A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East and the NFL in general
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Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)
How the Commanders built a protection plan to handle Myles Garrett
Breaking down what the Commanders did to prevent star pass rusher Myles Garrett from beating them on Sunday.
Garrett was the first overall pick back in 2017 and has been one of the best pass rushers in the league ever since. He has been dealing with an injury this season but had two sacks against the Raiders in Week 4 going into the game. He has the talent to single-handedly shut down much of the Commanders offense, or any offense for that matter, with his game-wrecking ability off the edge. That was especially the case against a left tackle rotation between a third round rookie and a veteran back up swing tackle.
However, the Commanders managed to prevent him from registering a single stat. He had no sacks, no tackles and no hits on Jayden Daniels, despite playing 52 snaps in the game. That’s almost more impressive than the win itself. So how did the Commanders manage to keep Garrett in check? Kliff Kingsbury and his offensive coaching staff put together a great plan with a diverse protection plan to help negate Garrett specifically. The most obvious way to deal with Garrett is to chip him. The Commanders used chips as their most frequent form of help against Garrett, but they varied the way in which they provided chip help.
Washington Post (paywall)
Pat Fischer, undersized NFL defensive back, dies at 84
Known for playing well beyond his physique in 17 NFL seasons, the final 10 in Washington, the cornerback perfected the “bump and run” coverage technique.
Pat Fischer, a feisty and fearsome if diminutive defensive back who played 17 seasons in the National Football League, including the final 10 with Washington, died Oct. 8 in Ashburn, Va., after suffering from dementia. He was 84.
Known to his teammates as “Mouse,” Mr. Fischer was listed on the team’s roster as 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, yet anyone who ever saw him in person knew even those measurements were somewhat exaggerated.
His playing style was not.
As a cornerback responsible for covering many of the game’s finest receivers and tackling some of its most physical runners, Mr. Fischer was fearless. Early in his pro career with the St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Colts Hall of Fame quarterback John Unitas was asked what he thought of “the kid playing corner.”
“That kid is Pat Fischer,” Unitas replied, “and if he hits you, he’ll knock your socks off!”
Mr. Fischer also is believed to be one of the earliest defensive backs to employ the “bump and run” technique. He would initiate contact at the line of scrimmage, throwing a wide receiver off balance and disrupting his path toward his normal pass route.
“Fischer was in at the birth of the bump-and-run,” Washington Post sports columnist William Barry Furlong wrote in 1974. “Normally, it’s credited to Kent McCloughan and Willie Brown, Oakland Raider cornerbacks in the mid-to-late 1960s. Fischer is not inclined to get into a historical dispute, but he is inclined to credit the maneuver to Abe Woodson, a teammate of his on the St. Louis Cardinals.”
NFL.com
Dan Quinn dismisses Jayden Daniels-Lamar Jackson comparisons ahead of Week 6 showdown
“I think everybody knows how exceptional and remarkable Lamar is, and so I get why people would say that here’s somebody who’s got athletic ability and can absolutely rip it as well. But I’ve always wanted Jayden to be the best version of him and absolutely go for it in that way. They’ll feature different ways in the offense than we do. But as far as comparison, I didn’t allow myself to kind of go down all that road. I just really wanted to kind of stay in all the things that he could do and how we would feature him in our offense with our guys.”
Jackson was 21 years old when he was drafted in the first round while the Ravens still had Joe Flacco under center. Daniels is 24 years old after five seasons in college and was drafted No. 2 overall to be QB1 from the jump. The age difference is evident early in Daniels’ career. He’s a more fully-formed passer than Jackson was as a rookie.
The way the Commanders and Ravens have used their quarterback’s dual-threat ability is also different. Much of Daniels’ damage has come on scrambles rather than designed QB runs. Of his 300 rushing yards, 244 have come on scrambles, per Next Gen Stats. Washington has called 20 designed runs that have netted 62 yards and three touchdowns (seven designed runs came in Week 1). Jackson, meanwhile, leads the NFL with 30 designed runs for 221 yards and two TDs through five games. For comparison’s sake, in Jackson’s first five career starts in 2018, he took 54 designed runs (Weeks 11-15).
