Daily Slop: 18 Dec 25 – Will Commanders fans *finally* see the Ben Sinnott breakout game with 3 weeks left in ‘25 season?

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Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles: 4 reasons for optimism

Offensive Flexibility Allows Washington to Adapt

The Commanders have shown they can adjust offensively based on opponent and situation. They’ve faced significant adversity due to injuries in 2025, which has increased their ability to be flexible and adapt to new situations. Whether it’s leaning into a quicker passing game, spreading the field, or using motion to create mismatches, Washington has the tools to attack Philadelphia in multiple ways. Sustained drives — even if they end in field goals — can keep the Eagles’ offense on the sideline and shorten the game.

Let’s be clear that field goals are not ideal for winning. The Commanders must score touchdowns if they want to beat the Eagles, but sustaining drives matters, too.

Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain

Psychologically, this matchup favors Washington. The pressure rests squarely on Philadelphia, while the Commanders can play loose and aggressive. That freedom often leads to bold play-calling and sharper execution. In rivalry games, teams with nothing to lose are dangerous — especially when they can turn one or two momentum swings into belief. If the players believe it, they will execute and perform that much better.

Commanders.com

Practice notes | Zach Ertz has been key sources of knowledge for Ben Sinnott

Sinnott, a 2024 second-round pick, is one of the players who is expected to get more playing time now that Ertz is on Injured Reserve. That was the case during the Commanders’ 29-21 win over the Giants; he played in 35 offensive snaps — the second most of his career and most this season — and made a 36-yard catch in the fourth quarter.

Ertz has played a pivotal role in the progress Sinnott has shown. He and 2024 undrafted free agent Colson Yankoff got extra work with Ertz in practice earlier in the season to improve the finer details of the position. Sinnott has learned a lot from just watching Ertz and learning about the nuances of how he likes to run certain routes and get open against different coverages. Those traits have been part of Ertz’s calling card for years now. He’s currently fifth all-time in receptions for a tight end with 825 catches for 8,592 yards.

Sinnott said he was “devastated” when he learned that Ertz would be done for the season but also excited that he would have the chance to “do what I know I can do.” And he knew that Ertz would help him maximize him time on the field.

“He’s a guy who helps all the time,” Sinnott said. “My whole two years here, I’ve been able to just pick his brain and ask him anything.”

A to Z Sports

Ben Sinnott showed what happens when he gets targets

The Commanders took Sinnott in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and we’re still waiting to see him get a fair share of targets in the passing game. Sinnott has caught all nine targets of his career, including two touchdowns, and against the Giants, he showed that he can be a big-play threat.

The Commanders need more production at tight end

With Ertz likely gone or retiring this offseason, Jayden Daniels needs a new weapon, and Sinnott could be one of the options. The Commanders could’ve given Sinnott a real shot this season to show what he could do outside of blocking, but they completely ignored it. Now, they have to scramble to find the next TE1 next season, which could be a free agent like Isaiah Likely or Kyle Pitts.

Regardless of who they add, Sinnott should still get plenty more opportunities to produce as a receiver, not just next season, but in the final three games as well. The list of needs is long, but not building around Daniels, who has had his own nightmare season with injuries, would be a complete failure.

Washington Post (paywall)

The seven Commanders who have the most to prove down the stretch

Washington has been eliminated from playoff contention, but these players could help themselves most during the final three games of the season.

K Jake Moody

2025 stats: 14 of 17 (82.4 percent) field goals made (six games with three teams)

2026 contract status: Exclusive rights free agent

Moody is effectively kicking for his job in the final few weeks. Signed last month as the replacement for Matt Gay, the former San Francisco 49ers kicker has made all five of his field goal attempts in three games with Washington — including kicks of 46, 39 and 42 yards on a windy afternoon at the Giants’ MetLife Stadium on Sunday. But he also doinked an extra point off the right upright, then hit the ensuing kickoff out of bounds.

The Commanders surely would love to get off the kicking carousel they have been on for the past two years. Cutting Gay, who had a guaranteed contract, to sign Moody was a show of faith. And it’s important to remember that General Manager Adam Peters was part of the front office that spent a top-100 draft pick on him in San Francisco. Still, Moody has to prove it — especially from 50-plus yards — and give Washington a reason not to go back to the kicker market.

