- 35 minutes ago
We are now just five days away from Washington’s divisional matchup with the Cowboys. In this segment, The Sports Junkies break down a few Commanders players they are expecting a big game from on Sunday afternoon. Who do you think will have a huge game against Dallas?
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00:00All right, guys, obviously we're starting to kind of get over the week one road loss
00:07to Philly at Lincoln Financial.
00:10Home teams went 10-5 in week one.
00:13There was one neutral, but yeah, home teams went 10-5.
00:16So it was certainly an advantage in week one.
00:18You know, we talked about it, obviously, on Monday and yesterday.
00:21It took a while for the offense to get going.
00:24I'm excited about how they responded in the fourth quarter.
00:28However, defensively, I thought there were some real bright spots.
00:33I'm really excited about the packages that Durante Jones put in there.
00:37Second most blitz pressures than any team in football.
00:42Second only to Brian Flores, his mentor.
00:44They like that.
00:45Gave up too many explosives.
00:46That's what ultimately, I think, doomed them.
00:49Got to clean up the special teams play.
00:51Bill can't give up.
00:53He's got to protect the football, although I do have sympathy for those guys.
00:56When they punch it like that, I don't know how you can always hold on to that.
01:00Sometimes those guys are going to knock it loose.
01:02It's a brutal game.
01:03I mean, but, you know, got to.
01:06That's going to hurt his playing time if he can't figure that out.
01:09And guys, they just seem to be taught to punch at that thing every play.
01:13Did he get a carry after the fumble?
01:15I'm not sure they did.
01:16No, Catron came in.
01:17Because Catron got four carries, and that was pretty late.
01:20He did not get a carry after the fumble.
01:23It's called being in the doghouse.
01:25I mean, that's tough.
01:26The big questions, and you know what?
01:29I'd say they left relatively unscathed, although Cakes dooming Chig by guaranteeing he'd play all season.
01:36I feel bad about it.
01:37He exited, of course, in the third quarter.
01:39Did not return.
01:41Allegedly, reportedly, he's got a hamstring issue.
01:44He's listed as questionable for week two.
01:46I'd be surprised if he plays.
01:48I would think they're going to err on the side of caution, right?
01:52They're going to want him for the long haul.
01:54That'd be your boy Bates.
01:55You're going to see more John Bates, more Ben Sinnott, and I think you're going to see more of Colston
01:59Yankoff, who I think has shown some flashes at times.
02:03Frankie Louvoo, also another kind of key contributor.
02:06I don't think it's a major deal, but the groin strain, described as minor, it wasn't enough for him to
02:13leave the Eagles game and not return.
02:15They think he's expected to avoid IR, but again, his status for Sunday, also uncertain.
02:23I saw Frankie go to the mailbox yesterday in my neighborhood.
02:26He was limping.
02:26He was limping?
02:27That doesn't look good.
02:28You know what?
02:28That's good boots on the ground intel right there.
02:30I'm kidding.
02:32Did not see him go to the mailbox.
02:34Sonny Stiles, flashed.
02:36That's all we asked of him early on.
02:38Made a couple big plays.
02:40That's good.
02:41Said, Leo Chenal, who I thought was up and down, but he graded okay, he's probably going
02:47to see some more snaps if Frankie's not available.
02:50The other guy that a lot of people are kind of hoping will be available is Tyler Owens.
02:56Had maybe arguably the most viral play over the weekend.
03:00He left the game with an ankle injury, but he later was quoted and said he feels great.
03:07That he's been through a lot more and no big deal.
03:11So we'll see if the team feels the same way.
03:15Obviously, you need a guy like Tyler on your special teams.
03:19What an absolute enforcer that guy is.
03:24They brought in some guys.
03:26Let me see if I have the list right here.
03:28I have it somewhere.
03:29It's hard for me sometimes to always find out.
03:31They always bring in guys for like Tuesday workouts.
03:34And it's always interesting when you look at lists.
03:37It doesn't necessarily, there's not necessarily a rhyme or reason to it.
03:41Not, you know, like, oh, you lose your tight ends.
03:42You're going to bring in a bunch of tight ends.
03:44They just, they just bring in guys.
03:46So there were a couple of tight ends.
03:48They brought in Devin Culp, a tight end.
03:51They brought in Rivaldo Fairweather, another tight end out of Auburn.
