WEBVTT - Recapping the Win Over Atlanta | Episode 58 0:00:03.279 --> 0:00:09.640 Welcome to the Command Center Podcast. I'm Julie Donaldson. The 0:00:09.640 --> 0:00:12.240 Commanders moved to seven and five on the season after 0:00:12.240 --> 0:00:15.520 a nineteen to thirteen victory over the Atlanta Falcons. On Sunday, 0:00:15.800 --> 0:00:19.160 Logan Paulson and Fred Smooth helped me highlight the notables 0:00:19.200 --> 0:00:22.599 from Washington's third straight victory. I want to talk about 0:00:22.640 --> 0:00:25.279 the defense in this one because if it was not 0:00:25.440 --> 0:00:28.440 for the defense and Kendall Fuller being able to save 0:00:28.520 --> 0:00:30.920 that game thanks to durn Payne and durn paying the 0:00:30.960 --> 0:00:33.159 season that he's having, he said it's because he was 0:00:33.280 --> 0:00:36.360 challenged to not just play hard, but to finish the 0:00:36.440 --> 0:00:39.120 plays and all the difference in the world it is having. 0:00:39.400 --> 0:00:41.760 But in this game, yeah, the way that it started 0:00:42.320 --> 0:00:44.640 wasn't very pretty. It was kind of really kind of 0:00:44.640 --> 0:00:48.080 a ben don't break defense. Fred. I was actually anticipating 0:00:48.080 --> 0:00:50.199 this because these two teams mirror each other, run the 0:00:50.200 --> 0:00:52.040 ball and play good defense. So I knew they was 0:00:52.080 --> 0:00:53.800 going to come in and the plan to run the 0:00:53.800 --> 0:00:56.040 ball on the defense that's been shipping everybody down on 0:00:56.080 --> 0:00:58.080 defense when it comes to the run game. So I 0:00:58.160 --> 0:00:59.760 knew we had to be physical. But I have to 0:00:59.760 --> 0:01:01.720 point one man that I know, the defensive line is 0:01:01.760 --> 0:01:04.919 getting all these little bit Jayman Davis. If we're watching 0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:06.960 the player coming to his own right now, we're watching 0:01:07.000 --> 0:01:10.200 the player sideline the sideline a once one person went down, 0:01:10.200 --> 0:01:12.200 he stepped up, I could take the load on. I 0:01:12.240 --> 0:01:14.640 think he's special right now. Yeah, absolutely, It's really great 0:01:14.640 --> 0:01:16.679 to see that young maturation only from him, but guys 0:01:16.720 --> 0:01:19.080 like Forrest, you know, Christian Holmes comes in and plays 0:01:19.080 --> 0:01:20.680 a lot of snaps in the game. Right. Love to 0:01:20.720 --> 0:01:23.360 seeing those contributions from guys who are kind of developmental pieces. 0:01:23.360 --> 0:01:24.960 But now they have much larger roles in this defense, 0:01:25.000 --> 0:01:27.399 and I think a big contribution to their success. One 0:01:27.400 --> 0:01:29.319 of the things that coach River has always talked about 0:01:29.400 --> 0:01:31.800 is this team is relatively young, and when those young 0:01:31.880 --> 0:01:33.760 players get the experience, had to be a little bit 0:01:33.800 --> 0:01:35.640 of patient because they're gonna make mistakes. Yeah yeah, you know, 0:01:35.680 --> 0:01:37.960 something are basic mistakes that are too costly or cost 0:01:38.000 --> 0:01:39.479 you the game. And we're starting to see them really 0:01:39.560 --> 0:01:42.959 kind of grow together as well. Washington just one of 0:01:43.040 --> 0:01:45.440 two teams to be top ten in past defense and 0:01:45.560 --> 0:01:48.400 rush defense so far. The defense is definitely keeping them 0:01:48.400 --> 0:01:51.000 in there, but we can't look past what special teams 0:01:51.160 --> 0:01:53.120 is doing as well. Logan, Yeah, I think they've been 0:01:53.120 --> 0:01:54.800 