Command this family. We are back on the road again, this time in the Big Apple. We sit with a head coach Dan Quinn to talk about today's matchup against the New York Giants. Then we're looking at must watch matchups to get the win in today's game. All that war start right now on the game plan, welcoming in head coach Dan Quinn into the game plan. Coach. Not be any better ways to win than a Hail Mary. What a moment, But the season keeps going on. We're
only halfway through. How do you keep your guys locked in and move forward to the next game.
Yeah, that's a great question. And we have a precise nature of getting ready and it's really important that we go through that whole process and we never want to assume that we're ready. And so on a Wednesday, the competition that goes with that and the part of the game plan on Thursday, we talk so much about the ball and takeaways and ball security. Friday on the game situations and if we do that right the whole week, all that whole process will take care of all the learning.
And so we want to make sure like every week we go through that process well before it's go time that we put in the work to do that. If they just stay in for that day, you don't have to think about the next game, just being it for that day and that'll take care of everything.
And you know how Marrias are great, but you know, it kind of shows how close the game actually was. How how would the corrections this week coming out of the game, And is does it make it easier or harder that it's in a win.
I would say it's sometimes it can be harder because you could gloss over things if you didn't like it. The good news with our group is that we want to make sure detach from the results of it until the truth Monday, the process driven right and that way you can say this was good because there were a lot of good things. This needs work and it allows you to like put the light on things.
That need work for this week.
And if you keep doing that over and over, then you'll keep improving. And so that's what we're looking to do.
And turning the page. We're taking on a divisional point for the second time. Yes, because the mentality change at all when it's these NFC East matchups.
It definitely changes the second time that you play somebody because you do know them a little better. You do know what happened in the first game or a matchup on a player. And so for us to have our second division game even before we did the other division games, it's kind of unique. But both teams would have had some things on their call sheets that they didn't use, and so you can start from there, and you want to know what's been the same since the first time
you played them and what's different. Sometimes it might only be two or three weeks that separate it. In this instance, it's seven weeks, so there's more tape, more film, what could happen on injuries, we're different matchups for you. We've gotten a lot better in seven weeks as well, and so how do we get to apply some of what we've gotten better at two?
Absolutely, and you know the games are different, like the speed of a divisional game is a little bit different. Like what's the role of your veteran leadership you're Bobby Wagner's your zach Ertz and kind of getting you know, kind of a younger team ready to rock and roll.
Yeah, that is absolutely one of the keys to make sure this is the expectation for practice today. This is the expectation for Friday, this is what it should look like. And so when you keep throwing good practices and you get yourself prepared by the time you get to the game, you almost I can't wait for this thing because you know you've put the work in. So guys who've been
in the fights, that's a big deal. And in this instance, we haven't played them in seven weeks, but you do know some of the people how to go, how they play against you the first time, and that's where you start.
You talked about the way that the team has grown and changed since week two. How has your team grown? Can you expand on that a little bit?
I think each phase has their own space to go, and I thought defensively has probably been one that's grown. The first probably three weeks of the season were hard on the defense and growing pains and things to figure out. But what they have done is help, you know, now create some more of identity. They're tackling better, they're creating takeaways, you know, putting more pressure on the QB and those
are things that make good defense. I would say it always on a defense starts with communication first, to make sure that as you're going like you're able to talk ahead of calls, be ready for things. And that's what I see on the sideline and what I hear on the sideline. So I know that's improving because of what
I see and what I hear. On the special team side, I love the way we cover and I think that's one of the real strengths of our group on punt and kickoff and the energy that brings to the team. And then on the offensive side, having the balance in the run game with the playpass. We have to make sure that's always part of who we are and that kind of physicality, and so every time we go we
get to establish that. And so those are some things I think we've improved upon, But there's always areas that you're wanting to work on, and for us, you know, the red zone on offense, and you know, specific parts of third down on defense, those are things that like we'll dig into really hard.
It seems like the defensive improvements happen kind of quickly, Like I don't want to say overnight, because it's been a couple weeks, Like you were saying, but what do you attribute the kind of the speed of the transition to, Like, is it I don't know, because I've been a part of teams where it's never really turned the corner. Like, what in your estimation, what's the thing that kind of gets it done here?