The Athletic (paywall)
Optimism growing for Commanders amid hot start: ‘The vibes are really high’
Washington, closing in on the 19th anniversary of the franchise’s last playoff win, is 4-1 for the first time since 2008. The offense, led by wunderkind quarterback Jayden Daniels, is efficient and making plays. The Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner-led defense attacked the Browns’ shoddy offense into submission. Reaves and special teams contributors rounded out the latest team win.
Five games into this campaign, which differentiates these Commanders from the previous ownership regime, they have shown all kinds of life.
“Culture, energetic, fun,” guard Sam Cosmi said of how he would describe this rendition of Washington’s football team. “I think those are the three words I’d say for sure.”
Daniels is the unquestioned straw stirring the drink who has the fan base drunk on possibilities far beyond this year. And with the defense joining the party over the past two games, pondering the 2024 squad’s ceiling is a fair topic.
According to NFL Research, Washington is the first team since 1970 to score 150 or more points in its opening five games with a rookie quarterback. The current NFC East leaders have scored 30 points in three consecutive games for the first time since that 2005 season, and they’re 2-0 at home for the first time since 2011.
[RB Brian] Robinson…missed…two full practices with a knee issue, was “limited” in Friday’s session and considered a game-time decision to face the Browns. He declined to say how or when the injury occurred.
Robinson played against Cleveland and provided his standard brand of power by running on touchdowns from 1 and 4 yards out while reminding defenders that ankle tackles won’t suffice. He finished with 18 yards on seven attempts, the second-lowest yardage of his career. Part of the explanation is he did not have a carry in the second half.
Quinn said Robinson came out of the game “well” and that the coaching decision was about “monitoring” his physical status, given the onslaught of games on tap.
After re-watching the Browns game, Quinn could have cited any number of plays as his favorite. Instead of a Luvu sack or Daniels throwing on the run for a 66-yard completion, he went with one that epitomizes hustle.
Wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, having crossed the formation in motion, stood on the opposite side of the scrimmage line when Ekeler burst through Cleveland’s defense for a 50-yard run. As Ekeler booked down the right side of the field, Zaccheaus followed the play, presumably for a potential block. When the running back fumbled, the wide receiver was there to recover it.
“You’ve heard me talk a lot about play style and identity … that play summed up the effort and the straining,” Quinn said.
Commanders.com
LBs Wagner, Luvu helping fuel Washington’s defensive resurgence
Washington’s defense, which was ranked 29th in the NFL heading into Week 4, has seemed to turn a corner over the past two weeks, and the duo of Wagner and Luvu are at the core of that resurgence. Wagner’s experience has been a complement to Luvu’s unique athleticism, and the combination of those traits has produced one the better linebacker groups in the league.
Over the last two weeks, a span that has seen Washington’s defense improve to 14th in yards allowed per game and hold their opponents to 27 combined points, Wagner and Luvu have combined for 31 tackles, five sacks and seven quarterback hits. For reference, that accounts for more than one-fifth of the team’s 143 tackles; almost half of its 11 sacks and 39% of its quarterback hits.
Both Wagner and Luvu are on track to record well over 100 tackles this season — a feat that has not happened for a pair of Washington linebackers since 2019 — but there’s more than just the number of stops that hint at how productive the two have been over the last two weeks. Per Pro Football Focus, Luvu ranks third among all linebackers with a grade of 90.2, while Wagner is 10th with an 83.7. The Browns are the only team with two linebackers who have played that consistently in that span.
Riggo’s Rag
Frankie Luvu hype train is officially leaving the station in Washington
The linebacker has been electrifying over the last fortnight.
Quinn gave Luvu the game ball following his outstanding efforts. He’s racked up 37 tackles, three sacks, four quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, one pass breakup, and two fumble recoveries through five games. The versatile defender also has six pressures and is conceding a 79.2 passer rating when targeted en route to a creditable 71.6 grade from Pro Football Focus.
