- 1 day ago
JP, BMitch, and Rooster loved what they saw from the Commanders offense in practice today and discuss a mini-brawl on the defensive side.
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00:00I want to run through some of Dan Quinn's comments this morning, because he talked at length.
00:04I think he was, I heard him on with the junks, too, which was cool.
00:09I want to start with, there's so much focus out here on Jaden Daniels, right?
00:14And I understand he's, I mean, he's a star.
00:17He's an actual, he's got a Nike deal and a Gatorade deal.
00:21That's only the 1%, you know what I mean?
00:25But for this team to be good, the defense has to be significantly better.
00:31They were god-awful last year.
00:33They were last or second to last only thanks to the Jets' ineptitude in damn near every major statistical category.
00:42So this is Dan Quinn, number six, Luigi, number six.
00:46Dan Quinn talking about what he wants to see from his starting defense.
00:49I just didn't love kind of the urgency that we played with.
00:53You know, it just wasn't, like, as downhill and aggressive that I saw from the practice.
00:58And so I wanted to see more of that.
01:01So, you know, third downs, you know, obviously, you know, allowed a conversion.
01:04So it just didn't feel as, you know, violent and as strong as I'd like to see, you know, from
01:09the unit overall.
01:10And then offensively, I didn't love the way we started the second half.
01:13You know, like, we had a real chance to do some things.
01:15We scored, got a stop, you know.
01:17Then having the ball to go back, man, like, could have went up big into that space and had to
01:22punt.
01:22And so those are, you know, two points of emphasis for sure, like, starting both halves, you know, being aggressive.
01:31So, like, I would tell everybody on that team, I don't care if they're young, I don't care what position
01:37they play, if they're older.
01:39Watch Antonio Hamilton play in that football game.
01:43From the moment he stepped on the field to the moment he left, he was violent, he was aggressive, and
01:50he played like he was a young dude trying to open somebody's eyes.
01:54You saw some guys playing timid, but you saw other guys going for it.
02:00You got to get to the point where this game of football, yes, it's a business, but it is a
02:06game.
02:07And it's something you've played since you were a kid.
02:09Never lose the enthusiasm that you got from that as a kid.
02:13Because I watched that dude play.
02:14He looked like he was having fun.
02:17And I think guys got to get to that point.
02:19You know, for 14 years, I'm going to tell you, the reason I played the way I played, I had
02:24fun on the football field.
02:25It never became a chore to me.
02:28You get what I'm saying?
02:29Whether it's working out or going on the field, in hot, the sun, it was always something I wanted to
02:35do that I was still working to get to as high of a level as I can get.
02:39And I think guys got to find a way to get that mindset.
02:44Because Antonio, showing the hell, it seemed like he was doing that to me.
02:49Agreed.
02:51Also cool today, I think not everybody recognized, like, Jaden's mom tends to be kind of front and center in
03:00his life.
03:01But Jaden's also really tight with his dad.
03:03His dad was at practice today.
03:04I just thought that was cool.
03:05He was there with Wale.
03:07Those two are friendly, living in Southern California.
03:10I want to go back to Quinn.
03:12I just saw a photo of that.
03:14It reminded me to say that.
03:16But the position groups that stood out to him against the Dolphins, because I'd say for me, it was the
03:22running backs.
03:24And I thought the depth that receivers showed pretty well.
03:27Yeah.
03:27Number eight, Luigi.
03:28Dan Quinn talking about what position groups stood out to him against the Dolphins.
03:31I would say I certainly liked, you know, kind of the second and third quarter.
03:36I thought the corners, you know, and their ability to cover down the field, there was a, and I give
03:41credit, you know, it was a nice catch on Hamilton in the, you know, the early part of the game.
03:46But after that, I thought the rush and the coverage kind of came together.
03:51Interior-wise, Byron had some good push.
03:54And I thought that caused some of the interceptions that we saw in the second half.
03:57So, the one to Ale, the one to Malik.
