What's going on, y'all. This is a divisional edition of the Beatdown podcast. I am your host, senior writer for the Washington Commanders, Zach Selby. Last week I said, look, I don't know if we're going to be here or not. We're recording these podcasts like every day of our last. I kind of like it a little bit. And the Commanders are also playing like it's their last because they are advancing to the divisional round after the dink from Zane Gonzalez over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to defeat them
twenty three to twenty wild game. But as always with the Commanders, especially over the last month and a half or so, it seems like that's just the way they play and that's where they live.
But either way they are going to be playing.
They never one seeded Detroit Lions heading into this weekend on Saturday at eight o'clock on Fox, it is going to be I think, by far, the Commander's biggest challenge of the year. This This Ben Jonson offense is electric, dynamic, and just about every single sense of the word defense. Maybe not doesn't put up the statue would you would want at some points, but they are very physical, very symbolic of the culture. Dan Campbell is put up there in Detroit and it is going to be quite the matchup.
And no matter what, if the Commanders do somehow pull off a win here, they will have most certainly earned that spot in the NFC Championship. And how are they going to do that? How are they going to advance there? Well, that is what we will be discussing today. With me, we have the undefeated Candy Waller, who joins us from Booie TV. Handy, how are you doing?
I'm doing great. I was doing a whole lot of woo in the background when you remind me that I'm undefeated.
So but yes, all is well cold, but all as well.
Yes, very cold. I feel like I need to bring out some like introduction music here. And your contestant is going to be David Harrison, who covers the Commander for Forced Illustrated. David, how are you doing?
I'm doing good?
Feeling as good as Washington was when they went into Philly that ten and oh night Monday night football.
The undefeated team's about to go down.
Oh oh yes, I remember that game too. That was, I mean, definitely one of the top five games I think I've ever had to cover for this team. Definitely a good example of how the unexpected can definitely happen here. And guys listening, uh, you know, they know the deal by now, questions points, winners, losers. I have to decide the winner. And with that, all of that being said, let's jump right into it here, and let's start off with the biggest challenge I think for the Commanders, which
is going to be Detroit's offense. Right, and as I mentioned at the top of the show, Ben Jonson has that unit humming their top at unit in just about every single major category here. Looks like they're second in over and overall yards per game, their second in passing. Jerry Goff has been playing out of his mind, one of the best seasons you've had of his career. They're putting out, you know, forty fifty points and just blow
these teams away in a lot of ways. They're very creative on offense, and they are also very aggressive in another way that is very sibolic of Dan Campbell's style.
There.
They go for the fourth down a lot. They they play like they're behind, as Joe Witz said, a lot, and it normally works out for them, and it's going to be a big challenge for the commanders, who also you know, they're one of the best and most efficient fourth down teams is here over the last two decades or so. So it's going to be, you know, no punch,
just vibes on Saturday. So David, we'll start with you here, and I want to ski more like I'm belaeble these is offense defense, but like I think there's more of a general question for both sides of the ball. I mean, what is the best way for Washington to counter this ultra aggressive style that Detroit has on offense?
Honestly, man, I think the best thing for the Washington Matters to do this weekend is just be themselves. I think a team like the Detroit Lions because of how aggressive they are and you know, they like to pull some recreation on offense sometimes and do all these types of things and bring these blitzes that are designed to obviously put pressure on the quarterback and me.
And then we went up against the Minnesota Vikings as.
Basically all they did the Troy Lions, and we're gonna play the pressure on Sam Darnold and make improve that he can beat us.
And unfortunately for the Vikings, he couldn't do it.
I think a lot of teams start to get out of their own their own methods. They start to kind of change who they are and try to think that what we need to match the Lions, we need to be just as clever as the Lions. And I don't think this Washington Bears team needs to do that. I don't think they're gonna do that. I think they're securing their identity. They know who they wanted to be from the jump, and all the guys have kind of gotten on board with what dan Quinn wanted this team to be,
and they just do what got you here. Be consistent as you possibly can, be aggressive when the moment calls for you to be aggressive, and ultimately just play smart situational football. Be in your fit on defense when you're supposed to be there. Be in your zone when you're supposed to be there. Don't get too wrapped up around well I'm going around, Saint Brown is running across my face even though I'm supposed to have this area.