The hype surrounding Luvu is growing. He’s an outstanding on-field performer who’s forming a prolific partnership with perennial All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner. More importantly, his infectious enthusiasm and ability to inspire are having a positive impact in the locker room for good measure.
Peters made a ton of moves to immediately improve Washington’s fortunes this offseason. The fact that Luvu was such a coveted target within a few hours of the legal tampering period beginning spoke volumes. There’s a lot of football left, but this looks like a tremendous acquisition that can help the Commanders flourish this season and beyond.
Upcoming opponent
Baltimore Beatdown
2024 NFL Power Rankings Week 6: Ravens are a consensus top-5 team, ranked as high as no. 2
The latest power rankings following their Week 5 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Athletic: 3 (Last week: 3)
Lamar Jackson passed for 348 yards and four touchdowns, rushed for 55 and led Baltimore to scores on five of its six drives after halftime Sunday. After going 38th in the average fantasy draft this season, he is the top player in the league in points per game (24.9). Jackson has accounted for 11 touchdowns and has thrown only one interception this season. And remember Derrick Henry? Shame on anyone who forgot. Henry is averaging a league-high 114.4 rushing yards per game and is seventh in the league in fantasy scoring (22.02 ppg) after being drafted 18th.
Yahoo Sports: 4 (Last week 6)
The Ravens are No. 1 in offensive DVOA and it’s not even close. The answer to “how do you defend an offense with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry?” is apparently that you can’t. The Ravens’ record isn’t great and they got lucky Sunday, but they are going to be very good this season.
Fansided: 4 (Last week: 5)
The Ravens vs. Bengals matchup was the game of the year. A 41-38 overtime victory over the Bengals keeps the Ravens’ winning streak alive. They overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to force OT then won it late on a Justin Tucker field goal. That’s now three wins in a row for a team starting to put it all together. Baltimore’s passing defense is atrocious and Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow annihilated them through the air all game. They could hardly stop him. However, even with Burrow playing near-perfectly, when it mattered most, the Ravens stepped up and made plays when they had to. Lamar Jackson continues to amaze and do the impossible. His late fourth-quarter touchdown pass to tight end Isaiah Likely broke play-by-play caller Kevin Harlan and subsequently the internet. Derrick Henry continues to run over anything and everything. Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews are finally starting to find their groove in the offense as well. Things are coming together. This is the team many thought they were coming into the season. It just took them a bit of time to get there.
NFL.com: 5 (Last week: 6)
That’s three straight wins after the 0-2 start, although two of them were far from easy. At Dallas in Week 3, the Ravens nearly coughed up a big lead. At Cincinnati on Sunday, they had to climb out of three double-digit deficits in the second half. But there were signs of “the old Ravens” in each contest, as the run game has flourished and Lamar Jackson has regained his killer instinct. You might kindly say that Baltimore’s defense has been opportunistic, although there’s clearly a lot that can be cleaned up there. Don’t overlook Justin Tucker’s big kicks on Sunday, though. He’d been a near liability early in the season, but came through with clutch kicks at crunch time, including a 56-yarder to tie it late in regulation that turned back the clock. Tucker had been 1-for-7 from 50-plus yards since the start of last season. If he’s truly back, the Ravens’ old formula remains hard to beat.
Podcasts & videos
“NFL Spotlight” with #Commanders LB Frankie Luvu – from undrafted to a key player for the new-look Commanders.