04:00So, I would say I liked seeing that balance in the fourth quarter of guys, like, really going to battle
04:06for it.
04:06So, I would say the rush and the cover towards the end of the game was something that I was
04:11impressed with, especially the interior guys, Ricky and Byron.
04:17Barber and Byron really played well in the second half of that game.
04:21And caused problems.
04:23I don't know what conclusions to draw from that, but, like, they deserve the credit for the performance.
04:29But I think the conclusion you can draw is if you get pressure, you can make plays.
04:34The pass rush and the coverage goes hand in hand, and vice versa.
04:38The coverage helps out the pass rush.
04:40And you saw that working in unison.
04:43So, when we got on the field, it ain't going to be all about the guys rushing the passer.
04:47The guy covering has to do a little something, too.
04:49And if those guys are doing their job at a high level, then you can see some of those things
04:53happening.
04:54Like, those balls came out.
04:56Quarterback didn't want to throw the ball there.
04:57When you go to step into a play and there's a big dude in front of you, you have to
05:01short step.
05:02The same thing happened to Hartman.
05:04He went to throw a ball, and he over-strided, and they just sailed on him.
05:09When you get pressure, it changes up your rhythm.
05:12And I think if they get consistent pressure, we'll see more plays happen in the back end.
05:17What did you think of Kwon and Harris Friday night?
05:20Kwon got the pick.
05:21Yeah.
05:22Dan Quinn explained that he wanted those two to play a lot and that it could look different in Detroit.
05:27It almost feels like Detroit might be Reeves and Cross going and Kwon and Harris not going.
05:33But what did you think of the safety play?
05:35I didn't see a problem with them.
05:37I thought they played well.
05:39They were in the right positions.
05:40They were coming up in the run game.
05:41And, you know, Harris is a heat-seeking missile.
05:44He's a hitter.
05:44Yeah.
05:46I was cool with their level of play.
05:49I thought Kwon's putting together a pretty decent little camp here.
05:54With the Trey Amos situation, when do you get – I don't know if you're concerned yet, but if you
06:03aren't, when do you?
06:05My whole thing is going to be –
06:06My thing with Trey, I'm a little concerned at this point.
06:08My mind will be at that week when everybody is sitting around and they're trying to figure out what they're
06:14going to do.
06:15So after roster cuts.
06:16Yes.
06:18For the young man, though, that hasn't played since November, has practiced once, what does that do mentally for a
06:26cornerback?
06:27That position requires unreal, irrational confidence.
06:33He has to sit with Rasul.
06:39We heard him right here.
06:41And he has to learn – he has to get his mental confidence back, which will give him physical –
06:48In the leg, right?
06:49No, the mental confidence will give him physical confidence.
06:52You get what I'm saying?
06:54What are you doing, dude?
06:55What is this maniac doing?
06:57I don't have any fingernails.
07:00Just when you think Chris Russell can't be crazy.
07:02When we see a guy get hurt, we just go, oh, they're healthy.
07:06Yeah, the doctors say they're healthy.
07:09The coaches say they're healthy.
07:11Until inside of here, you're not healthy.
07:15And that's the main thing.
07:16When you hear people saying football is more mental than it is physical, those are the things they're discussing.
07:24Listen, you sometimes have to mentally fool yourself into thinking something is whatever to get back to just playing free.
07:32Think about before a guy gets hurt.
07:34You watch them flying around and doing stuff.
07:36Then when they get hurt, they get back on the football field.
07:39They don't play as fast because they're thinking about everything.
07:42And normally they're thinking about, my leg hurt.
07:45Oh, I got a bad knee.
07:46I got a bad ankle.
07:47I got this.
07:48And they never can get back.
07:50Those that can get past that, they immediately step back up.
07:54Yeah, I think for Amos, you're now battling the injury and the mental part of this.
08:00And it's tricky, man.
08:04Speaking of mental, Chris Russell joining us in the tent.
08:08Dude, biting a can.
08:09So Chris Russell rolled in here with a 12-pack of Diet Coke and a can of Diet Coke in
08:15his hand.
