Are The Commanders Cooked? | Sports Junkies

Are The Commanders Cooked? | Sports Junkies

John Kim covers the Commanders for ESPN.com. And John, let’s start with that last drive by the Cowboys at the end of the half. So, the Commanders close the score to 20 to 15. It’s a one-sore game. There’s not much time left in the half. There’s less than a minute. They actually get a sack on first down. Von Miller and Jacob Martin combined for a sack. It’s their only sack of the game. And then you have the pass to Pickkins, the 33-yd run, and next thing you know, the Cowboys have a commanding lead at the end of the half. Can you explain what’s happening defensively for this team and how that drive kind of capsulizes it? No, I can’t. How is that? So, yes, I think so. Obviously the big plays are an issue and on that particular one with the part that I and I don’t know you know we talked to Marsh Latimore a couple minutes afterwards but asked Joit on when we talked to him later this week. What I don’t get in that situation is why is Vladimore up basically in press against Pickkins? Now the other side everybody all the other DBs were in zone so I do believe that he was in a zone coverage but why are you up? you’re inviting that play and that’s the part that to me didn’t make sense and I don’t know I don’t have an answer for that but those are the plays that keep happening and as soon as you see if you’re Dak Prescott as soon as you see him up like that even if it’s like it’s quarters whatever it is you’re going to attack that and you know and that’s what happened and then on the run I think to be honest I think part of that was like they hit them fast after that I think some of those D line who were tired I think they thought they might pass, but um looked like some of them were a little bit gassed after that and it just led to a big gap and you had um uh the lineman who didn’t have to stay on his double team because of that and he gets to a defensive back and clears open the hole and it’s boom. So it’s but that’s the stuff that keeps happening and I that’s the stuff that becomes inexplicable. They shouldn’t have been gassed on the third play of the drive after the commanders put together a long drive, right? Well, it shouldn’t be but like you know you’re you’re sprinting down there. they’re going to go fast and you know what I mean? So like it’s not an excuse. It’s just like when you see it like you see some guys who just kind of they kind of stand up not stand up like they’re done but like they’re not rushing the same way and so you know that’s how it appeared to to look because it wasn’t the same and it and I don’t know but yeah it’s just like I said it keeps happening. That’s what we know. It just keeps happening and I after a while like they don’t have answers either. JK, we we’ve been taking calls from fans and you know, they’re not killing Latimore as much as we are. Um, you know, the pass interference, you know, you got to turn your head and make a play on the ball. I thought the other play to Pickkins that was just a perfectly thrown ball. It was a great ball and I think any corner would get beat on that, but overall, I’m sure his grade will be bad. But why is he out on an island against Pickins? Why aren’t they helping him more on the backside? Well, well, that’s what I’m saying. So like for what are they doing like and in that situation everybody else is in zone so I don’t know why he was up and like on the other side Amos is playing either it’s a looks like a quarters or cover four type alignment and the safeties were appeared to be like quarters and quarters. So that’s the part I don’t get. Either he was in man and they’re all in zone but if that’s the case I don’t get why there wasn’t help. I have the same question. I don’t know. Um, and you’re right, it was a very good ball. And sometimes like even with like the turning and looking for the ball, not everybody is taught to do it that way. Not every corner wants to do it that way because when you turn like that, you can lose track of your guy. You lose track of your guy. You lose track of where you’re at. I hate that rule to be honest with you. Why do they have that? Yeah. And well, oh, with the running into him. Yeah. I mean there’s sometimes it’s a ridiculous call and sometimes it’s like okay there listen they miss one uh the one on against Robbie Chosen they still scored on that but still but but the point is like not everybody’s comfortable so you play you’re taught to then either play through the hands right um but on that last one you know again that was a very very good throw by him so it took a great throw to beat it but I still say like you’re inviting that throw by your alignment and that’s the part I don’t have an answer for um because everybody else was in zone and there wasn’t it wasn’t like there was safety help to that play because of that. John, have they been beaten in the trenches the last two weeks? Um I mean yes I think it you know you kind of look at the areas where um they have been um you know offensively like they were running the ball okay early on and then you know the problem is like teams are the last two weeks it’s a lot more heavier boxes than normal. I mean Dallas played way more man covers than they have all season. Way more. And because you’re can you can stack the box. It’s not always eightman boxes, but you’re getting seven man boxes against these alignments are going to be a lot. And so, you know, some sometimes it’s the alignment. Sometimes it’s like, yes, you’re getting beat up front. Um I think defensively then it’s like where are you getting beat? And that’s the part like even I haven’t been able to rewatch the P line yet from yesterday, but we know that there’s some troubles on the edge because they’re down DRI wise Baptist and and not and obviously Dorance Armstrong too. So like it just leads that attrition adds up and you know I’m not trying to make an excuse for them at all. Um because as they always point out and we watched a team last night, San Francisco that won that keeps winning with without their starting quarterback and um so it’s not an excuse. It’s just like there is an attrition and maybe the depth wasn’t there the way you needed it to be. Um but um so yeah I you know yeah John there’s certainly a change aside from losing Kane or Ken Law in the middle. I think Armstrong is the guy they can least afford to lose because that he’s providing the bulk of the pass rush. I mean, if he’s out if he’s out for more than a week or two, that’s a devastating injury. It is. And it just it’s another one that they have to deal with. But yes, I mean, he’s been very good. He was he was a guy this summer that I thought would have a big really a good year, a very good year because just what you saw and the way they were moving him around and how comfortable he looked and his he was quicker off the ball than