Command his family.
It's the Battle of the Beltway.
We catch up with head coach Dan Quinn and talk about our matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. And then to end the show, Logan and I talk about ticket to a win. We're talking key matchups against the Baltimore Ravens.
All that and more starts right now.
Welcome in and head coach Dan Quinn. First things first, congratulations on another win. But now we are headed to Baltimore. We call them all play cousins, the Ravens. How familiar are you with the Battle of the Beltway and the importance of this game?
You know, I'm not as familiar. You know, my first year here certainly had coming in, you know, for familiarity with the NFC East and the natural rivers that go with that. So obviously with not being far away, I know it. So I'm looking forward to participating in my first Battle belt Way.
Yeah, and Jade Daniels has talked a lot about how, you know, when he got drafted he really wanted to play against Lamar and you know, all of a sudden, you guys are four and one and then in the game kind of means something like, how do you kind of manage the young guy and kind of say, hey man, this is just like any other game, even though you're playing against someone that you think is pretty cool.
Soon Yeah, for sure, that's somebody he holds in high regard like we all do.
Yeah, he's a good player.
As coaches, as players, there's always matchups that you know that you you go and you're ready and like it just you know, you feel it, and so, uh, cool opportunity for him. I know he you know, certainly holds Lamar in high regard.
Uh.
Fortunately those two guys are not playing against one another, and so you know that part, Uh it will feel normal, but uh, I look forward to you know, those guys spend some time after the game together.
Well, Jayden actually is facing the Ravens defense, and our office has been extremely efficient. How can we continue that efficiency against the Baltimore Ravens, a very very tough defense.
Yeah, and they have been it just seems like for a long time. I certainly respect the identity that they've created there on defense. It's you know, seemingly been like this for a long time, starting back from you know, personnel selections through and eric and coaching staffs and you know, it's just a remarkable run of an identity, and Zach's doing a great job. You know, he played in it,
so he understands the standard that's been set there. And it takes a while to create an identity, and I've said that before here we're trying to create our own and so I have a lot of regard for how long that takes to do it over and over again.
You mentioned Zach, and one of the things that sticks out to me is they're kind of bringing some of the stuff they did last year with his own pressures and dropping guys out and interesting rush patterns, but they seem to be played a little bit more man like, what is their identity at the moment and how do you help Jaden kind of say like Keyan and.
Performing his best. Yeah. One of the things I've always admired about them in the run game first defensively and
they play square. They play strong the defensive line, can lock guys out gap in a half and play square in the run game, so they can force some people into some situations that they can use some of those pressures that you're talking about Logan, we're coming off the edge or exotic looks to do that, and so we'll have to have balance, you know, make sure the runs and the play passes are there so you're not playing in long extended downs on second down and third down.
Yeah, you say balance, right, they're you know, the number one rated team against the run, and so how do you kind of say we're and when you know where the second rated offense against the run, how do we kind of keep that our nursia going and kind of say, you know, good on good, we're better than you. Yeah.
I think it's part of the balance. In each game, there's a different way to attack, and that's part of a good team, like knowing that this progress is happening because of the process we've gone through. The run, game, the play passes. It's not the same runs or play passes that go into every game. Then as you get in game, how is somebody playing you? And the best of the best can adapt and change and say hey, let's do more of this, let's do less of that.
And those are the things that I've seen our team grow over the last few weeks. You want to play a certain way, this is how we're going to go get down and.
A huge part of this effective offense is how the offensive line is playing. I think Cornella Lucas was the highest rated PFF graded commander on the team. How do we keep that momentum rolling Sunday.
Yeah, it's a huge challenge, but one that the guys are definitely up for. We think of running the ball not just as the offensive line. We actually think of it as all eleven guys. It's the quarterback carrying out the playfake. It's the tight ends, it's the receivers blocking way downfield. One of my favorite plays from the game actually happened to be on a play that we fumbled and Austin Eckler had a really long run down the field.
One of the Cleveland players made a good play to get the ball out, but the three receivers decided to go and they didn't know that it was going to come out. They were just going to go finish for Austin, and it was a Laminde and Terry and Luke and their ability to go down the field and fight for
their guy. That's an identity, and so running the ball, certainly the offensive line is a big part of that, but so we're the receivers, the tight ends, the backs, the quarterbacks, and if we can make people defend the whole field in every way and continue to attack, We'll be more effective doing that. That play summarize what I was looking for from finishing.