08:16And rather than use his hands, he bit the can open.
08:20Is that standard issue for you, Rooster?
08:25Hello.
08:26Hello.
08:26There we go.
08:28So I bite my fingernails a lot, so I don't have very long fingernails.
08:33So sometimes the cans are easy to open.
08:37Sometimes they're a little stubborn, like me.
08:40So that's what you saw.
08:41Stop biting your fingernails.
08:42Yeah, that's true.
08:43You're a grown-ass man.
08:44I should do a lot of things that I don't do that you give me advice on.
08:48If you stop biting your fingernails, you don't have to bite the can.
08:50I hear you.
08:51I hear you.
08:51By the way, I brought in some Diet Coke, if you guys would like.
08:54It was really for the junkies' appearance here, because Cakes is kind of like me,
08:59body by, well, he doesn't have my body, but body by Diet Coke.
09:03So I brought him in a 12-pack of Diet Coke that was cold from my refrigerator.
09:07And they're not as cold right now, but they're still fairly cold for you.
09:11JP, I know you're a big Diet Coke-aholic.
09:13I already had one.
09:14Okay, well.
09:15Now, I am very lucky.
09:16Don't ever say I didn't bring anything.
09:16I work with the legend, Chris Kerwin.
09:19Yes.
09:19And Chris Kerwin takes care of the sodas.
09:21If there's one thing Kerwin likes, it's a good soda.
09:23So I am aware of the bit.
09:25So we will add the Diet Cokes to the cooler.
09:27Sure, absolutely.
09:28No doubt.
09:29Now, I called you in here to talk football.
09:31Then you walked in and you bit open a can.
09:33So it got off to a weird start.
09:35Right, right, right.
09:36You tweeted out there was a little skirmish.
09:38End of practice.
09:39Get us up to speed.
09:40Yeah, so there was a one-handed catch on the final play.
09:44I didn't see who made that because you're blocked off from all sorts of different angles.
09:49But at the end, and the very last thing that happened, was Javante Jean-Baptiste was involved.
09:54I saw Trent Scott involved.
09:56I saw 55, whose name I forgot, Byron Coward.
09:59Coward.
10:00Pushing and shoving.
10:00That's JP's buddy from Maryland.
10:02I saw a couple of other guys.
10:06And Javante Jean-Baptiste basically had to be held back from the group.
10:10Like, he was hot.
10:11And he was still hot about 15 minutes coming off the field after they separated.
10:16There was a long team gathering.
10:18I mean, you can't hear what they're saying, but clearly there were some hot tempers at the end of a
10:23non-padded practice.
10:25Really not even that hot out, quite honestly.
10:28So that was interesting to see.
10:30You know what I mean?
10:31I don't think it was any big deal.
10:32Almost three weeks of dealing with the same damn people.
10:34I don't think it was any big deal.
10:36I wish I had, like, you know, better play-by-play.
10:38But it wasn't a brawl.
10:39It was more, like, a bunch of guys got together, pushing, shoving.
10:43Everybody kind of, like, trying to be mano a mano.
10:47And then Javante Jean-Baptiste basically, like, really hot afterwards and still hot coming off the field to the point
10:54where he didn't want to talk.
10:56Interesting.
10:58Could have been a game plan not to talk to y'all.
11:01Listen, you know, if you see me.
11:04Stranger things have happened.
11:04Exactly.
11:05I wouldn't want to talk to me either.
11:09I also wonder, because you said this earlier, I thought the practice this morning was a little sleepy to start.
11:15And you never wonder when things – we never know what they're working on, right?
11:20We never know if, all right, guys, today's a three-quarter speed day.
11:24I really want to make sure we're nailing fits on third downs, whatever it is.
11:28And what happens in practice sometimes is one dude who maybe is trying to make the team or whatever is
11:34going 100 when the coaches are saying go three-quarters.
11:38Sometimes that pisses people off.
11:39Absolutely.
