- 6 minutes ago
Why can’t the Commanders find consistency on the ground? The Junkies dive into the offensive line, running backs and play-calling to find the answer.
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00:00Fans watch these games and go, when they see him go for 36 yards or 15 yards
00:06or whatever he's been putting up, do they blame him?
00:09Oh, we've got a seventh-round running back, or are they blaming the offensive line?
00:12I think it goes hand-in-hand.
00:14I think it's almost a 50-50 deal, but to answer the question,
00:16I think they do have a bit of a bill problem.
00:18I don't think they have confidence in him.
00:20I think there's a reason that they brought in Austin Eckler,
00:25and that was before the white injury.
00:28So he was on their radar.
00:30They wanted to upgrade the room.
00:31You saw this week they used all the running backs on the critical fourth down.
00:35Craig Reynolds is in there, not Bill.
00:38I know that the coach said it was happenstance.
00:41Well, if you have a critical fourth down play,
00:45you should have your best running back on the field.
00:48And I don't know that they know who their best running back is.
00:51It's almost like they're just throwing spaghetti against the wall
00:53and trying to figure out who sticks.
00:55Maybe it's just that they feel like in that spot,
00:57that Craig Reynolds was the best guy to pick up two yards.
01:01It doesn't sound like it.
01:03It sounds like he was just the guy that was in the lineup.
01:06Yeah, it was his series.
01:07Yeah.
01:08And they're just, you know, they're not sticking to Bill very long.
01:11Bill started the game, and then you didn't see him for a long time.
01:15That's more of a coaching thing.
01:17But I think the reason is they're not that confident in his ability
01:21to secure the ball.
01:22He fumbled, had a little bit of a fumbling problem last year,
01:26and then he fumbled in week one.
01:28And then the last two games, he just has done nothing.
01:301-800-636-1067 is the number.
01:34Where he's supposed to be different is he's supposed to be the most explosive back.
01:37So I gave you that run, which they took away,
01:40and if you include that run, he's still only averaging 3.6 yards per carry.
01:45It's not great.
01:46I mean, Brian Robinson has more yards.
01:49Brian Robinson, who was here, has more yards than Bill.
01:51So, I know he has more touchdowns.
01:54Well, I would also argue, clearly, he has a better offensive line.
01:57I'm sure.
01:58I'm aiming the way for him than the one here in Washington.
02:00Of course.
02:01And look, the offensive line, we went through the rankings,
02:03the offensive line is ranked pretty damn low in run block.
02:05EB went through it there and hit the skins.
02:07According to ESPN, run block win percentage, they're dead last.
02:11I think that's the majority of the reason.
02:13I'm not going to put as much on Bill as a lot of people
02:15because how many times have we talked about the fact
02:18that you don't need to draft a running back high.
02:20You can just pick a guy.
02:21As long as you have holes, he can just do decent damage.
02:24The thing is, I feel like with him.
02:25I think it's more the offensive line.
02:26I feel like he can take any ball he touches to the house,
02:29but can he get positive yards when there's nothing there every time?
02:35That I don't know.
02:36I don't know that he can.
02:37I think that's what we're kind of seeing.
02:40Yeah.
02:40If there's a hole there that they can find,
02:43he can exploit it and take off.
02:45He's got that kind of burst.
02:47I actually think he does,
02:49but I'm not sure he can grind out three and a half,
02:51four yards and fall forward every time.
02:53But Cakes brings up an interesting point.
02:55It'd be hard to know.
02:56You'd have to look at the all 22 and look at the film,
03:00but when Eckler got the ball, he was running for seven yards a pop.
03:03So is that just,
03:04those are the carries where they had holes in all the other carries?
03:08Or it could be.
03:09They didn't have holes?
03:10His legs are fresh and he just has more burst coming off of.
03:14There's no reason that Ja'Cory Krosky and Merritt's legs shouldn't be fresh.
03:19Well, I mean,
03:19he's gone through training camp and OTAs where Eckler hasn't.
03:23You don't,
03:24and he's played in games that Eckler hasn't played in.
03:27You're not going to,
03:27that's not a factor.
03:29I think it's certainly a factor.
03:31Maybe.
03:32That Eckler's healthier.
03:33Maybe.
03:34Right now than Bill.
03:35Yeah.
03:36Eckler was still a question mark for me because it was his first action back
03:39since he blocked the Achilles.
03:40They don't have a Derrick Henry or B.
03:43John Robinson or anybody like that in the backfield.
03:45They have to do the best they can and cobble it together with the cast that
03:49they have.
03:49Yeah.
03:50I mean,
03:50that's part of the reason they went out and grabbed Eckler.
03:53It felt like he could help them.
