1 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:09,640 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Command Center Podcast. I'm Julie Donaldson. The 2 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: Commanders moved to seven and five on the season after 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: a nineteen to thirteen victory over the Atlanta Falcons. On Sunday, 4 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 1: Logan Paulson and Fred Smooth helped me highlight the notables 5 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 1: from Washington's third straight victory. I want to talk about 6 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,279 Speaker 1: the defense in this one because if it was not 7 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: for the defense and Kendall Fuller being able to save 8 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: that game thanks to durn Payne and durn paying the 9 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 1: season that he's having, he said it's because he was 10 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 1: challenged to not just play hard, but to finish the 11 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: plays and all the difference in the world it is having. 12 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: But in this game, yeah, the way that it started 13 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: wasn't very pretty. It was kind of really kind of 14 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: a ben don't break defense. Fred. I was actually anticipating 15 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 1: this because these two teams mirror each other, run the 16 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: ball and play good defense. So I knew they was 17 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: going to come in and the plan to run the 18 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: ball on the defense that's been shipping everybody down on 19 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 1: defense when it comes to the run game. So I 20 00:00:58,160 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: knew we had to be physical. But I have to 21 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 1: point one man that I know, the defensive line is 22 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:04,919 Speaker 1: getting all these little bit Jayman Davis. If we're watching 23 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:06,960 Speaker 1: the player coming to his own right now, we're watching 24 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 1: the player sideline the sideline a once one person went down, 25 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 1: he stepped up, I could take the load on. I 26 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: think he's special right now. Yeah, absolutely, It's really great 27 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:16,679 Speaker 1: to see that young maturation only from him, but guys 28 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: like Forrest, you know, Christian Holmes comes in and plays 29 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:20,680 Speaker 1: a lot of snaps in the game. Right. Love to 30 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 1: seeing those contributions from guys who are kind of developmental pieces. 31 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:24,960 Speaker 1: But now they have much larger roles in this defense, 32 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:27,399 Speaker 1: and I think a big contribution to their success. One 33 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 1: of the things that coach River has always talked about 34 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: is this team is relatively young, and when those young 35 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:33,760 Speaker 1: players get the experience, had to be a little bit 36 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: of patient because they're gonna make mistakes. Yeah yeah, you know, 37 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:37,960 Speaker 1: something are basic mistakes that are too costly or cost 38 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:39,479 Speaker 1: you the game. And we're starting to see them really 39 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 1: kind of grow together as well. Washington just one of 40 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: two teams to be top ten in past defense and 41 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 1: rush defense so far. The defense is definitely keeping them 42 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: in there, but we can't look past what special teams 43 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 1: is doing as well. Logan, Yeah, I think they've been 44 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: really great. You know, obviously they missed the field goal 45 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 1: yes or the pat yesterday, which isn't a great thing, 46 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: but the coverage units have been outstanding. I think when 47 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: you look at specifically the punt team, the way they've 48 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 1: been covering kicks. The punt that Trust had yesterday in 49 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: that game to just down inside the five, you knew 50 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 1: that the defense was gonna get a three and out there, 51 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 1: then get the get the ball back to the offense 52 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 1: with favorable field position. They are mberd such teams. Coaches 53 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: say Fred that the that punt is the first defensive 54 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: play in the series, and they play an excellent job 55 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: of setting up the defense and playing an excellent job 56 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: throughout the season. Love to see it most definitely. He 57 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 1: I believe in the Trust way. I believe in the 58 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 1: lands four games. You've noticed he's been knocked to the ground. 59 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: Didn't mean they're trying to find ways to alleviate him 60 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: and take him out the game. And I know, Joyce slide, 61 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 1: you mix stairs to point yesterday, but you know my motto, 62 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:36,239 Speaker 1: kick him and Joey slide. That's what he do. He 63 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 1: comes back, and he makes it when you need him. 64 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: I can say it is these special teams have been special. 65 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 1: They've been very special for this team. Trust Way, you 66 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: cannot say enough about him. Look, he's already made a 67 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: Pro Bowl before. But the way he keeps going, you 68 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 1: don't have to rely too much on him. But it's 69 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 1: okay once because you know he's gonna put you in 70 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: good field position. I okay. So the offense all right, 71 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 1: still working things out, especially from the first to the 72 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: second half, but it seems like they found their identity 73 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: one hundred percent found their identity. They're running the football outstanding. 74 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 1: I think when you look at the different schemes they've 75 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 1: got drawn up, the third short called to Brian Robinson 76 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 1: that goes for a twenty yard game, the jet sweep 77 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:13,519 Speaker 1: to Antonio Gibson, the way that the run game is 78 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,840 Speaker 1: complimenting itself. They're finding Rico's finding ways to get guys touches. 79 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: I mean, this was the best running performance of at 80 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 1: all year. And it is great to see. They're bullies. 81 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:23,520 Speaker 1: They're bullies had less time. They're bullies on the playground. 82 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 1: The officsive line bullies, the D line bullies, the running 83 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: backs bully. They're pushing people around and them making you 84 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: like it. They're playing a type of ball. They're gonna 85 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 1: bring you in and say, you know what we're gonna 86 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 1: play in the phone booth. You're gonna have to beat 87 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: us imano imano run and look, it's only forty four 88 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 1: rushing yards in that first half, and they said, Okay, 89 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: we've got to get back to what we do best. 90 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: And certainly they finished with the season high one seventy six, 91 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: so they found the key to winning. Head coach Ron 92 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: Rivera reached a milestone in the Commander's victory over the Falcons. 