I would say, first off, like I felt the confidence grow because there's some more trust, you know, knowing that you'll be in the right spot with the right leverage to allow me to go really run and hit and so being in the games and going through that together logan, I think that is as big as anything to show I'll be in the right spot at the right time. The move Desainer still, although it was difficult to move them from inside to outside, has also leveled some things
out for us to go. So we're still digging in on a lot of spots. But I thought the communication, the play style, that's.
What I've been pleased with. And culch I think the circle backs at offense real quick. Because Jade Daniels, this is his first time playing a team twice, Yes, how does that give him a little more of advantage and help with his development ass he goes into somebody's game.
Yeah, you want to know, like I said, from the team that you played, what's the same and what could be different? And every team will have some things that'll be different. There's some calls and maybe some blitzes that they had that they didn't use. And so when you have the second time you play somebody, there's always a few things in your back pocket that it doesn't play out.
No two games play the same. So in the first game, I thought the Giants did a really good job in the red zone, and we relied on kicking field goals, which is a hard way to go about it, and it went all the way down to the very end to kick a field goal to win it. So that part of our game, you know, against them, is one of I think the real key matchups. You know, as we're looking into it.
You're talking a little bit at the defense there. They're the Giants defense with Shane Bowen, and you mentioned the last time with this show that he's a big kind of matchup defense guy. Right, He's going to kind of change and try to fit you. And it's interesting you talk about the things in the back pocket, how do you try and anticipate the things he's still got in the holster and not kind of deviate too far from who you are offensively.
Yeah, I think what one of the advantages for them, they're able to create pressure without having to blitz. And so the pass rush the ability to create sacks and negative plays for them without blitzing. That's a really big deal because sometimes when you blitz, you are more vulnerable. There's less people to cover and so there's holes there. So if you can generate pass rush, you know, with four rushers and devote more to coverage, you're gonna have
more ops to do that. So knowing that we've got to have great balance, you know, in our game to make sure the run the play pass is part of that too.
And with the office of line, you've got a little banged up, but you've had guys come up and step up. How are you keeping all of these guys prepared for any moment it's on. You've got to call their number?
Yeah, I think you. It's a real there's a little bit of a puzzle that goes on with that, but it's a really important one because all the work that gets done of the things that people don't see, you know, of guys playing two positions and getting reps at both of those. So when your time does come that you're really ready to deliver. And so that speaks to guys like Marcus Mary or Jeremy McNichol, you know, Trent Scott, guys.
When their time is called and I have to step into this space, I'm ready to deliver for the guys, and so those Dante Fowler, you know, amongst others, the work that they have to put in during the week to get ready, that's where all of it goes down.
Yeah, and a guy that I think is really interesting is like Brandon Coleman obviously, and I think you guys have handled his development in a very unique way kind of with the split reps, you know, and it seems like it's really accelerated that process, his developmental process. Where did that inspiration come from for that?
I think going into the season, you know, he had some setbacks in training camp with an injury, and that was probably the catalyst of this, let's start it that way and keep going and keep growing, and so then he could play some more and some more, and then you know, pretty soon he's ready to take on a much bigger role. But I've been pleased with him and his other rookie classmates that they're playing as an older
group because of their maturity. The way the other guys have poured into them their development because now that we're going into week nine for them, like that's a big deal. They've played three preseason games and this game that's a good body of work for a lot of them, and that's a really big deal.
And coach flimming it backs to the defense. Each and every week we've seen the secondary improve. What do you attribute those improvements too?
I think Number one a lot with Joe and Jason and Tommy and the guys just they've got really high standards for how they want to operate and most of the time in the secondary, it's going to take excellent communication the way they can communicate things happen so quickly with motions and shifts to be able to nail it. And so I would say early too many things, Okay, let's pair this down to make sure we can do what we do at a high level. And that's what we're seeing and.
To see that level of improvement. I would also assume that you talk about communication on the field, but that's your coaches are great teachers and communicators too, and it's got to be a credit to that group as well that they're kind of really stuck in and getting that improvement.