03:54Well,
03:55that's why they need.
03:55I think you're going to start seeing his role expand.
03:57Yeah,
03:57because to answer the question,
03:59I do think they have a Bill problem.
04:00They don't have great confidence in them.
04:01Well,
04:01maybe they just have a passing game problem.
04:03They haven't really,
04:03you know,
04:04lit up the board passing-wise.
04:06To open up the run.
04:07Yeah,
04:08I mean,
04:08if they light it up passing,
04:10then they won't be able to put as many guys in the box.
04:12I just know that when we talked about this running back room in the summer
04:17and training camp,
04:18we were all fairly confident in the running back room.
04:21I felt like it was good enough.
04:22Right?
04:22I felt like it was great.
04:23I felt like it was decent.
04:24Yeah,
04:24we thought it was,
04:24I mean,
04:25they added White.
04:26We thought he would be a big part in the passing game.
04:28Yeah.
04:28And,
04:29you know,
04:29we were high on K-Tron based on what we saw.
04:32I mean,
04:32so far the offensive line is disappointed.
04:34It's been awful.
04:34The running backs,
04:36I guess,
04:37disappointed.
04:37The tight ends have disappointed.
04:40And then we haven't been able to keep our quarterback healthy.
04:42The tight ends.
04:44I can't believe those numbers.
04:44Well,
04:44I think there was optimism because as a rookie,
04:48he was drafted so late.
04:50You got production.
04:51You had 805 yards,
04:534.6 yards per carry,
04:55eight touchdowns.
04:55For a seventh round pick,
04:57that's amazing production.
04:58And so you thought,
04:59I think he's still that guy.
05:00And you thought heading into the second year,
05:02you would see improvement.
05:04Instead,
05:05you haven't seen much production at all.
05:07Outside of the one run,
05:08which was negated by the penalty.
05:09I think he's still that guy.
05:10Like if,
05:11if,
05:11if that,
05:12if those holes are there,
05:14I think you can find them.
05:14No,
05:15to me,
05:15the signing of Eckler kind of showed me something.
05:17They don't believe in it.
05:18But if they feel like Rashad white,
05:19who's averaging 4.5 yards a carry and Eckler are better options,
05:23then they're going to get more carries.
05:25That's just,
05:26they need white back Sunday.
05:28It would certainly help.
05:29They need them back.
05:30And the giants,
05:30they're kind of middle of the pack.
05:32As far as rushing yards allowed,
05:33they allow 109 rushing yards per game.
05:36I mean,
05:37they're not the Panthers.
05:38They give it up one 56.
05:39So,
05:40I mean,
05:40there's opportunity to move the ball on the ground against the giants.
05:43So it'd be nice to see an uptick in some of these rushing averages after this game.
05:48Let's go to the phones.
05:491-800-636-10670.
05:51You think the commanders have a bill problem?
05:53All right,
05:53let's go to Ray in Great Falls.
05:55Ray,
05:56what's up,
05:56man?
05:56You're all with the junkies.
05:58Hey,
05:59good morning,
05:59guys.
06:00Hey,
06:00what's up?
06:02Hey,
06:02two quick things.
06:03One is,
06:04I think they do have a rushing problem.
06:06You know,
06:06when you have them,
06:07when you have a mobile and rushing quarterback,
06:09whether it be JD or Mariota,
06:11you should run the ball easier.
06:12It should lighten the box a little bit.
06:15So they have to,
06:15they have to protect against the quarterback.
06:18And also this weekend,
06:20it's going to be pouring all Sunday.
06:22It's going to be a rain game.
06:23So if they can't run the ball in the rain,
06:26they're going to have big problems.
06:27Thanks guys.
06:28Yeah,
06:29that could be an issue.
06:30Could be an under.
06:31Might be an under too.
06:32Depending on where the storm goes,
06:34it could be,
06:35it could be really sloppy.
06:37Yeah.
06:38Man,
06:39imagine.
06:39But that's why they need Jaden back to run.
06:41So if it's pouring and they just put a bunch of guys in the box and they
06:43force Jaden in the pouring rain to beat him with his arm with that brace
06:50first game back,
06:51it might be difficult.
06:52I mean,
06:52hopefully that storm stays West,
06:53but that's the forecast.
06:55You're building a lot of excuses for Jaden.
06:58I'm not building excuses for him.
06:59It is what it is.
07:01If he,
07:01if he fails,
07:02he fails.
07:03I'm not building excuses.
07:04I just think there's going to be an adjustment though.
07:06I don't,
07:07I don't expect him to go out there and just be the same exact guy.
07:11He was before he got hurt.
07:13I think there will be an adjustment.