I want to make sure he doesn't get the ball.
Next saying, you know, Sam Laporta, right in the space you're supposed to be in running for thirty yards. So I think that's the key is don't get you know, we talked about the environment, but don't get wrapped up in your opponents to the point where you start playing football differently.
That's a really good point. Cliff even brought that up in his presser on the sutle of the points if the day that the days are getting very like getting mixed up because we're playing on Saturday, so everything is pushed back a little bit. But during his presser he mentioned how you don't really ever want to get out of who you are because of you know, like he needs talking with Aaron Lynn in this case, but it starving.
It works for the other side of the ball too, they don't you never want to get too caught up in what's going on, what they're doing. Yet to get focused on what you're doing and stay and stay with say you're laying in terms of who you are. I think that can be amblematic of the entire team. Candy will switch over you and I ask you the same question here is like I said, this, this detrot this Detroit
offense is super aggressive all the time. So what do you think they can do to counter that, not only on defense, but also maybe a little bit on offense as well.
I think the big name of the game here for the Washington Commanders is to do something that they have been really really good at and really smart at, and that is controlling the time of possession. When they're winning the time of possession battle, they win right so like straight up, and that is going to take this Washington Commanders defense to finally meet a goal that Dan Quinn and Joe Wait Junior have been talking about all season long,
and that is the turnover goal of three takeaway. They're gonna have to get that football back. The only way you're gonna stop this Lions offense is to not have them on the field straight up. The running game is too vicious, it's too mean, it's too dynamic, and it's a multitude of players that can that can make plays on that offense. They may be down at least one offensive lineman the on the Lion's side, but other than that,
keep them off the field right. They are super aggressive, they are super efficient and effective in what they do, so while they can get that football back, and of course the Commander's offense themselves be efficient and effective and control that kind of possession.
They will be successful on Saturday Night.
You know, the Commanders, they do have that three turnover goal. They've they've gotten closed a couple of times this year, but they have yet to have turnovers in a single game. They come up with two against Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers, the Tansey Titans, and the Philadelphia Eagles, but hadn't hit that three mark yet. It'll be interesting to see what
happens there. But David, you covered the Tampa Buccaneers for a long time, and it seems like the game plan for the Bucks that Washington hell is very similar to what they can put together for the Lions here. So in terms of just you know, getting that aggressive style off the field here for Detroit's offense, Like, do you do you borrow a lot of that from from from where you have going into Tampa?
I think you surely do.
You know. I think a lot of what the Washington Bearers did against the Buccaneers, they the intent on keeping the lid, on making the Buccaneers, you know, throw all their punches. You don't want to let them land a haymaker and get a knock down, and then you know, the first round or whatever, you want to make them jab their way to the end zone, and then when you get down to those scoring positions, you want to try to tighten.
Up as much as possible. It's it's kind of interesting, you know.
I did a little bit of research looking into the Lions' losses, but then also looking into some of their more narrow victories, their one score margin victories, and essentially what I came up with this is somewhat anecdotal, right, because every game
has different context. But at the same time, if you can prevent the Detroit Lions from having touchdowns on sixty percent of their scoring drift, right, So if they have five scores, four scores, three scores, whatever it is, if you can prevent sixty percent or more of those from being touched downs, you're gonna have a chance to win. And we know that this Washington Commander's team is going to have that chance to win. So or when they have a chance to win, more often than not, they're
gonna pull off the victory. Right, So, you give up yards, if you give up if you give up passing yards.
The key is not give up the explosives that lead to touchdowns, not just explosives in general, but.
The scoring explosives get into the red zone and then try to tying down a little bit. The Comanders didn't have the greatest red zone defense in the world, but they did keep the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, interestingly enough to that sixty percent mark. So if you keep the Lions from scoring from outside the red zone and then hold them to that sixty percent mark in the red zone, obviously, like Candy said, getting takeaways always the optimal plan, but as long as you can keep them to field goals.