11:40And especially at the end, right, you know, when you've been out there for an hour and a half or
11:45whatever.
11:45Again, they didn't have pads.
11:46So you never know what it – like, sometimes we can't see what triggers something, right?
11:52Sometimes it's what's said.
11:53You know, and I always argue this with baseball ejects.
11:57Well, you know, the guy didn't do anything to the umpire, but he got ejected because the umpire's an idiot.
12:03Well, we don't know what he said.
12:04Like, we never know what was said to trigger that reaction.
12:08So, anyway, long story short is, you know, sometimes guys just start jawing and, you know, and things get hot
12:16under the couch.
12:16I don't think it's a big deal, but I guess it was a little bit notable after a decent practice.
12:23And like you said, it was kind of sleepy at the beginning.
12:25I do think when you guys probably had to come in here, I do think it heated up a little
12:29bit in the final team periods.
12:31I mean, Jaden was really, really good on two back-to-back throws.
12:36I don't know if you guys were down there for that.
12:37One to Stephon Diggs on a roll to the right to elude pressure along the sideline.
12:42And then the one right down the middle, Beamage, that you obviously saw.
12:46Nah, Toby told us about it.
12:47Oh, to Chick.
12:48Okay.
12:49Well, I mean, Chick was wide open, but it was in hurry up, right?
12:52They had to come up.
12:53They had to get to the line of scrimmage, get set.
12:56And Chick was wide open, but you still got to get the ball there.
12:59And you still got to get it in stride so he doesn't have to come back for it.
13:03And, you know.
13:04Bruce, I get this question all the time.
13:07I'm guessing you get it, too.
13:09What do you think of this team?
13:10Where do you think they're at?
13:14In terms of a record projection or how they look?
13:18It doesn't have to be record.
13:19It could kind of be whatever you think.
13:20I think they look better than they looked last year in camp, right?
13:25I think practice seemingly was more intense this year, more focused on the two things that we noticed, right?
13:33I think right from the jump, red zone work and emphasis, which is so important, and then the kicking competition.
13:40And we got the answer to that yesterday.
13:42Hopefully, again, red zone emphasis will continue to be, obviously, emphasized, not only in camp, but in the regular season.
13:49I think they look better than they did last year.
13:53I think it's more real.
13:54I think the depth is better than it was last year.
13:57I am worried very much about the center position.
14:00Even though Allegretti comes back, you just never know.
14:03Goldman, I thought, reasonably well.
14:04I'm pulling that thread.
14:06You're just not sure if Allegretti's the guy?
14:09I have more confidence in Allegretti than I think most in the media.
14:13What I worry about with the calf is what happens if he gets driven back, right?
14:17And he's got to re-anchor and set.
14:19Does the calf, which can happen to anybody, obviously, but when something's already compromised.
14:24So if you lose Allegretti on day one of camp, not that big of a deal.
14:28If you lose Allegretti three weeks into camp, I think it's a bigger deal, especially being that right now, you
14:34don't have a veteran center behind him unless you count Julian Good-Jones and then, obviously, the rookie, Goldman, who
14:40I thought played reasonably well on Friday night, Goldman.
14:42I do think, I'm not going to say it's BS, but DQ has this thing where rookies don't, like, get
14:51to the top of the depth chart right away.
14:53He did it to Jaden Daniels.
14:55He did it to the number two overall pick Heisman Trophy winner.
14:57When he got here, Marcus technically took the first reps.
15:00Make you earn it.
15:01I think Goldman is your backup center.
15:03But I think because he's a six-round rookie, they're not doing that to Good-Jones quite yet.
15:08Frankly, I can wrap my brain around that when it's not, when Allegretti's out there.
15:13Once you saw Good-Jones playing the center position with the ones and it impacting your ability to function on
15:19your offense, I would have just gone to Goldman.
15:21Maybe they didn't think he was ready.
15:22Maybe it was the earn your spot stuff.
15:25But, like, big picture, I think Goldman's your backup.
15:27I'm with you.