07:14He'd a big one out of Jaden this weekend.
07:16I expect some tentativeness before he figures it out.
07:20Dave,
07:21what's up?
07:22What's up guys.
07:23Hey Dave.
07:24What's up,
07:25man?
07:25yeah,
07:25of course,
07:26of course,
07:26of course there's a bill problem.
07:28I mean,
07:28Eckler came in,
07:29JP stole my thunder.
07:31Eckler was getting seven yards to carry with the same offensive line.
07:35Maybe Bill is a more effective runner as a one,
07:38two punch type of guy.
07:39Cause he was more effective when Brian Robinson was on the,
07:42I believe at 2024,
07:44but we need a bigger back.
07:45That's going to hit the hole.
07:46And maybe Bill can be a complimentary back to back up that,
07:50to back up that bigger runner,
07:51you know?
07:53But yeah,
07:53Jaden cannot be our leading rusher year after year.
07:55That's just not going to work.
07:56He's going to get hurt.
07:57So we need a bell cow back in the draft.
07:59I don't know if this guy,
08:00K-Tron Allen or whoever his name is,
08:02can come in and do the job,
08:03but we need somebody bigger.
08:04We need somebody to hit the hole better.
08:06I will say,
08:06I thought,
08:07thank you,
08:07buddy.
08:07I will say,
08:08I thought that K-Tron would be used a little bit more.
08:11I actually did.
08:12He's getting three carries a game.
08:14Yeah.
08:15On average.
08:15I thought he was going to get more.
08:17I mean,
08:17he just carried the ball so much in college.
08:19He's averaging 3.4 yards per carry.
08:22Yeah.
08:22I mean,
08:22I think the bringing an Eckler thing speaks for itself.
08:25They've got guys.
08:26I mean,
08:27Corey Krosky merits averaging 2.8 yards per carry.
08:30K-Tron Allen,
08:313.4 yards per carry.
08:33Rashad White has been solid.
08:35Four and a half yards per carry when given the chance,
08:37but he wasn't expected to be the every down back.
08:40Let's go to Carlos.
08:42Saverna Park.
08:42Carlos,
08:43what's up,
08:43man?
08:43You're on with the junkies.
08:45What's up,
08:46guys?
08:46Hey,
08:46Carlos.
08:46I still believe in Bill.
08:48And,
08:48you know,
08:49like,
08:49you guys hit the stats from last season.
08:52I honestly think he would have had 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns.
08:55I hate this,
08:57you know,
08:57running back by committee BS.
08:59I hate the fact that a team has to have four running backs when other teams have,
09:04like,
09:04that one workhorse,
09:06you know?
09:06And,
09:06you know,
09:07I think Gibbs and Gibbs from Detroit and Bill are the same size,
09:10you know?
09:11So,
09:11size will matter.
09:12We have Eligretti benched.
09:14We have Sam Cosme injured.
09:16Our offensive line is depleted.
09:19So,
09:20I still believe in Bill.
09:21He would have had 1,000 yards last year if it wasn't for the stupid
09:25play call that,
09:26you know,
09:26Cliff Gensbury did.
09:28But,
09:28you know,
09:29that's my take on it,
09:29guys.
09:30Thanks for taking my call.
09:31he mentions,
09:31like,
09:31one-horse backs.
09:32I mean,
09:32there's maybe a handful of them in the league.
09:36Almost every team deploys some sort of,
09:38like,
09:39two-head or a three-headed running back to keep those guys fresh.
09:43I'd say this probably.
09:44These guys get banged up all the time.
09:44I mean,
09:45look at Philly.
09:46Saquon's out.
09:47Tank Bigsby's now on IR.
09:48Will Shipley's the guy.
09:49They have to go with Will Shipley against Jacksonville this weekend.
09:52Like,
09:52you don't want to overexpose these guys to,
09:55hits and injuries.
09:56That's why you're out.
09:57That's why you're bringing in Eckler.
09:58That's why you're bringing in new pieces so these guys don't get beat up
10:02throughout a 17-game season.
10:04I mean,
10:04Bill has 56 carries.
10:06Yeah.
10:07Rashad has,
10:08like,
10:0822,
10:08I believe.
10:09Yeah.
10:09I'm just looking at the carries for,
10:12all right,
10:12so guys who have 70 or more carries,
10:16there's only about eight or nine of them.
10:18Right.
10:18Yeah.
10:19Like Dejan Robinson.
10:20I mean,
10:20Kirk,
10:20Gibbs,
10:21Taylor,
10:21all those guys.
10:22Yeah.
10:22But for the most part,
10:24most of these number one running backs are in that 45 to 60 carry.
10:28Right.
10:28Right.