Because the interesting name about Dan Campbell, he gets a little bit more aggressive in the postseason. We saw that last year, a little bit to his own demise. That's just kind of who he is. So you get them in the red zone and you force them into fourth downs, there's gonna be opportunities there where they go for it. And to that three turnover point, Joey Junior said just yesterday,
turnover on downs. That's a turnover, So it doesn't cows a turnover in the in the stat box, but that's a turnover to him and that might be one of the ways you get one of those three takeaways.
You know, it's it's then Shay, I keep bringing up these things from Cliff because they do kind of apply to both to both sides here, and he said, you know they're super aggressive and that, well, that does give you give them some positive plays every now and again. It does alviously give you the opportunity to hit your own positive plays as well, because there's gonna be some open spots there, and I think I think that's absolutely true.
So hey, IFO we move on to the next question here, I want to ask you about like Marshall Lattimore and all this. Obviously, he didn't have the game that you would want future Holiday Hall of Fame inducteam Mike Evans here had ninety three yards all seven of his catches, so definitely not a game they would want. But I would imagine he's going to play a pretty big key role here against I'm on Ross and Brown, who has twelve touchdowns, twelve hundred yards this year, one hundred and
fifteen receptions, really really great player. But in terms of just staying aggressive, do you think that being able to lock up Amon raan man coverage a little bit more is going to allow that even the line for Washington to be a little more aggressive and hope we put bresh on Jered Goff, who was, like I said earlier, has just been very accurate with the ball this year.
Absolutely, I think one of the things when I was looking at this matchup, in this game overall, there were some similarities to me in the Commander's game against the Ravens, just because there's multiple ways that this Lion's team can beat you. We have a good, solid quarterback. Not that I'm comparing Jerry Goff to Somelamar Jackson, but it's good, solid, great play that Jared Goff has been doing since he's been in Detroit. You have a great run game, right,
and you have receivers right. And so I remember distinctly that game Joe Wick Junior feeling like the offense.
The Commander's offense, have done enough to win that game.
But there's four specific plays that if the defense had not had done what they were supposed to do, they would have won that football game.
Who they did not.
Have in that Baltimore Ravens game was a Marshawn Lattism, right, So now you have a Marshawn Lattimore. It's almost like go back to the film, go back to the tape, go back to those moments. If you had had a Marshawn Lattimore, what would you have done differently and what could have happened to alleviate some of those early plays by Jay Flowers in the game, right, Because you saw that shift happen in the second half of that Ravens game, but the first half was like, oh my gosh, the
dvs are just the struggling. But like I said, you didn't have that key component of a Marshaan Lattimore, So how can you strategically ensure that with a stronger piece in Marshawn Now we all know he's still dealing with a hamstring thing, right, it's not necessarily one hundred percent, but just his mentality and just if they're strategic and
bringing in that safety help, we're appropriate. I'm always going to say a great way to help your dbs in getting pressure up front the defensive line, got to get your golf on the ground, got to get more pressure up front. That's always helped to your DBS. But I just continue to feel like in that game, they didn't have a Marshawn Lattimore. You do now, So what are those specific plays where you can ensure his play is highlighted and it doesn't end up in DPIs.
Yeah, and that has been you know a little bit of a you know, an issue. I would say, maybe not even really an issue, just because that's the way he plays and you love the competitiveness and all that. But you're right, I mean the pass Russians and the coverage they do play very you know, they play well hand in hand together, and I think you're gonna need both your any both against this Lin's offense because, like I said, they play like they're behind at all times
and you can't you can't have any mistakes regardless. But we are going to move on to the next question here. I will give you both two points. I'll light the points you were making Candy about the town possession and Lattimore David. I'll like the points about you know, Stayton who true to who Washington is, and also the point
you're making by Tampa Bay. But Katy, since you brought up the town possession, I want to swift, you know, stay on you here and talk about the Commanded's run game, which has not been you know, as great as as as it has been at the beginning of the year. Obviously, Jade Daniels has been spectacular running the ball, but the rest of it has been a little spotty here and there, particularly between the tackles. And if you're gonna own time with possession, you have to establish a run game to
again keep this line's offense off the field. So what do you do against this lines even in front that has been banged up quite a bit but still plays a little bit about their talent great?