really great. You know, obviously they missed the field goal 0:01:54.840 --> 0:01:56.560 yes or the pat yesterday, which isn't a great thing, 0:01:56.600 --> 0:01:58.440 but the coverage units have been outstanding. I think when 0:01:58.440 --> 0:02:00.480 you look at specifically the punt team, the way they've 0:02:00.480 --> 0:02:02.840 been covering kicks. The punt that Trust had yesterday in 0:02:02.920 --> 0:02:05.160 that game to just down inside the five, you knew 0:02:05.160 --> 0:02:06.840 that the defense was gonna get a three and out there, 0:02:06.960 --> 0:02:08.600 then get the get the ball back to the offense 0:02:08.639 --> 0:02:11.640 with favorable field position. They are mberd such teams. Coaches 0:02:11.639 --> 0:02:14.480 say Fred that the that punt is the first defensive 0:02:14.480 --> 0:02:16.280 play in the series, and they play an excellent job 0:02:16.320 --> 0:02:18.440 of setting up the defense and playing an excellent job 0:02:18.480 --> 0:02:20.680 throughout the season. Love to see it most definitely. He 0:02:20.800 --> 0:02:23.440 I believe in the Trust way. I believe in the 0:02:23.520 --> 0:02:26.160 lands four games. You've noticed he's been knocked to the ground. 0:02:26.240 --> 0:02:28.720 Didn't mean they're trying to find ways to alleviate him 0:02:28.760 --> 0:02:31.320 and take him out the game. And I know, Joyce slide, 0:02:31.600 --> 0:02:33.800 you mix stairs to point yesterday, but you know my motto, 0:02:33.919 --> 0:02:36.239 kick him and Joey slide. That's what he do. He 0:02:36.280 --> 0:02:37.840 comes back, and he makes it when you need him. 0:02:37.960 --> 0:02:41.160 I can say it is these special teams have been special. 0:02:41.320 --> 0:02:43.920 They've been very special for this team. Trust Way, you 0:02:43.960 --> 0:02:46.840 cannot say enough about him. Look, he's already made a 0:02:46.880 --> 0:02:49.280 Pro Bowl before. But the way he keeps going, you 0:02:49.280 --> 0:02:51.000 don't have to rely too much on him. But it's 0:02:51.000 --> 0:02:53.640 okay once because you know he's gonna put you in 0:02:53.760 --> 0:02:57.600 good field position. I okay. So the offense all right, 0:02:57.760 --> 0:03:00.320 still working things out, especially from the first to the 0:03:00.360 --> 0:03:02.280 second half, but it seems like they found their identity 0:03:02.520 --> 0:03:05.560 one hundred percent found their identity. They're running the football outstanding. 0:03:05.560 --> 0:03:07.120 I think when you look at the different schemes they've 0:03:07.160 --> 0:03:09.520 got drawn up, the third short called to Brian Robinson 0:03:09.560 --> 0:03:11.400 that goes for a twenty yard game, the jet sweep 0:03:11.440 --> 0:03:13.519 to Antonio Gibson, the way that the run game is 0:03:13.560 --> 0:03:16.840 complimenting itself. They're finding Rico's finding ways to get guys touches. 0:03:17.320 --> 0:03:19.200 I mean, this was the best running performance of at 0:03:19.200 --> 0:03:20.800 all year. And it is great to see. They're bullies. 0:03:20.960 --> 0:03:23.520 They're bullies had less time. They're bullies on the playground. 0:03:23.520 --> 0:03:26.320 The officsive line bullies, the D line bullies, the running 0:03:26.320 --> 0:03:28.760 backs bully. They're pushing people around and them making you 0:03:28.800 --> 0:03:30.880 like it. They're playing a type of ball. They're gonna 0:03:30.919 --> 0:03:32.520 bring you in and say, you know what we're gonna 0:03:32.520 --> 0:03:34.200 play in the phone booth. You're gonna have to beat 0:03:34.280 --> 0:03:36.720 us imano imano run and look, it's only forty four 0:03:36.840 --> 0:03:39.480 rushing yards in that first half, and they said, Okay, 0:03:39.480 --> 0:03:41.440 we've got to get back to what we do best. 0:03:41.520 --> 0:03:44.440 And certainly they finished with the season high one seventy six, 0:03:44.520 --> 0:03:47.920 so they found the key to winning. Head coach Ron 0:03:48.040 --> 0:03:51.560 Rivera reached a milestone in the Commander's victory over the Falcons. 