of the season, and Nick Cross was flying around all night, leading the team with 9 tackles (5 solo), including one tackle for a loss. Kain Medrano and Mike Sainristil recorded zero defensive snaps on the night, playing exclusively on special teams.

While the Eagles’ offense has not been good, credit the Washington Commanders’ defense for getting the job done in prime time.

Antonio Williams’ break out will have to wait another week

The absence of Terry McLaurin had many speculating that Antonio Williams was headed towards a break out performance on Sunday night, and while the rookie did play his most offensive snaps (83%) of the season, his production was relatively low. Daniels couldn’t find Williams early, with 30 of his 54 total receiving yards coming on a tough reception in the fourth quarter. It was a group effort from the Washington Commanders’ pass catchers, with Treylon Burks continuing to act as a deep threat. The former Tennessee Titan led the team in receiving with three receptions on five targets for 85 yards including a long of 54 yards.

The offense was frequently stopped short of the end zone, although kicker Drew Stevens kept putting points on the board, going 4-for-5 on the evening after missing the 55-yarder early. Daniels and offensive coordinator David Blough were able to a secure a touchdown in the second quarter using a variation of the bunch set they showed on Stefon Diggs’ Week 1 touchdown. Eventually, Rachaad White would also punch in a rushing touchdown at the end of the game.

How meaningful was this win for the Washington Commanders?

The Philadelphia Eagles were missing several key players that contributed to their poor performance, but Washington was missing several important pieces of their own, including Laremy Tunsil, Terry McLaurin, Bill Croskey-Merritt and Daron Payne. While this helps to keep the Commanders’ win in perspective, it won’t score the team any points going forward.

In some many ways, the Commanders’ victory met the bare minimum requirements of what needed to happen Sunday night. It was nice to see the secondary gel and the defensive line finally generate some pressure, but the team continues to suffer from slow starts, penalties, and undisciplined play. While the win preserved the possibility of claiming the division crown in a weak NFC East, Dan Quinn and his staff will need to do a lot more in the coming weeks to take advantage of the improved strength of schedule ahead.