Pod links:
– A: https://t.co/Qyi9SPsnMk
– S: https://t.co/E1nGeseDEzTimestamps + full video below:
(0:22) Intro
(3:58) START OF FRANKIE INTERVIEW
(4:13) Being in a… pic.twitter.com/c8bAx9C63c— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 8, 2024
New episode looking ahead to Sunday with Ravens insider @jeffzrebiec. Jayden Daniels vs. Lamar Jackson is the headline, but the big picture is about whether the Commanders organization can close the gap with their nearest neighbor. Insightful chat.https://t.co/33dMKZ8Xbj
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) October 8, 2024
Episode 926 – Jayden Daniels isn’t just playing at a high level. He’s getting better. I discuss that & much more from Dan Quinn on Monday, including the improvement by the defense. Also, analysis of the #Commanders‘ offensive line humbling Myles Garrett.https://t.co/s3Qq5zpcYa
— Al Galdi (@AlGaldi) October 8, 2024
Here’s the link for the livestream with @RealBramW and me at 7:30 PM tonight. Four in a row. Do they have, dare we say it, the NFL’s best offense? More. @ESPNRichmond https://t.co/yIfWsHeGlt
— John Keim (@john_keim) October 8, 2024
Commanders vs. Ravens Preview: Keys To Victory & Score Prediction | Jayden Daniels vs. Lamar Jackson
NFC East links
Bleeding Green Nation
Devin White released by the Eagles
Gone before ever playing a regular season snap for Philadelphia.
The Eagles originally signed White to a one-year contract worth up to $4.5 million with $3.5 million guaranteed back in March. He projected as a Week 1 starter, taking nearly all of the first first-team linebacker reps during 11-on-11 sessions in offseason practices.
But then things started to get a little weird. White was unexpectedly added to the Eagles’ injury report ahead of Week 1 and did not travel with the team to Brazil. It was then reported that White got beat out by Nakobe Dean, which was not obviously apparent to everyone.
White then spent the Eagles’ next two games as a healthy scratch. He was downgraded to out in Week 4 due to personal reasons.
During the Eagles’ game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, White retweeted a tweet celebrating Lavonte David’s strip-sack on Jalen Hurts. He quickly claimed he meant to “like” the tweet instead of retweeting it.
With White not contributing to the Eagles at all (other than serving as depth), the team decided to move on. Apparently the two sides worked out a deal where the Birds can get some financial relief if another team signs him (guessing offset language):
My understanding is the Eagles and Devin White made a deal: the team would release him now (instead of after the trade deadline when he’d be subjected to waivers). And White agreed to terms that could provide the Eagles possible financial relief.
— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) October 8, 2024
Better than cutting him with no relief but it’s clear White fell way short of the expectations the Eagles had when they originally signed him. Of course, Howie Roseman just does not have a very good track record when it comes to free agent linebacker additions.
ESPN
NFL Week 5: Biggest questions, takeaways for every game
Dallas 20, Pittsburgh 17
Cowboys
Is this the kind of win that can jump-start a season? Without Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence and Brandin Cooks at the start of the game then losing their top rookie draft picks (Marshawn Kneeland and Tyler Guyton) in the first half, the Cowboys showed some guts after two red zone turnovers and a blocked field goal. Their next six opponents are a combined 18-10, so winning this contest was a must to keep pace with the 4-1 Washington Commanders in the NFC East. At 3-2, the Cowboys avoided their worst five-game start since coach Mike McCarthy’s first season (2020), when they finished 6-10.
Most surprising performance: Rico Dowdle had a 12-yard carry in the first half. It was the first rush by a Cowboys’ running back to go for more than 10 yards this season. The last time a Dallas running back had a carry of more than 10 yards was the 2023 finale, when Dowdle had a 20-yard carry against Washington. Dallas didn’t have to wait long for its next one, however, as Dowdle registered a 13-yard run in the third quarter and another 13-yard carry in the fourth.
Biggest hole in the game plan: It wasn’t so much the plan as it was the execution, as the Cowboys failed to score a touchdown on their first three red zone trips — until it mattered most. Dak Prescott fumbled and was intercepted on two first-half tries inside the 20-yard line and a third ended with a blocked field goal attempt. Playing at less than full strength, the Cowboys’ margin for error was small, so missing out on points in a tight game was costly. But their last red zone trip was the decider: On fourth-and-goal from the 4-yard line, Prescott hit wide receiver Jalen Tolbert with 20 seconds left. — Todd Archer
Next game: vs. Lions (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
N.Y. Giants 29, Seattle 20
Giants
Have the Giants finally turned the corner? This young team is playing better each week. They not only won on the road in a difficult environment in Seattle, but they did it without star wide receiver Malik Nabers (concussion) and starting running back Devin Singletary (groin). Quarterback Daniel Jones continues to play well, the offensive line has improved, the defensive line is feasting (five sacks) and the young secondary played its best game of the season. There is finally reason to be optimistic about the Giants.