Was that an identity that you had to teach because you talked a lot about these guys that you're bringing in these these the caliber of guys you're bringing in the type of work ethic they have. So did you have to like push that in or is that just something they naturally did well?
I think you have to push it. And we had said early on we're not going to be for everybody, and it's going to be hard, and the straining to go finish down the field is not easy because you have to make a choice to go do that. And the more you just consistently do it over and over again, then it really isn't a choice anymore. It's just how
you do business. And the more I've seen from the guys do that of trying to get down the field to get a block, I saw another one on Austin Eckler all the way down the field on long Jaden run, turning getting a block, and so everything counts and just fighting for your guys, not having an agenda about which stat or who's there and just going to fight for it. That's what I've been impressed by with the guys.
I love that you're talking like team, you know, team runing the football is take all eleven. And with this kind of the physicality of the Baltimore Ravens upfront, which you've already talked about, you know, some of that perimeter
stuff becomes even more critical. How do you kind of make sure those guys are ready for those matchups every single week, whether it's on the offense, offensive line, or whether it's the perimeter when they got to kind of have a physical day at the office for sus Baltimore Ravens.
Yeah, and I think you always want to try to simulate things as close as you can, you know, in the game, So times like today or in practice this week, where you go good on good, right, go the best on the best and put it into a competition, whether it's in the low red zone, a third down competition, and it helps you keep your skills sharp loading And it may not be the Ravens defense exactly, but for you reach block against a defensive end, whether you know
he lives in Baltimore or you know Los Angeles or Chicago or here in Washington, Like, it's all the same technique and you got to go absolutely strain and battle for it. And that's how the guys can work our skills in season, so we stay sharp for the game.
And Logan mentioned a few of these names on this defense, some high power guys. We have Kyle Hamilton, We're Marlon Humphries. How does Cliff Kingberry's offense and how versatile is keep defenses like this?
Honest? Yeah, And I think it really starts also in the middle with the linebacker group, you know, with ray Quan and the ability to blitz and cover, and so they've got a really unique package, Brian, where they can play at the line of skirmmage, they can drop out, they can bring people, and so they've got a good disguise system. They've got length and speed. So yeah, we'll we'll need to attack, leverage and be able to work the things that we do well, and we won't have
an entirely new game plan. But there's certainly some things that you and Logan and others haven't seen as well that have been you know, cooking up, but you know, weren't game ready yet. But that's kind of the part of the fun of going into a game plan. Not everybody plays exactly the same, and so you have to be able to adjust, you know, for a team that has unique things.
That's another thing we've seen. You talked about kind of the you know, the physicality of the receivers and the identity, and you were talking about matchups and things like that. But it does seem like the guys have really bought in, you know, to the execution and philosophy the Cliff's bringing. And that's got to make you kind of sleep a little bit better at night because you know that whatever I put in, these guys are going to pour it all out to get it done.
Yeah, And that's their connection to one another. And I think one of the best parts is they've realized they're an extension of and connected to the other person. So the deep play to Terry might have been Sam Cosy or Wiley just absolutely straining, you know, to go. A couple weeks ago, there was a zero blitz that Jayden had to hold onto the ball just an extra count to throw a deep ball to Terry against Cincinnati, knowing he was going to get hit. And that's not easy
to do. To stay in there and like stare right down the barrel and wait it out to go get a hit. But that same effort and execution knowing that, like they were all responsible for that touchdown, knowing that
they're all digging in for it together. And so that's why you see them get excited when you know somebody scores are a big play because I wish you guys could be on the sideline to hear the energy and sometimes just running onto the field after you know, Jeremy Reeves make a big hit on special teams, it's not just a jog onto the field for the defense on a kickoff, they are sprinting to go find him. And those are the plays that provide a lot of energy generating football, and we need more.
Coach use that word energy. So I think that's a perfect transition to our defense because man, our defense has a ton of energy and they're going to need it because it's Ravens' offense is number one in rushing in the NFL and the quarterback Lamar Jackson has a lot to do with that. How challenging is it to scheme against a quarterback that's so capable with his legs?
