1 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Command Center Podcast. I'm Julie Donaldson. The 2 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: Commanders have played some of their best football in the 3 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 1: month of November, winning six of their last seven games. 4 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: The captain, London Fletcher, and Santana Moss joined me to 5 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:22,239 Speaker 1: breakdown what has led to Washington's success. They started the 6 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: season one and four and the narrative was, Okay, all 7 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: is lost and here they are now. London, what would 8 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: you say is the biggest reason for the turnaround? Well, 9 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: you just you just mentioned and when you talk about 10 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 1: the defense and particularly the takeaways, that's been the biggest difference. 11 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 1: When when you look at our game against the Bears, 12 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:39,519 Speaker 1: were able to We're able to get some takeaways in 13 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:42,560 Speaker 1: that ball game, this pass ball game, you know against 14 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:44,559 Speaker 1: the Falcons, the takeaway that we got in the end 15 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: zone the Eagles, and all the takeaways we've gotten, that's 16 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: really has been the biggest difference. Getting thirteen takeaways, I 17 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: feel like has been the biggest difference on why we've 18 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: won six out of the last seven games, especially because 19 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: early on the season we were saying, all right, zero takeaways, 20 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: zero zero, like the games were adding up where they 21 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: were not being able to do that on defense as well, 22 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: and then the offense turning it over causes a problem 23 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: as well. Your biggest reason it was a big swing. 24 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 1: If you think about those first five games, he was 25 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: one and four and we had one takeaway, and then 26 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,760 Speaker 1: the next games we plus seven, and you see the wins. 27 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: You know they're just adding on all the biggest it's evident, 28 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: you know, stiff defense and offensively, we found the way 29 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: to just have a rhythm about our offense and continue 30 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: to move the chains. Now you would like to see them, 31 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:32,960 Speaker 1: you know, do better on third down, but they find 32 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: a way to grind that clock out with that running game. 33 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 1: And you know, Taylor has been Taylor. He hits. He 34 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 1: hits some shots when he needs to the most. And 35 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: we can talk about some of the times when he 36 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:45,679 Speaker 1: turned the ball over, some of the things he'd do 37 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: that you would like him to see him do better. 38 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: But when it's time to make a play, Taylor finds 39 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: a way to make a play. To that point, though, 40 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: one of the things I had Coach Ron were very 41 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: even pointed out in this press conference on Monday with 42 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 1: the media, and we've talked about as well, and we're 43 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 1: talking about the booth London is that field goals are 44 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: not going to get it for you. When you get 45 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 1: into the red zone, you have to convert. They need 46 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:04,559 Speaker 1: to put up more points. I feel like every single 47 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: game that we're in comes down to basically one score. 48 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 1: It gets really close, too close for comfort. If it 49 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 1: wasn't for the takeaways, defense probably wouldn't be sitting in 50 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:15,080 Speaker 1: this situation. So what do they offensively need to do well? 51 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: I think, you know last week against the file because 52 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: they scored twice in the red zone, getting that touchdown 53 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,799 Speaker 1: to base and also the one to Brian Robinson. Just 54 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:26,519 Speaker 1: continue to run the football. Officially, we would love to 55 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 1: have that type of game plan that we had against Philadelphia, 56 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: but you also still gotta need to get some shot 57 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: plays and there's a fine line between forcing it in 58 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: there and norm when to pull the trigger and maybe 59 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 1: take the check down. But I would like to see 60 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: maybe a couple more explosives in the passing games. I 61 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 1: definitely want to see a little more explosive plays. I 62 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 1: think last week was not the perfect time and for that, 63 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,959 Speaker 1: so I was pretty appreciative of our game plan last week. 64 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 1: You know, I mean the weather was bad this week. 65 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 1: Going forward, hopefully we get some better weather and now 66 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 1: we can go out there and take those shots and 67 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: use some of the guys. I think one of the 68 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:59,239 Speaker 1: things that you've been seeing heavy when it comes to 69 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 1: Taylor game, he's finding Terry. We need to get those 70 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: other guys involved, because when you have a guy like 71 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 1: Jahan that's gonna that's gonna beat this man nine times 72 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: out of ten, you want to get this young man 73 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 1: the ball to as well. So hopefully we can try to, 74 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 1: you know, implement all those guys, all those weapons that 75 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 1: we have, and we can see a more improved, you know, offense. 76 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: The Commanders faced another NFC East fow this weekend in 77 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,080 Speaker 1: New York London. In Santana shared their favorite memories from 78 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: facing the Giants. Santana three career games, three touchdown receptions, 79 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 1: two of them have been against the Giants. What you know, 80 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: you got something with the GMN oh now man, something 81 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: about New York, you know what I mean. I mean 82 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: I was up there at one point of time and 83 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 1: being a gent and having to share that stadium with 84 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: the Giants, it just made me want to rise to 85 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 1: the occasion. And then getting over here and seeing these 86 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: guys twice a year. I remember that first oh five season. 87 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: That first game wasn't so good, so I had to 88 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 1: get off the second one and then London. All right, 89 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:54,400 Speaker 1: one hundred and sixty eight career tackles, one sack, three interceptions, 90 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: three force fumbles against New York. So not too shabby yourself. 91 00:03:57,680 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: You know, I like playing against New York, especially at 92 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 1: the Big Apple. You know you want to put a 93 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 1: show off, So sat Teller, I know we call you 94 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: the Cowboy Killer. They might have to call you the 95 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: Giant Slayer as your second nickname going against those those 96 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 1: giants of those type of numbers. I've seen the pay 97 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: dirt a lot playing against those guys, so who knows, 98 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: you know, they have to give me the nickname. Well, 99 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: for the next two weeks, Washington will be taking on 100 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 1: next two games because I've got the bye week in 101 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 1: between New York and New York. Look, it's a chance 102 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: to gain some ground in the division. How do you 103 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 1: keep the momentum going and have some games like the 104 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 1: guys currently on the roster, Like you guys have done 105 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: against New York London, I think you continue to do 106 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,039 Speaker 1: what we've been doing, being efficient in the offense in 107 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: terms of running the football, playing stout, dominant defense, and 108 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:41,280 Speaker 1: taking the football away. You continue to do those things. 109 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 1: I think we continue to win these next two ball 110 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:45,280 Speaker 1: games against the Giants. I mean, what more could I say? 111 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 1: Control the clock? I think one of the things that 112 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: we found us we have an identity now. You know, 113 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 1: we've been saying for years this team needs one, and 114 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: the offense finally have one. And you know London has 115 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: taken what I've been saying in that you know of 116 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: y'all been getting on me for weeks about winning eternal 117 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 1: over battles every time. You know. For all of your 118 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:08,239 Speaker 1: news and analysis, be sure to tune into Command Center 119 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:11,599 Speaker 1: weeknights if five thirty and ten pm on NBC Sports Washington. 120 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: You can also stream on YouTube and commanders dot com.