93 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 1: Rivera earned the one hundredth win of his head coaching career. 94 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 1: London Fletcher and I spoke with coach post game to 95 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: get his thoughts on the accomplishment. Coach, let me start 96 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 1: off with his congratulations, you're one hundred win, seventh active 97 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: head coach to have that. Does this one mean anything 98 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: more because it is one hundred, Well, now knowing that 99 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 1: it is one hundred, it does mean a lot to me. 100 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: It really does, just because there's been a lot of 101 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,280 Speaker 1: people that give me opportunities, and I really do appreciate 102 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:20,839 Speaker 1: the opportunities I've gotten you and Jerry Richardson and Carolina 103 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,480 Speaker 1: give me my chance, my first chance, mister Snyder, give 104 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 1: me my second chance here. I've had a tremendous amount 105 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,160 Speaker 1: of great coaches that work for me, work with me, 106 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: and a lot of good players. So I've been very, 107 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: very fortunate. And the way that this one comes down 108 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 1: being a defensive minded coach. You mentioned before that Taylor 109 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 1: Heineke is going to keep the job because his team 110 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:41,720 Speaker 1: is winning, but he only has to do so much 111 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 1: because the defense is really holding you in there, Kindle 112 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: Fuller to seal that victory. What does it say about 113 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:49,359 Speaker 1: this team just never giving up no matter where the 114 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: players or where the game's at. Well, I think there's 115 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 1: a little bit of a toughness in a grit that 116 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: that's about it. But you know, playing hard creates some 117 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 1: good opportunities in and we were you know, we were 118 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: down there. Guys were playing hard, they were still playing fast, 119 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,919 Speaker 1: and because of that, something good happens. The ball gets tipped, 120 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:07,159 Speaker 1: guy hustles, gets themselves in position, makes the interception. That's 121 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:08,840 Speaker 1: how you get you know, that's how you create your 122 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 1: own luck. Coach. I look at this as NFL coaches, 123 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:13,919 Speaker 1: they earn their money. Obviously during the week, coming up 124 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 1: with the game plan and also the adjustments that you 125 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 1: guys make, and at halftime. At halftime, you guys came 126 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 1: out and just dominated in the running game. What was 127 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 1: the message to you guys, Well, the biggest messages to 128 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 1: do what we do. You know, we talked about being 129 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 1: able to run the football as a unit, and that's 130 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:31,280 Speaker 1: exactly what these guys have done. If you go back 131 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: and look at it, Rust for one hundred and seventy 132 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 1: six yards and b Rob at his first hundred yard game. 133 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 1: I mean, that was huge. It's huge for the young man, 134 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 1: but it's huge for that group because they've been working 135 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:41,840 Speaker 1: very hard. And kudos to our offensive line. And it's 136 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 1: not only just what you did on offense after the 137 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:45,720 Speaker 1: second half, because only forty four of those rushing yards 138 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 1: came in the first half, but it's what you did 139 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 1: on defense in the second half as well. What is 140 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 1: being said to this team that they're able to really 141 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: kind of make those adjustments as well and stop the 142 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 1: opposing team. Well, one of the things that I know 143 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: the defense staff came and they talked about changing the 144 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:01,039 Speaker 1: front and then change your response abilities of the quarterback 145 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 1: and because you know, but quite honestly, Mark Smyer did 146 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 1: some good things against us in the first half. In 147 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 1: the second half they made those adjustments, you know, and 148 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,880 Speaker 1: again it limited their opportunities, limited their impact on us. 149 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 1: And so again kudos to our defensive staff. One of 150 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: the things we talked a lot about the offensive line 151 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:18,840 Speaker 1: playing how they've been able to really do some great 152 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 1: things rushing with us rushing to football. I don't feel 153 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 1: like we've talked enough about the job that the tight 154 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 1: ends have done in the run of games, especially with 155 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:27,840 Speaker 1: the volume and the type of runs that you guys 156 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 1: have doing are doing, you know, London, that's a group 157 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:33,160 Speaker 1: that really hasn't gotten a lot of credit this year, 158 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 1: mostly because it must have been hurt. But they're starting 159 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: around out in the shape. You're starting to see the 160 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 1: old logan. You see him moving around catching the ball, 161 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 1: you see him moving around blocking. John Bates has always 162 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: been a solid blocker who knew he can go out 163 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:48,039 Speaker 1: catch touchdowns, Like I'm just kidding, Kudos to John. And 164 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 1: then we got two young guys that are you know, 165 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 1: splitting time because one's injured, the other, one's healthy. Other 166 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:54,279 Speaker 1: one's healthy, the other one's injured, But those two guys 167 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 1: also have a bright future here. You know, col and 168 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:58,720 Speaker 1: Armandi just have both been really good rookies for US. 169 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 1: Congratulations coach again. On one hundred, I already talked to 170 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 1: Taylor Heinekey. He said he might need to get you 171 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:06,480 Speaker 1: some high tops. I appreciate that, all right, thanks, go 172 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: enjoy this one, right you guys, relations man, how do 173 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: how do victory? That's big time for all of your 174 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 1: news and analysis. Be sure to tune into Command Center 175 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:18,240 Speaker 1: weeknights if I've thirty and ten pm on NBC Sports Washington. 176 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 1: You can also stream on YouTube and Commanders dot com.