A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, and a sprinkling of other stuff
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Articles
Washington Post (paywall)
For the finale, Commanders may turn to third-string QB Josh Johnson again
As in Week 17 against the Cowboys, Marcus Mariota may miss the Commanders’ Week 18 matchup with the NFC East champion Eagles on Sunday because of injuries.
Coach Dan Quinn said Marcus Mariota did not participate in a “very light jog-through” Monday, leaving his status uncertain for Sunday’s finale at Philadelphia.
Third-stringer Josh Johnson started against the Cowboys and would start again Sunday if Mariota can’t go, Quinn said. The only intrigue would be whether Jeff Driskel or Sam Hartman is his backup.
The Commanders re-signed Mariota to a one-year, $8 million contract last offseason, and his market probably will be similar this time around. There are concerns about the 32-year-old’s durability, but bringing him back would make sense for Washington, particularly given Daniels’s injury issues.
Pro Football Focus (Premium content)
Grading all 32 first-round rookies after Week 17
Pick No. 29: Washington Commanders: T Josh Conerly Jr.
- Overall Rookie Grade: 59.2 (Rank: 7/10)
- Principal Opponent: Jadeveon Clowney
- Week 17 Snaps: 44
- Week 17 Grade: 63.1
Conerly was the Commanders’ highest-graded offensive lineman in Week 17, albeit with a modest 63.1 PFF overall grade. He allowed two pressures, including a sack, en route to a respectable 67.1 pass-blocking grade. Conerly broke even on the ground, with three positively graded run blocks and three negatively graded run blocks. Nevertheless, he has earned a solid 71.6 PFF overall grade since Week 9 after posting a subpar 47.1 mark through the season’s first eight weeks.
Washington Post (paywall)
Biadasz probably out; TBD on Tunsil
Center Tyler Biadasz will not need surgery to repair the right knee and ankle injuries he suffered against Dallas, but it would be a “tough stretch” for him to return to the field Sunday, Quinn said.
Nick Allegretti, who started at right guard, moved to center in Biadasz’s absence and is in line to start there Sunday. Andrew Wylie probably would slot in at right guard. Second-year player Brandon Coleman could be on the verge of a third consecutive start at left tackle; Quinn said regular starter Laremy Tunsil (oblique) would need to make significant progress this week in practice to play Sunday.
Commanders.com
Final Thoughts: On if execution in winning time moments this season has been surprising
“Yes, that execution of nailing exactly what to do in that space. It hasn’t been as much of the last play of the games. Those ones, those type of scenarios, I felt have been strong. It’s the ones of third and fourth downs, some of the two-minute ops to go, there was a scenario in the game, you don’t love to be down 10 points, but I was pleased with the execution of the offense. We were able to get a kick in before two minutes and 10 seconds to kick off to the other team where we essentially have four timeouts. Well, the other part of that execution is getting the stops defensively to make them kick it again. So, when I’m speaking of those third and fourth downs have a big part of that. Sometimes just when the moments of the game change when it’s alright, we got the big run with Deebo and we’re down inside the two- or three-yard line, we need points in that. So, those moments, yes of not being able to nail them and recognize this is that play, this is that moment that calls for the hyperfocus. To not nail those in all three phases, that’s been challenging for sure and something that I’m digging in as hard as we can, but that has to be much improved for damn sure.”
Riggo’s Rag
Dan Quinn confirmed what Commanders fans thought about Quan Martin
Quinn confirmed to reporters that it was a busted coverage assignment that saw Martin go to the fringes. This doesn’t happen through just one lapse in judgment. This is a direct result of the defensive back’s underperformance throughout the campaign; it was merely a tipping point.
This also told fans all they needed to know about Martin’s future in Washington. Patience is clearly running out. He’ll be cheap enough to keep around entering the final year of his rookie deal, but his starting aspirations might be over with the Commanders.
Actions will speak louder than words in this scenario if general manager Adam Peters goes after a prized free-agent safety or drafts Ohio State prospect Caleb Downs with his first-round pick. That will not be good news for Martin. And in all honesty, the former Illinois standout only has himself to blame.
Most were projecting him to be a candidate to get extended ahead of time this offseason. Instead, he’s fighting to stay relevant.
Commanders.com
3 young Commanders players to watch in Week 18
Ben Sinnott
Fans have been waiting for Sinnott to be utilized more often in the passing game, and they finally got a glimpse of it against the Cowboys. He made three catches on four targets — both career highs — for 29 yards, giving him a career catch rate of 87.5%.
The expectation was for Sinnott to get more playing time with Zach Ertz on Injured Reserve, and that has been the case over the last three weeks. He’s played in over half of the snaps in each of the last three games, including 61.4% against the Cowboys on Christmas. Sinnott has improved as a blocker since his rookie season, and there was an example of that during Deebo Samuel’s 29-yard run in the second quarter.