I would actually like to see, And this may come off as a shock for some, I would actually, you know, and I may have not been in the presser if coach quit addresses at all, you know, really wasn't certain why Chris Rodriguez was in active last week, because I would like to see perhaps Chris Rodriguez. I think when we're talking about that speed in between tackles being able to get out, I think Chris Rodriguez is an opportunity to do that as well as Jeremy McNichols. The team
does have Austin acklerbet so they can help. But another thing that the team did on the fourth and one that I was like, Wow, we really doing this is they brought in Marcus Mariota right. I was like, now, wait a minute, because at this point in time, now is when you see the will starting to spin from a Cliff Kingsbury offense perspective. When I say you'll start to spend, we're going to need to see some creativity and some innovation here.
Right.
They know that this the run game.
Has stalled quite a bit. So what do you do when you start. You gotta get creative. You gotta leverage and utilize those players that can get you that yard. And that sounds crazy, right that you got to get creative in order to get you know, fourth and inches or thirte in inches or fourth and one and two. But that's what they had to do just last week
against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So not to like call any one player out, but it's obvious they're they're gonna have They're having a tough time with the run game, so they're gonna have to get And it's not necessarily like just making Jaden Use's legs, you know, even more so than he already does, or just taking deep shots down the field when he doesn't necessarily see it as clearly or as openly, But it's really using that creativity and innovation that we know that this that this offensive
staff has relying on those plays from a David Blouse, a coach Pritchard, everything else that they're able to do to pull this together because they're absolutely going to need
a strong run game on Saturday night. The who is going to bring that strong run game is where we kind of don't know, And I would like to see the team, you know, take a look at Chris Rogriguez if he's inactive again, then bring in Marcus Mariota like you did on last Sunday night, and really put more emphasis on Austin Eckler and Jeremy McNicholas.
You know, that's a good point because I really did like the way they used Mariota for those like the quarterback sneak stuff, but also putting you know, Jaden in motion a lot. And I also noticed that they were using a lot more speed option plays. It's a triple option, which is like that's always sort of been a little bit of a wrinkle, but you really didn't see all
that much of it during the regular season. So David, I'll switch over to you here and like, what do you think about the creativity to get like the ring of going a little bit more and like, how much more do you think they can build on that against the lines defense that is, you know, fifth overall for the season and rushing yards per game.
Yeah, I think I think you need to have your your primary plan, which could be to do a little bit more of what you saw against Tampa Bay, but you.
Also needed to have your contingency plan.
And I think that when you get deeper into the weeds of how do we solve this running problem, you don't you don't need to get more complex. If you have to get into that contingency plan, you have to
get more back to basics. And I think that is where a guy that Chris Rodery hasn't come into to what Kenny was saying, Like, if you've turned to Chris Roderiz, that means that maybe some of the polls, some of the traps, some of the outside runs, some of the zone reads and all that stuff, maybe they're not working against his Lions defense. So if we're gonna switch gears to Chris Roderiez's get back to basics. Man, Let's just tell each guy on the line of scrimmage, this is
your dude. Put some put some manful manipulation on them. Move them from the spot spot A to spot B. Chris, this is the gap that you're gonna run through. Hit that whole hit it hard, fall forward, and Plute sees Detroit Lions delivered.
Some body blows. Because the thing.
About the Detroit Lions defense that's interesting is, yes, their yards per per game on the ground that they're giving up is low, but the yards per carry that they're giving up is actually not as low. It's actually one of the higher averages in the league. What's happening is that a lot of times teams are falling behind to the Detroit Lions, so they're going to their pass game really quick because they feel like they have to keep up in this track meet or like I said before,
they're changing up who they are. They're saying, you know, we usually like to establish the run, establish this ground game, control of the clock. We know we need to swing, you know, blow for blow this Troy Lions defense or offense. And it kind of does the job for the Troy Lions defense themselves. They kind of simplify themselves and they just come out trying to pass the ball all over the yard.
So I like to.