0:03:51.880 --> 0:03:55.080 Rivera earned the one hundredth win of his head coaching career. 0:03:55.400 --> 0:03:57.760 London Fletcher and I spoke with coach post game to 0:03:57.800 --> 0:04:01.360 get his thoughts on the accomplishment. Coach, let me start 0:04:01.360 --> 0:04:05.200 off with his congratulations, you're one hundred win, seventh active 0:04:05.520 --> 0:04:09.320 head coach to have that. Does this one mean anything 0:04:09.360 --> 0:04:12.240 more because it is one hundred, Well, now knowing that 0:04:12.280 --> 0:04:14.200 it is one hundred, it does mean a lot to me. 0:04:14.240 --> 0:04:15.960 It really does, just because there's been a lot of 0:04:16.000 --> 0:04:18.280 people that give me opportunities, and I really do appreciate 0:04:18.320 --> 0:04:20.839 the opportunities I've gotten you and Jerry Richardson and Carolina 0:04:20.920 --> 0:04:23.480 give me my chance, my first chance, mister Snyder, give 0:04:23.560 --> 0:04:26.440 me my second chance here. I've had a tremendous amount 0:04:26.440 --> 0:04:29.160 of great coaches that work for me, work with me, 0:04:29.480 --> 0:04:31.400 and a lot of good players. So I've been very, 0:04:31.480 --> 0:04:33.680 very fortunate. And the way that this one comes down 0:04:33.720 --> 0:04:37.480 being a defensive minded coach. You mentioned before that Taylor 0:04:37.520 --> 0:04:39.640 Heineke is going to keep the job because his team 0:04:39.680 --> 0:04:41.720 is winning, but he only has to do so much 0:04:41.760 --> 0:04:44.279 because the defense is really holding you in there, Kindle 0:04:44.360 --> 0:04:47.080 Fuller to seal that victory. What does it say about 0:04:47.120 --> 0:04:49.359 this team just never giving up no matter where the 0:04:49.400 --> 0:04:51.440 players or where the game's at. Well, I think there's 0:04:51.480 --> 0:04:53.040 a little bit of a toughness in a grit that 0:04:53.040 --> 0:04:55.520 that's about it. But you know, playing hard creates some 0:04:55.520 --> 0:04:57.640 good opportunities in and we were you know, we were 0:04:57.680 --> 0:05:00.440 down there. Guys were playing hard, they were still playing fast, 0:05:00.960 --> 0:05:03.919 and because of that, something good happens. The ball gets tipped, 0:05:03.960 --> 0:05:07.159 guy hustles, gets themselves in position, makes the interception. That's 0:05:07.200 --> 0:05:08.840 how you get you know, that's how you create your 0:05:08.839 --> 0:05:11.520 own luck. Coach. I look at this as NFL coaches, 0:05:11.560 --> 0:05:13.919 they earn their money. Obviously during the week, coming up 0:05:13.960 --> 0:05:16.320 with the game plan and also the adjustments that you 0:05:16.360 --> 0:05:20.360 guys make, and at halftime. At halftime, you guys came 0:05:20.400 --> 0:05:22.600 out and just dominated in the running game. What was 0:05:22.640 --> 0:05:24.680 the message to you guys, Well, the biggest messages to 0:05:24.800 --> 0:05:26.360 do what we do. You know, we talked about being 0:05:26.400 --> 0:05:28.839 able to run the football as a unit, and that's 0:05:28.839 --> 0:05:31.280 exactly what these guys have done. If you go back 0:05:31.279 --> 0:05:32.800 and look at it, Rust for one hundred and seventy 0:05:32.800 --> 0:05:35.760 six yards and b Rob