Commanders Wire

Bill Croskey-Merritt looking to take advantage of every opportunity

[On] Tuesday, [t]he running back told Grant and Danny, “I mean, I got three games to play and shoot, I’m in the NFL. So, whenever I get a chance to step on that field, you never know. You gotta go out and show out.”

He knows he must prove himself in every opportunity he has been provided. Taking three weeks off? Looking to coast down the stretch of the final three games? Not a chance.

“We’re not looking at it like that. Nobody in the locker room. We got three more chances to play the game we love, and we just wanna build momentum going into the next season. So, that’s what it’s gonna do for us, and we are just gonna go out there with our brothers; we are not going to quit on each other.”

Riggo’s Rag

Commanders should brace for Marcus Mariota’s departure this offseason

With the Miami Dolphins now officially out of playoff contention, head coach Mike McDaniel benched quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers will get the start. More embarrassingly for the Alabama product, he’ll serve as the emergency third option as Zach Wilson moves into the backup role.

Mariota’s athleticism and accuracy make him a strong candidate to execute McDaniel’s creative scheme effectively. He’d also be relatively cheap by quarterback standards, so Miami would be wise to keep a close eye on his situation in Washington heading into next spring.

Nobody associated with the Commanders would begrudge Mariota a chance to start again. He’s been a massive asset over the last two seasons. The former Oregon star served as a strong mentor to Daniels, and he performed well when his number was called. He’s not perfect by any stretch, but he’d instantly be the best quarterback on the Dolphins unless Ewers seizes the moment.

Heavy.com

Laremy Tunsil : Limited practice Wednesday

Tunsil (oblique) was a limited participant at practice Wednesday. Tunsil was able to participate, albeit in a limited capacity, at the team’s first official practice of the week. He was considered a non-participant on Tuesday’s estimated practice report, but his participation one day later is a good sign for Week 16. The offensive lineman is dealing with an oblique injury, and he’ll have one more opportunity to log a full practice Thursday before the team squares off with the Eagles on Saturday.

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Philadelphia Eagles vs Washington Commanders | Week 16 Game Preview

The NFL coaching carousel

ESPN

Ranking NFL head coach potential openings: Best, worst jobs

An average of 6.5 head coaching jobs have changed hands each offseason over the past decade, and it would be a surprise if the league didn’t collectively approach that number again in 2026.

I’ll go from the most desirable job to the least, sorting through the pros and cons for each opportunity. But first, I need to start with two honorable mentions that would rank at the top of the list if they did come available. I’m just not sure either is likely to do so.

• If Andy Reid retires, the Chiefs would represent one of the greatest opportunities a coach can have in the NFL — taking over a franchise with a generational quarterback in the (relative) prime of his career. Patrick Mahomes is recovering from a torn ACL, of course, and the Chiefs have work to do as they retool their roster, but I’m not sure there’s a coach on the planet who wouldn’t feel an urge to work with one of the greatest QBs of all time.
• There has also been plenty of chatter about Mike Tomlin’s future in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers have been stuck in a cycle of being just good enough to compete for a playoff spot without ever making any sort of meaningful dent once they get there. It has been seven seasons and counting since the Steelers won a playoff game, and though Pittsburgh is on track to get back to the postseason, it would be a surprise if it went on a run in January, even in what seems to be a wide-open AFC.

1. Cincinnati Bengals

Projected 2026 cap space: fourth most ($110.7 million)
Projected 2026 draft capital: 10th most

We don’t often see a team give up on its season, which is why what the Bengals did in the fourth quarter against the Ravens was so curious last week. Admittedly, the Bengals weren’t in a great spot. At 4-9, they needed to run the table to have any shot at making it to the postseason. And after Joe Burrow threw a pick-six with 7:55 to go in the fourth quarter, the Bengals trailed 24-0 against the Ravens, whom they needed to beat to keep their playoff hopes alive.

With their playoff hopes dissipating, the Bengals … ran the ball. They chewed up clock. Eight of the 10 calls on their ensuing drive were runs, with the Bengals letting the clock run down before snapping the football.

By the time Samaje Perine was stopped on a fourth-and-1 to truly extinguish all hope, the Bengals had run 5½ minutes off the clock. And while you might understand giving up if Burrow was hurt or the situation was compromised, Taylor still had his franchise quarterback on the field, handing the ball off to Perine and Chase Brown for most of the Bengals’ final meaningful drive of 2025.