See that kind of goes back to the commanders, just kind of staying true to who you are. What I really liked about what they did against Tampa is we saw I felt like more designed passes to running backs. And you know, I've always kind I've said all season longly, Jane Daniels doesn't really check down his checkdown and his running.
So when you see them throw a short pass to a tied end, a short pass to a running back, typically it's part of the play design only James dropping back looking deep to push the defensive umbrella deep and then throw it underneath Austin Eckler. It might look like a up off, but really that's the play design from the play call.
I like that they did that a little bit more against Tampa.
But because you take advantage of their aggression is going to usually clear up some spots behind the line of scrimmage.
But also knowing that you got guys like.
Terry McLaurin Diami Brown that can kind of push to the field deep, so the Buccaneers have to keep that shell out there and you take advantage of that soft middle from those from those perspectives.
That they do collapse on those middle short routes.
Well, now you've got a quarterback, they can get outside of that protection or outside of that coverage and do damage that way. I like to see him continue to kind of do those types of things. And looking at Brian ro Robinson like that's a guy that everybody wants
to get going again. He was going really well in the beginning of the season, you know, middle of the season, dealt with some injuries here in the last half of this year, our last portion that he's really just kind of has gotten bogged down.
We saw it last.
Year with Sam Hall and Eric the Enemy. Some of it was by his hunts, some of it was a survival mode from Sam Howell. But Brian Robinson can be a threat in the passing game. He can do some damage as a receiver out of the backfield. So we you know Austin Eckler can do do that as well.
I think Jerry McNichols has some ability there.
Chris Roder, he has one one career catchup. I'm telling you, the dude can catch better than he's given credit for. So you have four backs that you potentially use in that mode. So whether it's physically actually running the ball and doing getting better at it, or using that short pass game as an extension of the run game. Combine a little bit of what you did last week, but
also had that contingency planet. Look, if that's not working, just give Chris the ball and let him just hammer the line of scrimmage and do some damage that way. Because this Troy line, I think it's four point one yards in the middle of the field, four yards either side the left of the right.
They're giving up yards per carry. You just have to figure out how to get those yards out of them.
Yeah, you know, I really am interested to see if Chris Rodorigins will be active because I do like what he does whenever he's on the field. He came up really big for them and a lot of clutch spots there. And you bring in the point about b robbing the passing game, and people forget one of the most explosive plays he had was against the Seahawks on a pass play down the left sideline to score that touchdown. I mean that was for that That game is probably, you know,
one of the offense his best games last year. That was definitely one of the more electric players. Now, Candy, we mentioned staying True, who Washington's is on offense now, but there's also a very you know, obviously there's a possibility that the commanders will be down seven maybe even double diggit points here at some point. So how how do they avoid the temptation of, like David said, just okay, we need to throw all over the yard here instead
of just okay, we're down ten points. We're fine. We just need to keep saying who we are, run the ball, get some get some traction on offense, and then all of a sudden we're back into it.
I think I think that's where and this is the name that we really hadn't talked about, right because of the course, because of the great questions that you're asking, But that is where we'll have to focus in on quarterback play, right, We'll have to see you.
Jaden.
Daniels remained the cool calm and collected that kid, Jaden that he is right, Like if he keeps the same you know, just poise, like everybody's been saying for like, you know, the last year that we've all been covering him. If he continues that, I think they can get that done, right, because then that also aligns with time of possession, right,
you're not You're not in desperation mode. You're not taking us back when you should have thrown it out right or you just you know, And and some of that has to do with the offensive line, haven't you know, really brought that up, because we know that that group had a strong start, but then to start, you know, dealing with some injuries and having to you know, share, you know, show their versatility of people having to move move about across the line, and folks stand it out due to injuries.
But I do think.
They can keep a part of that identity because so much of who the Washington commanders are it's because of who Jane Dale is. Dan Quinn talked earlier this week they still all had faith. So if he keeps that mentality, I think that is the key nucleus of them remaining who they are.