Eye-popping stat: Jones had two passing touchdowns against the blitz for just the second time in his career. Jones was not thrown by Seattle’s pressure, finishing 9-of-11 against an extra rusher. He was 7-of-7 for 88 yards and two TDs at one point midway through the third quarter.
Most surprising performance: Deonte Banks vs. DK Metcalf. Banks was called out by his position coach for his effort (or lack thereof) after CeeDee Lamb’s touchdown on him last week. He bounced back in a big way Sunday. Banks forced a fumble tackling Metcalf and held him to two catches on five targets for 24 yards throughout the first three quarters. — Jordan Raanan
Next game: vs. Bengals (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Washington 34, Cleveland 13
Commanders
Does Washington have the NFL’s best offense? No team has been as high-powered as the Commanders over the past four games. During that stretch, Washington has averaged an NFL-best 33.8 points and 409 yards. New Orleans was the top-ranked scoring offense (31.8 points) entering Sunday, which was built on a combined 91 points in the first two games. Washington is now averaging 31.0 points for the season. With rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Commanders can hurt teams even when struggling. He did not have his best start but finished with 238 yards and ran for 82 more yards.
Eye-popping stat: Washington amassed 298 of its 434 total yards on just eight plays. The offense hurt Cleveland all game with explosive plays. The Commanders had seven plays that gained 28 yards or more. Daniels had passes of 66 and 41 yards, the latter ending in a touchdown. There was also a 50-yard run by Austin Ekeler, who missed last week’s contest with a concussion.
Most surprising performance: Linebacker Frankie Luvu. Luvu has been active all season but dominated Sunday with 2.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. He also set up another sack by knocking Cleveland’s running back several yards back, opening a lane for Bobby Wagner to finish the play. — John Keim
Next game: at Ravens (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Pro Football Talk
Cowboys hopeful CB DaRon Bland can make his 2024 debut Sunday
Cornerback DaRon Bland, who missed the first five games with a stress fracture in his foot, could have at least a limited role against the Lions.
“I think DaRon Bland has a real chance,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said, via Nick Eatman of the team website. “I don’t know if he’ll play the whole game, but I think he’s ready to start mixing it up. Short of a real setback, DaRon should be ready to dress and help us on the defensive side of the ball and the secondary.”
Bland led the NFL with nine interceptions last season, returning a single-season record five for touchdowns.
He injured his foot two weeks before the start of the season and went on injured reserve.
Bleeding Green Nation
NFL Power Rankings: Week 6 Edition
100% accurate ranking of all 32 teams.
1 – Kansas City Chiefs (Last Week: 1) – It’s not fun to say or admit but I do feel like this season is actually just a big waste of time for non-Chiefs fans because they’re going to be team lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy yet again.
5 – Baltimore Ravens (LW: 5) – Regular season Lamar Jackson continues to be a force to be reckoned with.
7 – Washington Commanders (LW: 7) – Jayden Daniels arguably played his worst game and yet the Commanders still scored 34 points. Washington looks like the new top dog in the NFC East.
11 – San Francisco 49ers (LW: 10) – Such a classic “Super Bowl loser letdown” season going on for the 49ers.
12 – Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 11) – The Birds return from their bye to host a Cleveland team that’s playing their third straight road game. That *should *be a big advantage in the Eagles’ favor. Vic Fangio’s defense *should* be able to stop Deshaun Watson, who’s been awful. Jalen Hurts and the offense *should* bounce back with A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Lane Johnson all expected to return. But what *should* happen doesn’t always manifest into reality for Nick Sirianni’s squad.
15 – Dallas Cowboys (LW: 19) – The Cowboys nearly blew a game-winning drive with a goal line fumble but the bounce worked in their favor. They’ve won two in a row despite being banged up. Staying alive.