Firing Taylor and hiring a defensive guru would be the biggest step the Bengals could take to win while they have Burrow in his peak. And though there will be offensive coaches desperate to work with Burrow, this should be an even more appealing job for defensive minds like Chargers DC Jesse Minter and Packers DC Jeff Hafley. Turn the defense into even a league-average unit, and the Bengals would be a perennial playoff team. Mold it into a top-10 defense, and the Bengals would compete for Super Bowls.

2. Arizona Cardinals

Projected 2026 cap space: 17th most ($39.2 million)
Projected 2026 draft capital: sixth most

Are the Cardinals better than their record? Absolutely. They are 2-7 in games decided by seven points or fewer. They were a first down away from beating the 49ers, conspired against themselves to blow a lead through some of the most inexplicable play you’ll ever see against the Titans, failed in a goal-to-go sequence down four points to the Colts, blew a lead in the final two minutes against the Packers and lost in overtime to the Jaguars.

Is that good enough for Jonathan Gannon to keep his job? Probably not.

3. Cleveland Browns

Projected 2026 cap space: 26th most ($7.9 million)
Projected 2026 draft capital: fourth most

If the Browns do move on from Kevin Stefanski after six seasons (and two Coach of the Year awards), their new coach will face a franchise that’s still in transition. There’s one year left on Deshaun Watson’s five-year, $230 million disaster of a contract, and though the Browns hinted earlier this month that Watson will be on the 2026 roster, there’s no reason for Cleveland to keep its embattled former starter around. The Browns won’t be bringing Watson back in 2027, so there’s no reason for him to play in front of any of their other quarterbacks.

Cleveland has spent more cash (more than $295 million per year) over the past five seasons than anybody else in football, but the Haslams haven’t always been patient team owners with their coaches. Before Stefanski, the Browns went through five permanent coaches over the first eight years of the Haslam era in Cleveland with very mixed results. It’s possible that they’ve mellowed with experience, and Stefanski has been much more successful than the prior coaches in Cleveland, but given how far the Browns are from seriously competing, I’m not sure I’d want to be the one waiting to find out.

5. New York Giants

Projected 2026 cap space: 18th most ($26.6 million)
Projected 2026 draft capital: most

We know the Giants will hire a new coach after firing Brian Daboll at midseason, and though there might have been a scenario where Mike Kafka would have inherited that role with an impressive end of the season, he has gone 0-4 as the interim coach in New York, struggling with game management at times along the way. Kafka should still have a path to head coaching opportunities in his future, but he’s more likely to land as a coordinator or offensive assistant somewhere else in 2026.

Outside of the potential draft capital, I’m not sure I agree with the idea that this is an outstanding opportunity for the league’s best coaching candidates.

Dart’s inability to avoid big hits and injuries is quickly becoming concerning. Sunday was the fifth time in 10 starts that he has been forced to leave the game to undergo a concussion evaluation, and he missed losses to the Packers and Lions. Kafka has taken the designed quarterback runs that the Giants leaned on early in Dart’s tenure out of the playbook. Removing scrambles, sneaks and kneel-downs from the equation, Dart had 24 designed runs in his seven starts before his concussion, per NFL Next Gen Stats. That has dropped to three over the two starts he has made since missing time.

Without his role in the quarterback run game, it’s unclear whether Dart is really as promising of a quarterback as he might have seemed.

Schoen will obviously hire someone he feels compatible with, but if the Giants decide to move on from Schoen in 2027 or 2028, it would create another mismatched timeline between the coach they hire now and the next general manager. Will that new personnel executive want to hire his own coach? Will the Giants just fire this next coach, as they (deservedly) did with Joe Judge after two seasons, so the next general manager can enter the building with his handpicked guy? Will there be more pressure on the next coach to succeed in a shortened time frame as a result? And if Dart proves to be a disappointment or can’t stay healthy, will this next coach get to go after the next quarterback?

It’s not fun to take over a job when you’re thinking about what the next general manager or next quarterback might do, but it’s fair to raise those questions about the situation in New York.

NFC East links

ESPN

Giants’ Jaxson Dart ‘absolutely not’ concerned about targeted hits

The Washington Commanders made it a point in their team meetings heading into last week’s game against the New York Giants that they treat rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart like a running back and get as many hits on him as possible.

It doesn’t bother Dart.