But Sinnott was evaluated as an all-around tight end during the draft process, and there haven’t been many opportunities to show his skill set as a pass-catcher. Some of that is out of his control. There were only 22 combined completions for Washington in Weeks 15 and 16, which means there weren’t many opportunities for Sinnott to get targets.
It’s unknown at this point how the Commanders’ offense will approach their second matchup against the Eagles, but the hope is that the unit will put together longer drives, which could lead to Sinnott getting more targets.
Pro Football Focus
Ranking the top 15 NFL rookies through Week 17
15. RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders (74.7)
Croskey-Merritt had a big Christmas Day game: 11 carries for 105 yards and two touchdowns. He took a rush 10 yards up the gut for his first score late in the second quarter, before recording a 72-yard house call early in the third to make it a one-score game.
Croskey-Merritt added a third explosive run of 13 yards late in the third quarter and forced three missed tackles on the day, finishing with a 69.2 PFF rushing grade. He gained 120 yards after contact.
The seventh-round pick from Arizona owns the third-best PFF rushing grade among rookie running backs this season (78.3). He has 162 carries for 776 yards with eight touchdowns (tied for 12th most). Four of those have come in his past three games. Croskey-Merritt has forced 33 missed tackles, picked up 39 first downs, recorded 21 runs of 10-plus yards and averaged 3.7 yards after contact per attempt (second best).
Two of Croskey-Merritt’s three explosive plays against the Cowboys came in zone schemes, where he now has 67 carries for 372 yards and four touchdowns. He sports the eighth-best PFF rushing grade in zone schemes this season (80.1).
Riggo’s Rag
7 Commanders on the brink as their Washington chapter finally closes
Chris Moore – Commanders WR
The Commanders only have Terry McLaurin, Luke McCaffrey, and fourth-round rookie Jaylin Lane under contract in their receiver room next season. A couple who are out of contract may get a reprieve, but there are plenty of unknowns with just one game remaining.
Deebo Samuel Sr. is worth keeping, but much will depend on the money involved. Treylon Burks has also flashed enough for another go-around. As for the rest? Their respective futures aren’t looking especially promising.
There were plenty of raised eyebrows when the Commanders kept Chris Moore on their practice squad after an up-and-down summer. Injuries meant he was quickly signed to the active roster, but the veteran has spurned almost every opportunity. He put together two mildly positive outings against the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys, but that’s about it.
Moore will be 33 years old by the time training camp rolls around. He shouldn’t return.
Pro Football Focus
2026 NFL Free Agency: Early look at the top-graded players set to hit the market
6. LB Bobby Wagner, Washington Commanders
Snaps: 3132 | PFF grade: 90.0
Wagner remains the outlier at linebacker — a 35-year-old still playing with the same physicality that defined his prime and will ultimately place him in conversations with Ray Lewis, Patrick Willis and Brian Urlacher among the all-time greats.
Drafted in 2012, he has stacked eight single-season PFF grades above 80.0 and carries a 73.5 mark in 2025, ranking 19th among 90 qualifiers. He also leads all linebackers in PFF WAR since 2023 and sits third in overall grade over that span, behind only Fred Warner and Zack Baun.
Run defense has long been Wagner’s trademark. He has recorded nine single-season run-defense grades above 80.0 and seven above 90.0, and his 91.3 run-defense grade in 2025 ranks second at the position.
Even this late in his career, he’s still the same disciplined, reliable force — a veteran who has missed just 5.4% of his career tackle attempts and continues to elevate any front seven he joins.
20. WR Deebo Samuel, Washington Commanders
Snaps: 1961 | PFF grade: 81.5
Samuel may no longer be the elite dual-threat athlete he was in San Francisco, but he’s still a capable WR2-caliber addition to a team. He’s produced a 73.0 PFF receiving grade over the last two seasons while averaging 7.1 yards after the catch per reception. His 78.4 receiving grade on screens since 2024 is sixth among qualified wideouts, which shows what he can do with the ball in his hands.
Podcasts & videos
NFL Week 17 Recap: Commanders Fall to Cowboys 30-23 | Booth Review Podcast | Washington Commanders
NFC East links
Bleeding Green Nation
Eagles-Bills Film Review: The offense needs to stop spending entire halves playing scared
This Philadelphia Eagles win over the Buffalo Bills somehow felt like two completely different offenses playing in the same game. I was so optimistic after the first half, and so angry after the second. I’ve tried to be positive the past month and look at the progression this coaching staff has made, but this week was rough. I’m a little mad this week. Sorry! The inclement weather clearly mattered, but the bigger issue is that the Eagles once again chose to make life more complicated than it needed to be.