25 – New York Giants (LW: 27) – The G-Men overcame a 14-point swing that went against them to win in Seattle. And they did it despite missing leading receiver Malik Nabers and leading rusher Devin Singletary. Not dead yet.
30 – Cleveland Browns (LW: 28) – Just how bad is Deshaun Watson? He’s a better person than he is a player at this point.
NFL league links
Articles
Pro Football Talk
Report: Derek Carr to miss “multiple” games with oblique injury
Derek Carr, injured in the second half of Monday night’s game against the Chiefs, will miss multiple games with an oblique injury, according to NFL Media.
Jake Haener entered the game in place of Carr. Both Haener and Spencer Rattler are listed on the depth chart as co-No. 2 quarterbacks. The fact that Carr likely will miss multiple games could make the Saints decide to get Rattler ready.
Pro Football Focus
Grading all 32 first-round picks ahead of Week 6 of the 2024 NFL season
Pick No. 1: Chicago Bears: QB Caleb Williams
- Overall Rookie Grade: 56.2 (Rank: 2/3)
- Principal Opponent: N/A
- Week 5 Snaps: 71
- Week 5 Grade: 72.0
Williams played comfortably this week behind an offensive line that let up only six pressures to Carolina. He responded with a season-high 72.0 PFF overall grade. Williams was at his best in play-action scenarios, as he completed six of his seven passes for 100 yards and earned an 85.6 PFF passing grade.
Williams played his best game against an admittedly shoddy Carolina defense. He’ll have another opportunity to shine next week when facing a Jacksonville defense that has had similar struggles.
Pick No. 2: Washington Commanders: QB Jayden Daniels
- Overall Rookie Grade: 81.1 (Rank: 1/3)
- Principal Opponent: N/A
- Week 5 Snaps: 57
- Week 5 Grade: 71.8
Daniels completed a season-low 56% of his passes against the Browns, but he continues to produce through the air and on the ground. He rushed for a team-high 82 of the Commanders’ 215 rushing yards on the day. He induced four missed tackles and picked up four first downs on the ground. Through the air, Daniels continues to excel on intermediate throws. He currently leads the NFL with a 94.2 intermediate passing grade.
Pick No. 3: New England Patriots: QB Drake Maye
- Overall Rookie Grade: 63.0 (Rank: N/A)
- Principal Opponent: N/A
- Week 5 Snaps: 0
- Week 5 Grade: N/A
Maye did not play any snaps this week as he continues to serve as Jacoby Brissett‘s backup.
“You want to take a rookie quarterback and set him up to struggle? Put him behind this New England Patriots offensive line.”@danorlovsky7 on the Pats’ decision to start Drake Maye this early in the season pic.twitter.com/JoWAb4xtcr
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 8, 2024
Pro Football Focus
Early 2024 NFL trade candidates: Davante Adams, DeAndre Hopkins, Jamin Davis and more
Edge Jamin Davis, Washington Commanders
Although the Commanders have been one of the pleasant surprises of the young 2024 campaign, the team’s defense has been highly ineffective. Dan Quinn’s group sits 27th in EPA per play against and is allowing 6.1 yards per play, which ranks 26th. The fact that Davis has hardly played — and not been impactful — is an indictment.
The former first-round pick has not lived up to the hype as a pro, and his 2024 hasn’t been especially encouraging. A linebacker-turned-edge rusher, Davis possesses only a 65.0 PFF overall grade and hasn’t yet recorded a pressure on only 70 total snaps. Indeed, the Kentucky product is below Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler Jr., Javontae Jean-Baptiste and Clelin Ferrell in Washington’s rotation.
While Jayden Daniels and the Washington offense are trending upward, there’s little reason to believe that the team’s defense will magically improve, and that could mean overall regression. Either way, it would make sense to finally cut ties with Davis, especially since new general manager Adam Peters has attempted to shed dead weight from the previous regime.