“Absolutely not,” he said Wednesday. “I mean, [Georgia coach] Kirby Smart said the exact same thing every time he played against me. So did [former Alabama coach] Nick Saban. So did every coach that I played in college. This is nothing new. Just try to go out there and play smart. Be available for my team.”

That was college. This is the NFL. Dart took 15 total hits (on runs and passes) in Sunday’s 29-21 loss to the Commanders, tying his first career start against the Los Angeles Chargers for the most hits he has taken in a game during his rookie season.

The first-round pick also was forced to leave the game for two plays in the fourth quarter to be checked for a concussion. In the past 10 games in which Dart has thrown at least one pass, dating back to the preseason, he has been examined for a concussion in five of them.

Using his legs is a big part of his game. Always has been. Dart is third among all quarterbacks behind Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts with seven rushing touchdowns. But he’s also being contacted more than 12 times per contest.

Blogging the Boys

Brian Schottenheimer is going to have to make some important decisions on coaching staff in the offseason

Last week’s loss to the Lions was forgivable, albeit still frustrating. Detroit has been an offensive powerhouse and the Cowboys looked tired after playing three games in 12 days. But a bounce back was expected, especially against Minnesota. Instead, they rolled over, and Eberflus reverted back to his worst, timid tendencies when push came to shove.

Schottenheimer still isn’t firing any coaches, or hinting that he might, but his tune has changed. After Jerry Jones came dangerously close to saying he wanted to make a change, Schottenheimer more or less echoed his sentiment of needing to prove it over the final few weeks of the season.

Eberflus has completely run out of excuses at this point.

He was lacking talent early on, but not anymore. Quinnen Williams has been as advertised, DeMarvion Overshown looks better each week, and Shavon Revel flashes potential the more he plays. The edge rushers have all gotten better in recent weeks, and Donovan Wilson has made strides as well. Even DaRon Bland recovered from his rough night in Detroit to hold Justin Jefferson to just one catch.

[T]he Cowboys defense is averaging 0.145 EPA/play allowed for the season. That’s 30th in the NFL, just slightly ahead of the Commanders and Bengals. But against teams in the NFC North, Dallas is allowing 0.277 EPA/play. They’re nearly twice as bad against the teams Eberflus knows best.

There’s simply no excuse for that, and Schottenheimer knows it. He was caught delivering a fiery (and, perhaps, not safe for work) criticism in the direction of Eberflus after burning a timeout against the Vikings when the defense was visibly confused on the play call. Schottenheimer isn’t the kind of person to publicly degrade one of his assistants, but there seems to be hints that his patience is nearly out.

Bleeding Green Nation

Eagles won’t be resting starters at all this regular season

I’m seeing a lot of folks posting about resting the starters for the final two weeks if we clinch the division this week. That’s not happening, full stop. A lot of fans do not appear to understand the ramifications of the Bears and Packers and the Bucs and Panthers playing each other this week. What that means is there literally exists no situation where we can rest our starters against the Bills. Here’s why.

1. We lose to the Commanders and the Cowboys beat the Chargers. We still have to clinch the division heading into Week 17 against the Bills.
2. We lose to the Commanders and the Cowboys lose to the Chargers. Yes, we wrap up the division. But the Bucs or Panthers will win. Meaning we would drop to 9-6 and one of those two teams would be 8-7. With two games remaining, we could still be leapfrogged by one of them and drop to the 4 seed.
3. We beat the Commanders and the Packers beat the Bears. We would be level on record with the Bears (they have the head to head) and a .5 game back of the Packers for the 2 seed with two games remaining.
4. We beat the Commanders and the Bears beat the Packers. We would be 1 game back of the Bears (they have the head to head) for the 2 seed and a .5 game ahead of the Packers.
5. Zooming out, the Bears’ final two games are against the 49ers and Lions. And the Packers finish with the Ravens and Vikings. Folks who think we are resting our starters beginning in the Bills game are very mistaken. The 2 seed, as we saw last season in the playoffs, is a massive advantage over the 3 seed. And it guarantees, at a minimum, 2 home playoff games. Likewise, dropping to the 4 seed from the 3 seed is a massive disadvantage. Because it significantly decreases the likelihood of playing at home in the divisional round and beyond. To be blunt, any conversations about resting our starters beginning against the Bills is a complete no-go conversation. It’s just not going to happen because of the playoff dynamics I listed.

NFL league links

Articles

Washington Post (paywall)

Dolphins appear done with Tua Tagovailoa. But his contract complicates things.