Yeah, I think anytime you have the ability where teams have a strong running game and passing game, it provides unique challenges for people. If you are all just one area, like that's all you could do was really strong run game, but you didn't have a solid passing game or vice versa. That makes you one dimensional. And I think most teams can handle that. So for them having the ability to get in and out of plays run play, you know,
option plays, screen game, downfield, throw is scrambling. There's a whole you know, trunk of plays and systems that they have and Lamar is the one that makes it go. And so we'll be ready. But you do have special circumstances for a play a player that can extend plays from the line of scrimmage.
Yeah, and like you're talking about running the football, you know they're number one rushing the footba Lamar is a big part of that obviously, But I feel like they can just kind of know what you're talking about the diversity of their offense, whether it's throwing the screens, but they have diversity in the rushing attack too. They've got all this GT the zone read, they've got they put a card back there and he's a you know, four to pound fullback smashing the skulls they get in twenty two?
How do you kind of prep all the It just seems like a lot to prep in a week for a team.
Well, I think the good part Logan and why then this would be good for the fans also said, why do you do installs in training camp? Because you get all of it? You get all of it.
Yeah, we go.
You gotta be ready. If a team wants to get down and play big, you know groups of people, you have packages for that. If teams want to play a more wide open you have packages for that. So some days in training camp, it's not every day is the same. How are we going to feature when we're going to play against a team like Baltimore compared to a team that plays differently? And so now you have some things that you can go back to to say, this is some things that we play against, this type of package,
against this type of quarterback. And so that's why training camp is really valuable because you get to prepare not just for the opening game, you're preparing for the whole season and all the things that need to go in to get your right for that. It's a really important.
Process and Coach before we wrap, I think the most important thing about the battle Little belt Wagh is that Twelfth Man is the ability for fans to be able to travel, drive out here and come to the game. Give them misssitt of fans because you know they're listening, you know they're watching. Give a messitt of fans on why we need to pull up to Baltimore and show out there.
Well, I would say, first off, I felt it at Arizona. Oh, I felt it, and I've felt it right before the opening kick. You know he turned back behind the bench and you saw it. So to see some burgundy and gold this Sunday in Baltimore, it'll be awesome, man. And so for the ones that will be there, like, we are going to absolutely go for it in the very biggest way and we look forward to seeing them there.
Commander's family, we know you are enjoying the game plan.
However, if you want to see Coach and Logan Paul said break down plays in the film room, you could check that out on the Commander's YouTube page.
Logan, our tickets to win? Are these must see matchups you're waiting to get into it?
Absolutely?
Man, The first one Jayden Daniels versus Zach Orr and his defense.
Yeah, I think this is going to be really pivotal. Obviously, this guy does a lot. He's a new defensive coordinator. They've kind of changed their defensive identity in Baltimore. They're first and stopping the run, thirty first in stopping the past. I think that's somewhat with misleading because they do do a lot of really interesting zone pressures.
It's going to really test this a lot.
In terms of what he's seen. But the cool thing about Jane Daniels is every single week seems to put something new in the CPU and get a little bit better. So I can't wait to watch this chess match between these two guys.
We're all excited. The last matchup, we have Surprise Surprise Joe and jus Man Lamar jacks in off.
This man's got to hurt his paycheck today. I tell you that, right because this is maybe the best player in football. It's no, he's the best player in football right now. The way he runs the football, the way throws the football, he presents so many different problems for defensive coordinator. Right, so how do you run the football? Do we stop running the football with him with his legs, he's such a big part of their first and second
down and rush package. And then if you do stop it, he showed last week in Cincinnati can make a ton of plays down the field. So I don't know what you're gonna do. He's probably having some sleepless nights, but this is the matchup to watch and I can't wait to see what he comes up with because Cincinnati had a great plan for three quarters and all fell apart in the fourth, so he got to play four quarters.
Coach four quarters of football.
Can't wait to check it out.
And Command is fan.
These are your tickets to a win. We will seeing guys today at the field in Baltimore for the Battle of the beltwagh Until next time, Briankle with Junior here with Logan Paulson.
This is the.
Game plan Commander's Family. You could catch us every Sunday on WSA nine Sunday mornings before year games. This is game plan with Brian Cooper, Junior, Logan Paulson, head coach Dan Quinn Until next Sunday. Commander's Family be out