at his first hundred yard game. 0:05:35.760 --> 0:05:37.920 I mean, that was huge. It's huge for the young man, 0:05:37.960 --> 0:05:39.560 but it's huge for that group because they've been working 0:05:39.640 --> 0:05:41.840 very hard. And kudos to our offensive line. And it's 0:05:41.839 --> 0:05:43.560 not only just what you did on offense after the 0:05:43.560 --> 0:05:45.720 second half, because only forty four of those rushing yards 0:05:45.760 --> 0:05:47.640 came in the first half, but it's what you did 0:05:47.640 --> 0:05:50.200 on defense in the second half as well. What is 0:05:50.200 --> 0:05:51.960 being said to this team that they're able to really 0:05:52.040 --> 0:05:54.240 kind of make those adjustments as well and stop the 0:05:54.240 --> 0:05:56.400 opposing team. Well, one of the things that I know 0:05:56.520 --> 0:05:58.440 the defense staff came and they talked about changing the 0:05:58.520 --> 0:06:01.039 front and then change your response abilities of the quarterback 0:06:01.080 --> 0:06:03.960 and because you know, but quite honestly, Mark Smyer did 0:06:03.960 --> 0:06:05.680 some good things against us in the first half. In 0:06:05.720 --> 0:06:08.520 the second half they made those adjustments, you know, and 0:06:08.720 --> 0:06:11.880 again it limited their opportunities, limited their impact on us. 0:06:11.880 --> 0:06:14.040 And so again kudos to our defensive staff. One of 0:06:14.080 --> 0:06:16.800 the things we talked a lot about the offensive line 0:06:16.839 --> 0:06:18.840 playing how they've been able to really do some great 0:06:18.920 --> 0:06:21.560 things rushing with us rushing to football. I don't feel 0:06:21.600 --> 0:06:23.640 like we've talked enough about the job that the tight 0:06:23.800 --> 0:06:25.800 ends have done in the run of games, especially with 0:06:25.839 --> 0:06:27.840 the volume and the type of runs that you guys 0:06:27.839 --> 0:06:31.279 have doing are doing, you know, London, that's a group 0:06:31.320 --> 0:06:33.160 that really hasn't gotten a lot of credit this year, 0:06:33.200 --> 0:06:35.800 mostly because it must have been hurt. But they're starting 0:06:35.880 --> 0:06:37.760 around out in the shape. You're starting to see the 0:06:37.800 --> 0:06:40.360 old logan. You see him moving around catching the ball, 0:06:40.560 --> 0:06:43.200 you see him moving around blocking. John Bates has always 0:06:43.200 --> 0:06:44.680 been a solid blocker who knew he can go out 0:06:44.720 --> 0:06:48.039 catch touchdowns, Like I'm just kidding, Kudos to John. And 0:06:48.040 --> 0:06:49.520 then we got two young guys that are you know, 0:06:49.520 --> 0:06:51.880 splitting time because one's injured, the other, one's healthy. Other 0:06:51.880 --> 0:06:54.279 one's healthy, the other one's injured, But those two guys 0:06:54.320 --> 0:06:56.279 also have a bright future here. You know, col and 0:06:56.360 --> 0:06:58.720 Armandi just have both been really good rookies for US. 0:06:58.960 --> 0:07:01.520 Congratulations coach again. On one hundred, I already talked to 0:07:01.520 --> 0:07:03.440 Taylor Heinekey. He said he might need to get you 0:07:03.440 --> 0:07:06.480 some high tops. I appreciate that, all right, thanks, go 0:07:06.640 --> 0:07:08.400 enjoy this one, right you guys, relations man, how do 0:07:08.480 --> 0:07:12.480 how do victory? That's big time for all of your 0:07:12.480 --> 0:07:14.840 news and analysis. Be sure to tune into Command Center 0:07:14.880 --> 0:07:18.240 weeknights if I've thirty and ten pm on NBC Sports Washington. 0:07:18.520 --> 0:07:24.160 You can also stream on YouTube and Commanders dot com.