With Miami eliminated from playoff contention, Coach Mike McDaniel is benching Tagovailoa in favor of seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers.

That’s the quarterback Tagovailoa was paid to be when the Dolphins signed him to a four-year, $212.4 million extension in July 2024. The $53.1 million average annual value put him, at the time, behind only the $55 million average of the deals signed by Burrow with the Bengals, Trevor Lawrence with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Jordan Love with the Green Bay Packers.

He was selected to the Pro Bowl and led the NFL with his 4,624 passing yards in the 2023 season. In Week 3 of that season, he led the Dolphins to a 70-20 triumph over the Denver Broncos in which they amassed 726 yards of offense. That’s when McDaniel and Tagovailoa seemed like the NFL’s next great coach-quarterback combination, with Tagovailoa’s quick release and accurate throws to an array of speedy receivers bringing to life McDaniel’s vision of a high-powered offense.

But it didn’t last. The Dolphins lost in the opening round of the playoffs that season to the Kansas City Chiefs in a game played in frigid conditions at Arrowhead Stadium. They missed the playoffs last season with an 8-9 record. This season, they lost six of their first seven games, seemingly imperiling McDaniel’s job. They regrouped for five victories in a six-game stretch. But they lost, 28-15, on Monday night to the Steelers, dropping their record to 6-8 and eliminating them from playoff contention.

He threw his 15th interception of the season Monday; that’s the most in the league. He is the NFL’s 22nd-rated passer…and [Miami] rank 25th in total offense. Tagovailoa publicly criticized teammates in October for supposedly being late to players-only meetings, only to issue a public apology for those comments soon after.

The Dolphins [haven’t had] a postseason victory since Dec. 30, 2000. Their 25-year drought is the NFL’s longest active streak. They have missed the playoffs for a second straight season after reaching the postseason in each of their first two years under McDaniel.

Releasing Tagovailoa this offseason would leave his contract counting a burdensome $99.2 million against the Dolphins’ salary cap, although that could be spread over two seasons for cap accounting purposes ($67.4 million next year and $31.8 million in 2027). He is set to make a guaranteed $54 million in salary and bonus money next year. His trade value would be limited, particularly following this benching.

Pro Football Talk

Sean McVay can join Curly Lambeau, George Halas as only coaches with 100 wins before age 40

It’s been 91 years since an NFL coach has won 100 games before turning 40. But Rams coach Sean McVay can do it tonight.

The 39-year-old McVay has 99 wins, regular season and postseason combined, as a head coach. Tonight against the Seahawks, he can get his 100th win and join some historic company.

The only two coaches in NFL history who previously got to 100 wins by age 40 are two of the most legendary names in football history, and they both won their 100th game in 1934. Packers coach Curly Lambeau was 36 during the 1934 season, and Bears coach George Halas was 39. Both won their 100th games that year, and they’re still the only coaches to reach the 100-win milestone before turning 40.

McVay’s 40th birthday is on January 24, so even if he and the Rams lose tonight, he’ll have two more regular-season games and a playoff game to reach his 100th win before his 40th birthday.

Discussion topics

The Athletic (paywall)

NFL Week 16 picks against the spread: Please, Colts, end the Philip Rivers travesty

I am glad Philip Rivers taught his kids, both from birth and from the high school team he coaches, never to be scared when he squeezed into his Indianapolis Colts jersey last Sunday. But … please don’t make me watch the 44-year-old Rivers play another NFL game.

The arm is long gone, and, while never light on his feet, he’s basically a tree planted in the ground now. Hey, can Rivers read a defense and complete two-thirds of his 6-yard passes? Darn skippy. But nobody wants to watch that. And the Colts shouldn’t have redesigned their offense in Week 15 to that end.

That an 8-5 team had to resort to calling up a retired QB doesn’t give me a lot of confidence in the coach or general manager. And what a message to rookie quarterback Riley Leonard, whom the team drafted and had in meetings and practice since training camp — and can throw a football 20 yards. The Colts think he stinks.

And he might. But at least he stinks with upside.

Philadelphia Eagles (-6.5) at Washington Commanders | 5 p.m. ET Saturday, Fox

The Eagles shut out the Raiders, and all their problems just went away? Nah. The Raiders don’t count. No way I am laying 6.5 points on the road.

The pick: Commanders

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