The Eagles used motion quite a lot in this game because it drew the nickel into the run fit, but there’s something annoying about how they run their motions. The receivers run it like it’s a chore. They don’t threaten the defense horizontally at all. Even with the uptick in motion rate in this game, it didn’t translate to efficiency. I looked at the success rate, and the Eagles’ offense was better without motion in this one. Motion doesn’t immediately mean something is good.
And then… the run game. Again. The most maddening part isn’t just that the results are ugly. Sometimes, a defensive player makes a great [play], and a team fits the run well. It’s how many runs have an obvious error baked into them. You can’t be a “run-first, play-action” team if your running game sucks. It’s a real problem. This one features two linemen blocking the same guy, and nobody accounting for the off-ball linebacker. I see runs like this every week, and it drives me insane.
Blogging the Boys
9 more coaches the Cowboys should consider to fix their defense in 2026
There are a number of names the Cowboys could consider as a potential new defensive coordinator.
Dennard Wilson
Currently Dennard Wilson serves as the defensive coordinator for the Titans, but they’ve already fired their head coach and Tennessee’s defense hasn’t exactly been elite the last two years. It seems likely Wilson will be available, so why would the Cowboys want him?
For starters, Wilson checks a lot of boxes. He’s been a rising star for some time, and was nearly promoted to coordinator for the Eagles after Jonathan Gannon left for the Cardinals job. When he was passed over for an external candidate (who ended up being fired a year later) Wilson left for the Ravens. He spent a year mentoring under now-Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald before taking the Titans gig.
Wilson cut his teeth under Gregg Williams and Todd Bowles, two defensive coaches known for their heavy aggression. Notice a theme with this list? Williams was the master of the Cover 0 all-out blitz, while Bowles built his name on exotic blitz packages that keep any quarterback guessing; think back to that Super Bowl where Bowles limited Patrick Mahomes to just nine points.
When he took the Titans defensive coordinator job, Wilson described his defensive scheme as “attacking” and aspiring to be “violent in our approach.” That’s almost verbatim to how Cowboys offensive coordinator Klayton Adams described his own offensive philosophy when coming to Dallas.
Wilson has struggled in Tennessee, but he hasn’t been flush with talent either. Outside of Jeffery Simmons, the Titans lack any real defensive playmakers – Wilson was also burdened with Kenneth Murray last year – but his approach to defense is philosophically in line with what the Cowboys are already doing on offense. Wilson may not be the biggest home run on this list, but he would at least bring a complementary mindset to the team.
Daronte Jones
Cowboys fans have begun clamoring for Brian Flores, whose contract as the Vikings defensive coordinator is up after this year, but it seems unlikely to materialize. Flores is expected to be a top head coaching candidate this offseason, and it would be surprising to see him leave Minnesota for a lateral move.
That said, Dallas could pursue one of Flores’ top assistants. We highlighted current Vikings assistant Mike Pettine in the last list, and defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator Daronte Jones joins the list this time around.
Primarily a college coach, Jones is well-traveled. He’s coached defensive backs for six different college programs – at the FBS, FCS, and Division II level – as well as three high schools and even one CFL team. He first broke into the NFL with the Dolphins, where he assisted defensive backs coach Lou Anarumo and served under defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, now with the Broncos. When Anarumo was hired in Cincinnati, he brought Jones with him to coach cornerbacks.
Jones later spent one season coaching the entire secondary for Mike Zimmer’s Vikings before getting hired as the defensive coordinator at LSU. That turned out to last just one year, as head coach Ed Orgeron stepped down after the season and Jones was not retained by Brian Kelly. Jones returned to Minnesota for the first year of the Kevin O’Connell era, and he was promptly promoted to pass game coordinator when Flores came to town.
That provides Jones with a laundry list of impressive defensive minds he’s worked under: Joseph, Anarumo, Zimmer, and now Flores. In his current stint with the Vikings, he’s been a key piece of coordinating a secondary that routinely has to perform miracles with the convoluted coverage schemes Flores pairs behind his aggressive blitz packages.
There’s no guarantee that Jones would run the exact same scheme as Flores – in fact, it’s probably likely he wouldn’t – but if Jones can piece together elements from all the coaches he’s served under, he could create a unique scheme in Dallas that could completely reinvigorate this defense.
Big Blue View
Giants 2026 NFL Draft: Jaxson Dart downplays Fernando Mendoza report
“I know I’m going to be here for a very long time.”