03:55They brought in some linebackers.
03:58Jafari Harvey, Southern Miss, Emany Johnson, linebacker from Nevada, Marvin Jones.
04:03Jones, linebacker from Oklahoma.
04:07Anthony Orgy, another linebacker from Vanderbilt.
04:11And Benton Whitley, defensive end from Holy Cross.
04:15Notable, no DBs.
04:17Wow.
04:18Cakes.
04:19No DBs.
04:20How about a center?
04:20No centers brought in.
04:22Let me ask you this.
04:23I know you guys talked about it for a couple days.
04:25I don't know how much you focused on the offensive line.
04:28Yeah.
04:28Do you feel like the offensive line, and this was the national narrative, is going to be an anchor for
04:35this team?
04:3750% of the dropbacks, Jaden Daniels was pressured.
04:40That is not good.
04:41And on that last play, the two-point conversion, obviously, Allegretti whiffed on the, I mean, the guy made a
04:47great spin move, but he whiffed on the block.
04:49Right.
04:49I thought they held up pretty well, actually.
04:51I thought they were solid.
04:52Cosby played well.
04:53Cosby got a great grade.
04:55And my eyes told me that Jaden had time, and his time to pass was long, but maybe it was
05:00because he was extending the plays.
05:02But whoever charts pressure rate, 50% pressure rate is high.
05:08Well, I think they're going to go after him.
05:09I think teams are going to go after him.
05:11Right, but going after, you can stuff the people going after you.
05:14Yeah, but sometimes they bring more numbers, you're just going to give up pressure.
05:17It just is what it is.
05:18I actually think they held up okay.
05:19I think they held up.
05:20I think their overall grade was pretty good.
05:22I think it was solid.
05:23You know, I mean, Allegretti whiffed, and so did Paul.
05:26Look, Coleman had a false start, and I think Connerly had a false start.
05:30So they had a couple there.
05:31I'm sure there were other penalties, but.
05:32I thought those guys were okay.
05:34I think I'm out on PFF grades.
05:36Yeah.
05:37You know why?
05:38Why?
05:38Caleb Williams was ranked 20th this week.
05:40I know.
05:40He put up 60.
05:43How does Caleb Williams rank 20th?
05:45He did miss some passes in that game.
05:48His completion percentage was 70%.
05:50Still, like, he missed Colston Lovelland wide open in the end zone.
05:53Like, he threw the ball.
05:54He also ran in two long touchdowns.
05:55Yeah, but I agree.
05:56I thought he performed really well.
05:58But, like, PFF, if you miss layups like that, they're going to ding you for it.
06:04My point is.
06:06Right, but you should not be.
06:07If you're watching a game, and you see a quarterback lead a team to 59 points,
06:12you should be one.
06:13And he has two touchdown passes, two touchdown runs.
06:17No turnovers.
06:18It's probably a flawed scoring system.
06:20Well, I don't think any system's perfect.
06:21I think that's how you can speak to that.
06:24No system's perfect.
06:25I mean, we like the QBR.
06:26As good as he was, he could have been better.
06:28I think that's the takeaway.
06:30Right, but you shouldn't be docked 19 spots because you missed one guy in the end zone.
06:33I don't think it was just one.
06:34When you put up 60.
06:35I think it was multiple.
06:36He had multiple misses in the game.
06:38You should be graded higher for putting up 59 points.
06:40I generally agree.
06:41Then docked points.
06:42Would you say he ran in two touchdowns, too?
06:44So he had two passing, two rushing.
06:46Yeah, yeah.
06:46Okay.
06:47With no turnovers.
06:49Yeah.
06:49No, that's good.
06:50I would agree with you.
06:51The PFF is flawed.
06:52I think it's flawed.
06:53They're all flawed.
06:54I think every system's flawed.
06:55Yeah, yeah, yeah.
06:57But hold on.
06:57I was going to say.
06:58Oh, I lost my train of thought.
07:00Offensive line is what we were talking about.
07:02I thought the offensive line was okay.
07:04I thought they were okay.
07:05I mean, obviously, in the first quarter, especially the first quarter, they were good.
07:09But the Eagles, they do bring it.
07:11Yeah.
07:11I mean, they got pro bowlers.
07:13I think a lot of that was opponent dependent.
07:14But you got to do better.
07:15I mean, you got to step it up against good teams.