Yeah, I really do think so. And you're right, we haven't really talked about Jaden that much. We have should have been doing that because he has been, i mean, the catalyst for this for this entire for this entire run. They've been onto the like after the bye week. But yeah, you know, and David, we'll we'll we'll wrap this one up here by going to you, I mean the Jade
and Daniels of it all. And how how crucial is that going to be to keep to keep to their to keep to their identity on offense because he is such a cool and conquct to guy and this is such a hostile environment. How important is that going to be as a head into this really you know, intense matchup.
Yeah, man, I mean he sets the Tony makes it run, you know what I mean going into the wildcard round, that was something that I talked about before that game. Wanted to see where we had seen Jaden kind of put on the cape in the second.
Half of a lot of these games recently.
Uh, you know, manufacture some running offense where there wasn't a rushing offense and do those types of things, and you know, not completely carry the team on his back, because I think saying that completely would you'll be disrespectful.
Some of the some of the other players, but you know, putting.
A lot of that on his on his own shoulders and saying I'm going to make some things happen, whether it's extending players to give guys opportunities to get open, things like that.
And I wanted to see him do that earlier against.
Stampa Bay Buccaneers, because Buccaneers defense was one that in the second half of games historically, they really weren't giving.
Up a lot of offense.
And I felt like if they had to wait, if the Washington Bearers had to wait until the second half to really try to turn it on, and by that time, with the momentum and all that stuff.
It may be a little bit too late. So to see Jayden kind of do a little bit.
Of that in the first half and that Buccaneers game was really encouraging. I think it's it's kind of part of the progression of him as a leader of this team to where it's not just Okay, now you need be.
So I'll turn it on. It's no, It's turned on from from the first minute of the game.
And I think you're gonna need that again with the Troy Lions. And you know, look so far, I mean so far, the dude's unflappable. And I know the Troy Lions. Part of their part of their game plan, part of all the lines Mediah they're talking about, is they've got to bother Jade and they've got to shake him. They've got to rattle them. They've got to make him understand. Like you know that that playoff atmosphere, this one's different.
But so far nobody's been able to do it.
I don't know if if ford Field is gonna be able to do it, But as long as Jayden stays cool, calm, collective, like you're saying, and then go out there with the mindset of I'm going to make the plays that my team needs me to make, no matter what the situation is, no matter what time is on the clock. I think that that's gonna go a long way to keeping the news game.
You know.
All I have to say is, as one point, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had two spies on Jane Daniels during the fourth quarter, and two spies is crazy.
You know.
That just shows you how much respect they have for him. And he burned him because I had said, Okay, you're just gonna let me not let me run.
That's fine.
I got a lot of players open down field.
Whatever.
So we're gonna move on to last question here. I will keep the score to myself because I want to keep that lads a little bit of a surprise heading in this last round here. And as I mentioned. You know, the Lions offense full of playmakers. I'm on Rossaint Brown, You've got you know, Jerry Goff, You've got Jamior Gibbs.
All these guys are are just so potent in terms of if you had to pick one, if you had to be picky, here can you We'll start with you here, since you are the undefeated champion, who's one player this defense just absolutely has to stop if they're going to pull out Detroit with a win. Jared Goff.
I mean I would, I would literally say, you know, my gut is Jamar Gibbs, straight up. But another thing that this defense hasn't been able to do when we you know, consistently is get to the quarterback. Get to the quarterback early and often.
Right.
You might see it a little bit, don't see it a whole lot. You get Jared off of his game. It's very similar push.
To what that I know.
We all know that they're going to try to do the Jadin. But if Jared Goff has a bad game, it will be because of the commands defense, and that's what would have to happen. I'm saying, zoom in on Jared Goff, zoom in on the orchestrator in the in the person that is the conductor. If you will out on the field, like I said, my gun will say Jamar Gibbs, right, because it's like the obvious answer. But I'm still like getting to that quarterback, just like they're going to try to get the James.
It's absolutely what this Commander's defense has to do.
There's been questions about we talk a lot about establishing the run. We've also talked about stopping the run, but that starts with rattling the quarterback.
So getting to Golf early and often, I think that's who they have to zoom in on.