Yeah, I think as a coach or you could almost slash and put teacher every time you see coach to say are you teaching? Are you finding the ways? And they have to learn the learner, and not everyone learns at the same pace or the same way, and some need more walkthrough, some need more film, some need they come here early and meet with me individually, and so whatever that is, that's their job to motivate and to
inspire them to see how good they can become. And I love the standards that not only they have, but the players have for one another. And I keep seeing their bond grow stronger and stronger, that they really want to fight for one another. And now you see that communication on the sideline, wait for this, look for that, and sharing that information amongst one another.
That's a really big deal. And coach, the defensive line looks so impressive Sunday, can you just talk about them and the growth of that unit. Yeah.
I was especially pleased with Johnny Newton, and I thought inside I knew this would become eventually, that he would, you know, insert himself and be able to express how he wants to play sooner than later. And so he missed some time in training camp, and we started the season with him on a pitch count, and so when John Allen was injured, we knew there would be even more reps that would go his way. And so to see him make this development, I'm really excited to see
what he does. We have a big, deep crew and we play a lot of guys to make sure they can stay attacking and be ready to go finish. And that's all of them together, you know, creating that.
Yeah.
And one other thing that I think is interesting is like as the defensive line improves, the secondary improves, and it seems like there's this cool symbiotic relationship between the group, the two groups improvement. Can you talk about that a little.
Bit for sure.
And the orchestrader or whatever that word is for all of it is really Bobby Wagner. And in this game, I thought he did a fantastic job of in calls. At a calls, it was like a masterclass of controlling the front communicating back to the secondary, and so he
was really on it. But the best we can do is when the rush and the coverage are in sync, and not every play quarterback stays in the pocket and so the quarterback gets outside, and Caleb Williams specifically was excellent at avoiding rush and getting outside, and so you have to stay attached to the person that you're guarding into that spot. And sometimes those plays can take a long time, and you got to go and fight, and
the d lin's got to go and finish. And so to see the all of the connection taking place that makes me happy.
And coach is crazy to say, we are halfway through the season already, what is your Mississippi team to finish this back half of the season strong.
We don't really even look that far down the line, honestly, like you've heard me say, like, the only fight that matters is the one that we're in. And so all I wanted to think about is that helmet and who we're playing and how good we can get for this game, and then we'll worry about the next week, the next one. But it's about our improvement and the attacking of this game. And so I don't let him I think too far
down the line. We don't live in that way. We live in the here and the now and the opponent and playing a division game on the road, man, it's so much fun. Why would you want to look ahead when you got a chance to, you know, go play a division game. It's gonna be tough and fun and all the things that we love about football.
Amen, And with that in mind, you and Logan are getting get to get into the film room. Coach, we appreciate your time. All right, thanks guys, Commanded family. We know you are enjoying the game plan. However, if you want to see Coach and Logan, Paul said breakdown plays in the film room, you could check that out on the Commander's YouTube page. All right, Logan, our ticket to win are these must watch matchups. First one offensive line, first, their defensive line.
It's gonna be a big one. We're kind of going through a little bit of a reshuffle here, and their defensive line is playing really, really well. They leave the NFL in sacks with thirty five. Dex Lawrence has ten, Bryan Burns has five, He's got twenty one pressures. Larry coming off the bench, he's got six sacks on the season. So this is gonna be a tall order, right because we want Jays Daniels upright and delivering that football down the field.
And then the next one, no surprise here, New York Giants's weapons verse our second Yeah, and I.
Got said about screen to support this guy number one, right, he is their number one target, you know. Obviously ten catches in the first matches a match up, one hundred and twenty seven yard receiving very very dangerous, big percentage of their offense. And then Tyrone Tracy is coming on,
young rookie out of Purdue. They are getting more and more dynamic, more and more explosive on the perimeter and in the run game with these two young guys, these guys are gonna have a tall order slowing them down and winning that matchup.
These matchups are crucial to a win today. Commands Fan, we hope we get this w for hey, Coach dan Quinn, Logan Paulson, and Brian Colbert. This is the game plan see y'all next Sunday. Commanders Family. You could catch us every Sunday on WSA nine Sunday mornings before your games. This is game plan with Brian Colvid Junior Logan, Paulson, IT Coach Dan Quinn un till next Sunday. Commands Family. Yeah,