07:17I think you'll see a better offense in week two.
07:19And I think Dallas, because Dallas was so bad offensively and defensively, they were pretty
07:24bad on both sides of the ball.
07:26I think they're going to play better on both sides.
07:28So you got to be prepared.
07:30Washington has to be much better.
07:31They can play better, but they're not as good as Philly on defense.
07:33I would agree.
07:34I'm just saying, I mean, it's going to be a little bit easier for 230 points or 230
07:40yards, total offense.
07:42And they allowed Jackson Dart to look like Elway.
07:45Yeah.
07:45So I just think they're going to play better.
07:47I don't know.
07:47I know watching the game, I didn't think the offensive line was a massive issue.
07:52But then when I saw those numbers of 50% pressure rate, and that's going to affect your quarterback
07:59big time, it gets me worried.
08:03Because that was the narrative going in, that the offensive line is the issue.
08:08Yeah.
08:08I'm not there yet, but maybe I will be.
08:10Talk to me after the Cowboys game.
08:13I thought they were okay.
08:14If you want to chime in, 1-800-636-1067 is the number.
08:18So Diggs had kind of an up and down day.
08:21I was really, I was about ready to just start just tweeting my love to him.
08:25And then he dropped the second ball in a row.
08:26And then I think they actually pulled him for a little bit.
08:29I thought, I think at the end of the day, he's going to be extremely impactful.
08:33Of course, he did have the penalty that apparently he apologized to the team for in private after
08:40the game.
08:40So people are kind of praising him, showing some maturity there.
08:43Maybe in earlier years when he's had incidents like that, might not handle it the same way.
08:47Knows he's got to be a little smarter.
08:48I do say on the side, I knew that was probably going to be a penalty.
08:53It's a shame it's a penalty.
08:55It's a two-second thing.
08:56I didn't think that was so offensive.
08:58I'm going to guess he doesn't do that ever again.
09:00Yeah, I think you're right.
09:01He learned his lesson.
09:02He shouldn't.
09:02But I wish that they would allow some of that stuff.
09:06I mean, it just seems so silly that you can't kind of celebrate that way.
09:10But whatever.
09:11How are you feeling about the game right now?
09:15Feel pretty confident?
09:16For sure.
09:17More confident than that.
09:18The only reason why I picked us against Philly is because there's the world against us.
09:22And sometimes I like being the underdog in that situation.
09:25This one, I feel like we have a better shot.
09:27I think it's like 50-50.
09:28I think I disagree with the number.
09:31What's the number?
09:32You said it's the second highest.
09:33Oh, total 50 and a half.
09:34But what is the?
09:35Three and a half.
09:36I mean, I've seen four and a half.
09:37So basically in a neutral setting, in theory, it would be a pick-em game.
09:42That's kind of what I feel like it is.
09:43It's a tight game, yeah.
09:43I feel like it's a pick-em game.
09:45Yeah.
09:46Do you know what the match-up predictor is on ESPN?
09:49I don't know what to make of that.
09:5165% Dallas.
09:53I'm just guessing.
09:5364.4%?
09:54Wow.
09:55I mean, I can't argue with that.
09:57I think both teams are going to play better offensively than they did in week one.
10:02Yeah.
10:03I think so.
10:05No, let's see what the injuries look like.
10:07It'll hurt not having Luvu, because I think he was really flashing.
10:11It looks like he's set up to be in a real role.
10:12I think it'll hurt not having Chig.
10:14Don't you think Dallas is licking their chops, thinking about Mikey Sanders still?
10:17Yes.
10:18Yeah, yeah, yeah.
10:19I would think so.
10:20The country is.
10:21Yeah.
10:21So, the good news is, I do believe that we have more pressure than we've had in years.
10:25Love that Durante's bringing it.
10:27Good news is that we're going to have Dorrance Armstrong back.
10:29He was already put back on the active roster, so that's good.
10:34Interesting rumors we talked about yesterday.
10:36The commanders, you know, they continue to be one of the top teams thrown out there that
10:42are potentially interested in Joey Porter Jr.
10:45Now, I think the problem will be the cost and, you know, people are saying that they want
10:55two first rounds, even one first rounder.
10:58I just don't think Washington's going to give that up.
11:01Right.
11:01But they're in a contract deal here.