15:27I also think they're signing somebody September 1st.
15:30There's going to be a whole bunch of guys.
15:32Yeah, the kid in Houston.
15:33I forgot his name off the top of my head.
15:36There's a kid in Houston that I've heard, you know, some decent things about.
15:40Graham Glasgow is a veteran name that we should keep an eye on.
15:44He's been with Detroit, plays center, left guard, center a lot last year.
15:48I know they were looking to upgrade from that, and he's not back with them, so keep that in mind.
15:53But, obviously, familiarity with Blau, the Ben Johnson offense, and Lance Newmark was there for a long time.
15:59So, familiarity there.
16:01That's a name that could play into the mix, especially if something happens, again, to Alec Grady, which hopefully it
16:06doesn't.
16:07Yeah, yeah.
16:07Oh, I'm not.
16:08I agree.
16:09I like Nick a lot.
16:10I think he's primed for this opportunity.
16:12Oh, I do, too.
16:13I agree.
16:14I'm not even sure I want to ask him.
16:16Uh-oh.
16:17About what?
16:18What does the Rooster think if Jaden doesn't play Saturday in Detroit?
16:23Because, for the record, I get it.
16:25I'm totally fine with it.
16:27That he doesn't play.
16:28If he does not, I completely understand the mental processing that lands at that point.
16:33I understand it more because of the Mariota injury and because of what's not behind him.
16:38Like, they don't even have Josh Johnson this year.
16:41And do you think Alec Grady's going to go Saturday?
16:43No, probably not, right?
16:44So, if you're not going to play Alec Grady, I mean, I would like to see Josh Connerly play.
16:49But, I mean, if you're not going to play Sam, you know.
16:53What's the most important thing for the offensive line?
16:56At this time of the year?
16:57Yeah.
16:59Staying healthy, probably.
17:01In chemistry, right?
17:02Yeah.
17:03So, if none of them play together, then, I mean, listen, man, I understand the thought process.
17:08But if they never play together and your quarterback don't play,
17:11you're basically going through the same situation when the real season starts
17:15and everybody, number one, is going to be coming at you.
17:17So, B, I've heard you talk about this, and I think we're on exactly the same page.
17:22Forgive me if we're not.
17:24I mean, I'm a big they should all play.
17:26They should all get out there.
17:28You've got to get ready for tackle.
17:30Full-speed football on September 13th by playing tackle, mostly full-speed football.
17:36I know it's not the same exact thing.
17:38I know the result doesn't matter.
17:40The process.
17:42I've heard a lot of smart people say, well, it's not the results that matter.
17:45It's the process, right?
17:47And that's in football, and that's in all sports, and that's, I guess, in life.
17:50Well, to me, the process of getting ready for full-speed 65-plus snap football
17:55on September 13th against a divisional foe that's arguably the best team in the division
18:01on the road, you've got to play as close to it as you can.
18:06Even if it's 10 snaps, 8 snaps, whatever it is, get the oil running through the engine
18:10so maybe you're not false starting.
18:12Maybe you're not jumping.
18:13Maybe you're not a little too overeager.
18:15Whatever the case might be.
18:16And I do think it's different for quarterbacks, man, right?
18:19I mean, I'm sorry.
18:21There's a huge difference in joint practice when you can't be touched and you can't be hit.
18:26You can simulate whatever you want to simulate.
18:28You can't be touched and you can't be hit.
18:31I think the quarterback processing speeds up when you can be touched and you can be hit.
18:36I kind of agree with you on that when they say that the result does not matter.
18:42But you can't tell me if the guys are playing and they're not getting better and getting closer.
18:47Just like if we did radio together and we never do it together.
18:50Great.
18:51You do one show.
18:51I do one show.
18:53Then all of a sudden we come together.
18:54We wouldn't be as good as we were working together the whole time.
18:56Yeah, it's a great comp.
18:57And that happens in everything.
18:58Yeah.
18:58So, the result is obsolete.
19:02But you want that person to get to a certain level and a certain point.