Discussion topics
2-3 Jets, who were on verge of being 3-2 on Sunday, fire coach Robert Saleh. Because dysfunctional teams do dysfunctional things. https://t.co/yCfRd5aFFk
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 8, 2024
Before he was fired on Tuesday, Jets coach Robert Saleh held a staff meeting during which he informed the team’s coaches that Todd Downing would take over play-calling duties. https://t.co/mGVUginTgD
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 8, 2024
ESPN
Jets fire Robert Saleh: Was the move justified? Why now?
On Tuesday, Jets ownership shockingly decided to fire coach Robert Saleh after the team’s 2-3 start while promoting defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich to be interim coach. At this point, Fireman Ed should be looking over his shoulder.
The timing of the move is bizarre. The Jets have been disappointing, but they’re still 2-3 and will be in first place in the AFC East if they beat the Bills on Monday night. As far as I can find, the last time a coach was fired with a .400 or better winning percentage during the first half of the regular season for on-field performance was 1961, when Lou Holtz was fired after a 2-3 start by the Boston Patriots.
And that, of course, brings Aaron Rodgers into the fold. Even before the team traded for the veteran quarterback in spring 2023, the Jets had clearly reshaped elements of the organization in his image. They hired Nathaniel Hackett as their offensive coordinator. They signed Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb and Tim Boyle in free agency. Now, the organization has fired the head coach, a week after Saleh expressed concerns about whether the team was ready for Rodgers’ cadence and Rodgers responded by suggesting the team should hold players accountable. It appears Saleh might have been the one held accountable instead.
The Jets rank 22nd in EPA per play on the offensive side of the ball. They have more turnovers (four) than touchdowns (two) on offense over the past two weeks. Is Saleh really the problem with this team? Can firing him fix New York’s woes and save its season? Was this the right time to make this move?
Do you believe the Jets hired Hackett as their offensive coordinator in January 2023, weeks after Hackett was fired by Denver, because Saleh wanted to get the jump on all the other teams who were desperate to bring in a guy coming off one of the worst head-coaching seasons in NFL history? Or do you think the organization hired him because it was trying to sell itself to Rodgers as a potential destination a couple months later? This is a rhetorical question.
Hackett happens to be good friends with Rodgers from the time the two spent together in Green Bay (2019-2021), which the Jets have repeatedly prioritized over making the best possible decisions for their franchise. In any other organization around the league, given Saleh’s work in rebuilding what had been the league’s worst defense and Hackett’s struggles to get the most out of Rodgers, Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall and the rest of the offense, this would be a time to make a change at offensive coordinator. Instead, Saleh is the one paying for the slow start.
Since 2022, the Jets rank seventh in EPA per play on defense in the first quarter. They’re 31st on offense. They’re last in EPA per play in the first half on offense and third best on defense. Saleh has had no trouble getting the defense ready to play early in contests, which suggests there’s not an issue with the coach failing to appropriately prepare.
The offense has struggled early, and while there could be some intangible factor we don’t see that only impacts Saleh’s ability to prepare the offense, Occam’s razor would tell us that’s because the offense hasn’t had good coaching or players.
There just aren’t many examples of a veteran coach with no ties to a building taking over a struggling team in midseason and leading them on a deep playoff run. That can happen in baseball and basketball, sports where the schemes aren’t quite as complex, but football requires too much preparation over the spring and summer before the games actually start taking place in the fall. The only example I can find would be Don Coryell taking over the 1978 Chargers after a 1-3 start and going 8-4 the rest of the way.
Instead, the Jets are hoping the solution to their problems is replacing Saleh with … Saleh’s assistant. Ulbrich has never been a head coach at any level. Like Saleh, he deserves credit for what he has done with the New York defense. It’s unclear how he’s going to fix the offensive woes. Losing a significant defensive voice and promoting one into what is theoretically a broader role as head coach could also cause the defense to slip, which would create a new problem while making a half-hearted effort to solve an old one.
The most likely scenario is the Jets trade for Adams and improve as a result, and the decision to dump Saleh looks vindicated. I’m not sure one has anything to do with the other.