11:06Allegedly, Porter wants something in the neighborhood of $30 million a year.
11:10Puts him, like, you know, top of the class.
11:11And that's how it works, right?
11:12Even if you're not the top, you kind of get paid at the top, and then people pass you.
11:15Problem is, he was kind of rated around 20th last year, again, with a flawed system.
11:20But if you're the 20th-ranked guy, you probably don't want to pay him, like, top market money.
11:26Right.
11:26You don't want to pay him top five.
11:27And they got a little bit burned on that Lattimore deal, so you wonder if that's factoring in, too.
11:33But there are a couple teams that keep being mentioned.
11:38Do you think Adam Peters has talked to, I don't know who the GM of the Steelers is,
11:41has talked to the Steelers about it?
11:42I wouldn't be surprised.
11:43The three teams that appear to have the most interest by almost all reporting are the Lions,
11:50the Commanders, and the Cowboys.
11:52Those are the three teams that appear to have the most interest on paper, anyway,
11:57or in the rumor mill world.
11:59Well, if Jerry Jones wants him, he usually gets him.
12:01He usually gets who he wants.
12:02And he's made some deals with Pittsburgh in the past.
12:04Pickens is an example.
12:06Right.
12:06I think there are a couple other examples.
12:08He was quoted, like, at some point during training camp, something along the lines of,
12:13we need to make a big move, we're going to do it.
12:16Like, something like that.
12:17Yeah, right.
12:18He's kind of keeping the powder dry.
12:19He just doesn't care.
12:20I mean, the guy's almost 90, and he wants to win.
12:22Is he 83 at this point?
12:24Yeah, he's getting up there.
12:25But I would say if Washington loses in a high-scoring game,
12:29and a lot of that is on the defensive back specifically with Mikey.
12:33They're going to have to do something.
12:34They're going to have to do something.
12:35It might be bringing in an overpaid guy.
12:38Right.
12:38They might have to.
12:39I don't know.
12:40The biggest challenge, I think, against the Cowboys will be covering CD and George Pickens.
12:44We talked about it a lot on Monday.
12:46I don't watch a ton of that Cowboy game, but the bits that I did watch,
12:50I saw Pickens have at least two easy drops that I know he's typically going to make those catches.
12:56And so, probably bounce back this week would be my guess.
13:00So, that's going to be a super big challenge.
13:04You know, Mikey Sanistro, one of the rare commanders in Dan Quinn's tenure here,
13:08has been openly criticized, right, in public.
13:11Yeah, it's never good to be in the crosshairs of your head coach.
13:14That doesn't really happen around here very often.
13:16I thought he was fair.
13:18I didn't think he was over the top ripping him.
13:20Not to say it wasn't fair.
13:21Just saying it's not something that he typically does.
13:24So, we'll see how they respond.
13:27I think he got 98% of the snaps.
13:29I think he maybe missed one.
13:31He got a lot.
13:31So, I think maybe fewer snaps.
13:33Maybe a different role.
13:34Maybe you're going to have to play Fabian Moreau more.
13:37I don't know.
13:37I'd like to see maybe Rasul Douglas with a bigger role, potentially.
13:41I think they did play.
13:43I thought I heard the number was in the 80 percentile of zone.
13:47You know, combined with that pressure, maybe that'll work, potentially.
13:52Dak only threw for 175 yards against New York.
13:57So, you know, he's also going to be poised to have a bigger day.
14:00I'm sure he's chomping at the bit.
14:02Losing Lou Vu, potentially Jordan McGee, too, with a hamstring.
14:07That's not going to help either.
14:09Oh, I didn't realize McGee got hurt.
14:10Yeah, he's got a little something there with a hamstring.
14:12So, you know, going to need to keep generating pressures.
14:17Going to need some guys, you know, like Dron Payne.
14:20They're going to have to step up, make bigger plays, make more of an impact.
14:24It's been quite a while since we felt that from Dron Payne.
14:26I thought Kinlaw had some moments.
14:27I need more from Kinlaw, too.
14:29He's too big, too potentially impactful to not have more of an impact.
14:36You need to pressure Dak up the middle.
14:37You need to see some of that.
14:39By the way, you could fly down to Dallas and get a ticket for the game for as low as
14:42$30.
14:43Really?
14:44I want to go to Jerry World.
14:45Nah, no interest.
14:46Commanders Cowboys.