the others. And so, and he and he can help set that edge. So, yes, that’s that’s a definite loss. And um yeah, they’re running out of they’re running out of bodies there, man. Yeah. Well, all right, let’s get to the big one. JD goes out. Didn’t look good when he was on the ground holding the leg limped off. Went to the tent and then, you know, he’s jogging around a little bit. Didn’t look like And you said you reported he was not limping in the locker room, but hamstrings are no joke. They’re not going to mess around. Um what’s your thought on that? So, he he’ll get the MRI today. I know he we know he wanted to go back in. Dan Quinn said that and again like you even Jaylen Lane said when we were talking to him afterward that you know he looked good basically walking around the locker room but what that means I don’t know if you’ve ever had a hamstring you can still walk it’s just you know do you feel something because if you do then it’s going to be tough to play. Um but we’ll know I’d say we know more later today but I don’t know that we will because we always say that and then it’s like we’ll get an update Wednesday then on Wednesday we’ll get an update Friday. Mhm. So, I don’t, you know, but I think um it certainly sounds like there’s a chance and that here’s another thing too like after the game the quarterbacks always talk and he was going to talk to the media which would be a good sign for somebody this situation but then they they kind of nix that and I think and I just my my guess would be because like you don’t want to go up there and say something without knowing really what’s going on with your hamstring so that you know so um so he’ll have that MRI today and we’ll hopefully know a little bit more. Yeah, I think it’s going to be a situation where he’s going to feel one way and the the MRI though may indicate a little more than how he feels. And it’s it’s going to be in the exact same boat he was in a couple weeks ago. Yeah, very well could be. And you’re right though with the hamstrings, you need to be careful because those are things that can keep you out. Totally. If you come back in and you do it like you could be you could do a lot worse and then then you’re out a lot longer and you know everything changes. So, um, so yeah, you have to be very careful with those. I I don’t know. It just get just getting back to to the defense. Could you if you were John Kim, you were the defensive coordinator, what changes would you make, honestly? Oh, geez. Um, where do you start? Well, that’s the thing is like where do you start and who do you change? Like, if you’re talking personnel, well, you play Jordan McGee more, maybe Bobby Wagner, not as much. I know everyone loves him, but yeah. Well, listen, Jordan I he Jordan McGee is a guy that I would love to see more of. Yeah. Because, you know, just he plays with his with some speed um and energy like we’ve seen him in glimpses. So, how would it look like over a long game, but I know what Bobby Wagner adds and so it is a tough tough one there, right? Um and we know what he doesn’t do as well anymore. Um, but I think at some point I think you’re going to want to see more of McGee. Um, I don’t know like in terms of like other guys um at corner what you know I don’t know that you do anything there because with what right? They’re not they’re not going to bench Vladimore. They’re not going to bench. No. And and I don’t and I don’t and I don’t think they should. But I will say like the trade that you made was for games like that for for talent like that. But, you know, he was coming off two really good games and um so you have to you know, you know, I don’t say balance that, but like these are the games. So, who’s going to go in there and do better? It’s just is that going to that’ll I’m sure that’ll satisfy fans because they want, you know, heads on a platter and I don’t blame him for the frustration, man. It’s for a fan like I would be extremely frustrated right now with a lot of things because the injuries just keep mounting up and they’re not playing well and you know, you can have injuries but you don’t have to commit 11 penalties either, right? So, um I don’t know, but I don’t I don’t know because like they’re already playing a lot. They’re already playing backups on that defensive line. I mean, you know, that’s that’s the problem. Do you play I think it’s more, you know, can you switch up a little bit and they they they played a lot of he they were playing heavy man early in the year and it’s it’s less now, but do you maybe do even less of that because maybe you can’t play that press man style that you wanted to more of, right? Um, so yeah, it’s that’s that’s the tough part is what do you do? Where do you go? John, we only have a minute left. You’re you’re a guy who is in the room every time for pressers. Uh Dan Quinn almost seems shell shocked. He talked about being surprised um at where they are right now. Can you kind of describe what you’re seeing from Coach Quinn? Yesterday was and and Nikki Javala said this too and I agree with her that that was as upset or frustrated as we’ve seen him for sure. And now part of that is like we haven’t seen a lot of these kind of games. We haven’t seen, you know, last year everything went well and they had a three-game losing streak, but they were seven and two going into it. But that yesterday I think there was, you know, uh um definite um well shell shocks are maybe more just upset. Very upset. And I think like I’ll be curious to see how that plays out this week. He’s not a guy that’s going to go in there and just scream and rip heads apart, right? That’s you don’t change who you are, but can you lock in a little bit better? Maybe. I don’t know. Um, but that was as upset as I’ve seen him. And yeah, when because he was asked, “Are you surprised where you’re at?” It was very stern and very quick. Yes, very. And then I even asked him about the, you know, end of the half stuff. And like he goes, “Words don’t explain it. I was hot.” And it like the look on his face just kind of told you all you need to know. And I think there’s a lot there are a lot of guys and Jeremy Reeves one who are, you know, pissed off, upset. Um, and you can use the word embarrassed, too, because that that’s part of what that’s a lot of what happened yesterday as well. So, yeah, very upset. All right, John, always appreciate the insight. That’s John Kim covers the Commanders for ESPN.com. Thanks, pal. Thank you, John. Thanks, guys. See you. All right, buddy. Coming up next, we will continue to tackle the Commanders latest loss. They get embarrassed by the Dallas Cowboys to fall to three and four. How can they fix the season? What changes would you make to fix the season? 1 8006361067. were the juckies on the

John Keim joins The Sports Junkies to break down the Commanders loss.

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