Look, Golf is completing seventy two point four percent of his pass just thirty seven toutdowns, twelve interceptions, been sacked thirty one times. But he really is the thing that makes that offense go. And they, I mean the Detroit fans, they they chant his name all the time to let him know exactly how much they appreciate him. David, same question to you, if you had to pick one player on this line's offensive stop for the Commanders defense, who would it be? And why?
So I'm gonna cheat a little bit, and if you don't let me get away with it. I do have an actual player to name, but it's Ben Johnson. And I don't mean you had to stifle the attire Detroit Lions offense. What I mean is when you look at the Troy Lions history, especially their losses, their guys still get yards. Like at the end of the day, it's kind of a hope to contain because you can't stop them.
Type of situation like am Andara is gonna get a little bit of his Jamison Williams, you know, Sam Laporta. All these guys are gonna get a little bit of offense no matter what. Even if you win, that's that line's still gonna look good for some of those guys. Ben Johnson loves trick plays. He loves misdirection. He loves getting guys out of their gaps, out of their zones, out of their fits by using slight of hand.
He's kind of a magician that way.
He's got his basic, straight up offense, of course, but he likes to dial up these things that cause great plays. Kind of what really should be a very simple, you know, three yard game turns into a thirteen yard game because.
This linebacker got out of his own because.
Of this misdirection, this thing that he showed him that got that player off till That is where I think this game is gonna be wonder loss ultimately, is if Ben Johnson pulls out a little triggeration, a little something cute, a little bit of slight of hand, and this Commander's defense stays home, stays pat, isn't tricked by the triggeration, then I think they're gonna.
Be able to handle that. Well.
If they don't, I'm not saying it's gonna be what was like forty one to six.
I think last year is what it was, you know, Lion's Cowboys. I don't think it's gonna be anything crazy like that.
They give up some of these cheap plays, you know, a five yard slant that turns into a twenty yard game because somebody was out of position because they saw something they thought with something else.
That's where this team can get really into trouble.
So that's where I think the team's gonna stop Ben Johnson is by not letting him get those cheap yards from those Q plays.
And I mean you could see the respect that these that these coaches for the Commanders have for Ben Johnson. He is objectively speaking. One of the best offensive minds in the league right now. He has been for the last couple of years. He's so innovative, so creative with the way he runs that offense, and he really does like to just be in his bag with some creative
plays out there. And as Joe had said, you gotta trust your eyes, you gotta slay disciplined, and Ben Johnson will make you test that discipline time and time again. So final decision here. Both did really good, really good answers here. Candy, you were up by one point, so you had a little bit of an advantage heading into it. Man, I think I gotta go with David's answer for going after the architect himself and Johnson. I think that was
an excellent answer. David, you have won. You have dethroned Candy, giving her her first loss of the season. Do you have any parting words of victory for us as we head into the weekend.
I'm gonna have to crank dreams and nightmares because the underdog won. But you know what can't he still deserves her flowers. So one of the best reporters on this beat, so you know, wouldn't rather go up against anybody else other than candy.
And let me go ahead and say David admitted that he cheated. That's the only reason why. That's like I want that on the pod. He cheated because come on, now, you already know I was blesting that tail. I answered the question that was asked. He did not all good.
You know, I'm thinking is he was thinking outside the box, being creative.
But yeah, like you know, he admitted it, he cheated.
He didn't answer the question I got, I got, I got in Ben Johnson.
Mode Leslie clear in the long run, cheata's never win.
But you echo, David, Yes, you're right. Kay Kenny, you have been just spectacular. One of my favorite people on you went, David, Both of you guys, I have great answers to to to all the questions I give, and it's it's great playing along with you guys. That's why I'm always just very happy to have you guys on the pod. But like David, hopefully the Commanders will be dethroning the Detroit Lions for who for what it's worth our h and three against the cannetitors in the playoffs.
Just throwing that out there, not that it matters really in terms of the grand scheme of things, but it is a good little bit of who've been a history to know, uh and they will be. They could be handed to the NFC Championship for the first time since I think it's the nineteen ninety one season. We all know what happened then. But until then, maybe we'll see
you till the next week, maybe we won't. But either way, regardless, you should be great reviewing and subscribing wherever get your podcast, and this has been the beatdown