14:48Dallas has won eight of the last ten meetings.
14:51I don't have the number in front of me, but they have a huge all-time edge.
14:57So, definitely have the work cut out for them this week against Dallas.
15:01Let's go real quick to Bridget in Rockville.
15:04She's been on hold for a while.
15:05Wants to talk about Terry.
15:08Terry's lack of production there early in the season in week one.
15:12Bridget, what's up?
15:13You're on with the Junkies.
15:15Hey, Junkies.
15:15How are you?
15:16Hello.
15:16We're good.
15:17How are you?
15:18Good.
15:18I'm a long-time listener.
15:20And sometimes I listen to the podcast.
15:22But one thing that's been irking me is that we're always talking about Terry McLaurin being
15:28the number one.
15:29Mm-hmm.
15:30How are you the number one when you barely make receptions and you have no yards?
15:36Stephon Diggs had four receptions and 55 yards in his first game.
15:40Yep.
15:40When's the last time Terry McLaurin did that?
15:42Well, I think it's...
15:43And...
15:43Yeah.
15:44No.
15:44Hold on.
15:45Let me finish.
15:46And, because I'm so irritable about it, but when you think of a number one receiver,
15:51you just said it.
15:52You're worried about Pickens and you're worried about Lamb.
15:55Well, guess what?
15:56Nobody's worried about Terry McLaurin.
15:58Well, I don't know that that's true.
16:00So, you're not a big Terry guy.
16:01Girl.
16:02No, I am.
16:02You're not a big Terry fan.
16:03I think he's a great guy, but the excuses are...
16:06It's just over and over.
16:07I think that...
16:08I just don't understand.
16:09You know who a number one receiver is?
16:11I think he was bracketed in this game.
16:13I think that's exactly right.
16:14I think they made a concerted effort to take him out.
16:16I think he kind of ended the, is he a true number one back in 2024?
16:22Well, I think he ended that, in my mind, anyway.
16:26He had a monster year that year.
16:27He may not be a top ten guy in your head, but I think he's a true number one.
16:30I mean, you might have a point.
16:31Diggs might be the number one for most of the year.
16:34He's definitely the number one.
16:36If you're a number one receiver, you're going to get open.
16:38It doesn't matter if you're double teamed.
16:40Yeah.
16:41Guess who does get open when they're double teamed?
16:43Jamar Chase, Flowers, Collins, Jefferson, Puka.
16:48We got a live one here, man.
16:49She's locked in.
16:50Do you know how many yards CeeDee Lamb had since you were hyping up CeeDee Lamb this
16:54past week?
16:55He didn't have a lot.
16:56He had less than 50.
16:58Jamar Chase had a done week, too.
17:01No, JP, that's a one-game instance.
17:03Look at his whole record.
17:05He's not going to have 80 yards every game, but he gets six receptions.
17:08Oh, well, Terry's been pretty consistent as a Washington commander.
17:12I mean, to defend CeeD, CeeD did score.
17:14He did?
17:15So, he did score.
17:15Call back next week.
17:16I'm just saying he had, I think, 46 yards receiving.
17:19I will call back next week.
17:20Okay, but who would you rather have, CeeDee or Terry?
17:22Yes, but I'm saying she's being a little unfair that in this game, Terry wasn't targeted.
17:28I think Terry is going to have a much better game Sunday than he did.
17:34Why isn't he targeted?
17:36I think they targeted him twice early.
17:38He dropped one.
17:39He fell down on another route.
17:41They also like the matchup better with DeGene on Biggs.
17:44They were targeting Cooper DeGene, if you look at it, actually.
17:47And they were very successful.
17:48It's one game.
17:49You're overreacting to one game.
17:51Call back next week.
17:52Let's see if he doesn't play a little bit better.
17:53Especially if Terry has a big game.
17:54You need to call back, Bridget.
17:56I want you to prop bet him and see how that works out.
17:59She wants us to lose money.
18:02I got to look at the numbers.
18:04Thank you, Bridget.
18:06Bridget, man.
18:07Listen.
18:07She's fiery.
18:08She's shot out of a cannon.
18:10I still think the wide receiver room is one of our better rooms.
18:14She told Bickle to shut up, basically.
18:16If you want to chime in, 1-800-636-1067 is the number.
18:20We're the junkies.
18:21Keep it here.
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