19:06And you got to find out how to do that.
19:08And in this day and day, it seems like everybody would do it without people playing.
19:13But the teams that have more experience, they get to the hitting the ground running a lot quicker than the
19:19ones that do not.
19:20DQ has an inherent cautious bone.
19:23Yes.
19:24Like, he is a, we're going to wait, we're going to wait.
19:27But, like, oh.
19:28Like, Allegretti probably thought he could be back last week.
19:31And he wasn't.
19:32Like, there is an inherent cautiousness in this leadership structure in Ashburn.
19:37And caution is fine.
19:38But you made the point that the joint practices aren't live-live.
19:43And you're correct.
19:44And you made the point, I want the live-live.
19:48But the flip side of that coin is, you could get hit.
19:51You could get rolled up on.
19:53Like, a lot of things could happen.
19:54So, like, I just think that merits conversation.
19:57Totally get it.
19:57And especially at the quarterback position.
19:59And especially because of Mariota's situation.
20:02And, again, what's not behind him.
20:04The only way I could counter that is, Laramie Tunsil snapped his triceps out one-on-one in practice.
20:12Trey Amos, who you guys were talking about as I walked in, hurt again in practice.
20:16Nick Allegretti, first day of practice, hurt in practice.
20:19Out for two weeks.
20:20There was a fourth one.
20:21The difference in pointing out the guys getting hurt in practice, quarterbacks don't get hit in practice.
20:26Understood.
20:27But he can roll an ankle.
20:29I agree.
20:30I agree.
20:30I agree.
20:32It's an interesting conversation.
20:33How about he could roll an ankle in a divot?
20:37Did you see yourself on television?
20:38He's an actual athlete.
20:40He won't do that.
20:41You know that we aired that clip in all ears.
20:44Well, I didn't know that.
20:46Oh, yeah.
20:46I didn't know that until Heather just did it.
20:49I think the whole world has seen the clip.
20:51And, you know, the worst part of it is, I know I'm not Mr. Popular, but how many people have
20:56told me that they hope I fall in another ditch?
21:00That's not very nice.
21:01No, that's not very nice.
21:03You were merely investigating on your behalf.
21:05You actually expected that.
21:06You guys were funny.
21:08You guys are my guys.
21:10I love you both.
21:11I can take whatever crap you guys give me.
21:14We're totally cool.
21:16You guys can say anything to me.
21:17Here.
21:18Dopes on Twitter?
21:19Eh.
21:20I'm going to let you watch.
21:21This is television.
21:22This was on NBC Sunday night.
21:24Real live television, huh?
21:26It was Longfellow Tidwad, who is quite a character.
21:30He asked me.
21:32We do a mailbag segment in all ears.
21:33He asked how catastrophic was Russell's fall.
21:36And then we showed the footage.
21:38This was on television.
21:40Lots of people saw this, Chris.
21:42Dude, I almost fell in another divot this morning.
21:47Was it bigger than that?
21:48No, I don't think so.
21:49That was pretty big.
21:50I mean, you guys know about it.
21:52Were you not looking?
21:53You're right.
21:54I wasn't.
21:54I was looking straight ahead.
21:56I just said a little bit.
21:57That was about this morning.
21:57Oh, no, no.
21:57I was looking this morning.
21:58I think you've got to learn to look where you're going, dude.
22:02Listen.
22:03You guys, in that simulation there, knew the divot was there.
22:07You were able to go through the process with knowledge.
22:11He played in the NFL for 14 seasons.
22:13You think he's fallen in that divot?
22:15No, probably not.
22:16Maybe I can fall in the divot.
22:18I don't think he's fallen in the divot.
22:19You guys can do it.
22:21Like, I'm just giving you, you can do whatever you want to me.
22:23It's the knuckleheads on Twitter that I ate.
22:25We were supposed to break four minutes.
22:27Okay, sorry.
22:28The great, Chris Russell.
22:29We'll keep him in this damn tent all afternoon.
22:31Nobody go anywhere.
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