After playing well on Sunday and helping the New York Giants to a 34-10 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, quarterback Jaxson Dart shrugged off a report that the Giants would “evaluate all options”, including quarterback, in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“I’m going to continue to play my ball. I know I’m going to be here for a very long time, and I’m just excited to start winning more games and turn this place around and do my job, and we have a bright future,” Dart said. “And that was one thing that, I was just standing on the sideline, and I’m watching Abdul [Carter] ball, I’m watching DA [Darius Alexander] ball. Skat [Cam Skattebo] was here today, and when you just think about this rookie class, I think that we have a really bright future, and we’re going to be a big pivot and turn this thing around.”
Dart went 22 of 30 passing for 207 yards and ran for two scores in Sunday’s victory, which broke a nine-game losing streak for the 3-13 Giants. Dart’s performance came a week after he went 7 of 13 for just 33 yards in a 16-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
NFL league links
Articles
ESPN
Vikings hoping to retain defensive coordinator Brian Flores
[W]hile Flores could leave the organization if he’s offered a head coaching job next month, O’Connell said he does not anticipate Flores departing for a defensive coordinator job with another team.
“Based upon my dialogue with him, and obviously the enthusiasm and the want to for us to get something done, I don’t [anticipate that],” O’Connell said. “But I also know we’re inside of days before our season ends. … I know he enjoys being here. …
“I know I’m excited about when … hopefully I can come to this podium and say he’s going to be here for as long as we can keep him here before another team makes him their head coach.”
Flores interviewed for three head coaching jobs last offseason but did not receive any offers. He and the Vikings agreed to leave his contract untouched heading into the 2025 season, making him eligible to depart even if it’s not for a head coaching job.
O’Connell, however, made it clear Monday that the team wants him back.
Discussion topics
The Athletic (paywall)
All eyes are on the NFL’s most atypical owner. Where will her curiosity lead her next?
The Colts had won eight of their first 10 games. It was a burst of joy for a mourning franchise and city still in shock over the May death of Jim Irsay, the former owner and the father of the 45-year-old Irsay-Gordon and her sisters and co-owners, Kalen Jackson and Casey Foyt.
But that Sunday, Jones tore his right Achilles. The Colts went on to lose six consecutive games and by late December were out of postseason contention.
The franchise now faces its most significant offseason in years. It’s Irsay-Gordon’s first at the helm. Crucial and potentially painful decisions include whether to extend Jones, who has a long recovery ahead and would otherwise be a free agent. She will have to consider the futures of Chris Ballard, the Colts general manager for nine seasons who has just one playoff win, and head coach Shane Steichen, who is 25-25 in his first three seasons. Irsay-Gordon has strong relationships with both Ballard and Steichen, who have staunchly supported her during the personal and professional strain of the team’s transition following Irsay’s death.
All eyes are on Irsay-Gordon — but they have been for months.
In her teens and early 20s, she interned all over the organization, from ticket sales to marketing to internal media and management before she eventually moved into a fuller football operations role. She has represented the Colts at the NFL’s annual meeting for over two decades.
But the ownership transition in the spring coupled with the team’s early success this fall inspired new and viral interest in the NFL’s youngest ownership group — especially Irsay-Gordon, who had been captured by cameras on the sideline during an early-season game wearing a headset like a coach and scribbling down notes between plays.
“Well, why wouldn’t I be?” Irsay-Gordon said, chuckling softly. Many in the Colts’ building — from players to coaches to members of the front office — were also bewildered by the greater public’s fixation on that detail. Irsay-Gordon has worn the headset on the sideline for years, and before that was stationed up in the booth with the scouts and executive team. She never speaks into it, but writes down what she hears people say, charts every play and additionally notes sideline observations and interactions throughout the game.
Ballard has generally taken a colorful approach. He said an opposing team called him to complain about Irsay-Gordon being on the sideline three years ago, asking if Ballard planned to speak with her about it.
“Absolutely f—— not,” he replied, “I don’t have a problem with it.” He said that team could call Irsay-Gordon directly. No call was ever made. Irsay-Gordon was amused when Ballard mentioned it to her.
“Well, I’m not leaving the sideline,” she said calmly.
“Well, I’m not asking you to!” he shot back.
When Irsay-Gordon decided to take on a larger role with the Colts in 2008 instead of pursuing a career in clinical psychology, she knew she had to be all-in. Unlike many other owners, she wanted to be immersed in every part of the building every day. Irsay-Gordon hates titles, and she didn’t want others to think of her position first when they talked with her. She wanted to be a student. She understood that more involvement with the team required a deeper education in football and football operations, so she sought out teachers in the equipment, video and film, data, salary cap and scouting departments, and especially among coaches and players.
Irsay-Gordon prefers to study how a decision got made versus its result. It is why she is especially drawn to position meetings, where specific strategies are taught or concepts installed and there is an explanation of why the team is using them that week. She maps out questions to bring into weekly Monday meetings with Steichen and Ballard. She loves asking players about their techniques and how they do their jobs.
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Category: General Sports
