What's going on? What's happened? Everybody? This is the Beatdown Podcast.
I am your host, Senior Wriyah for the Washington Commanders, Zach Shelby and the vibes out here are immaculate in ways that really haven't been in about a decade. As the Commanders thoroughly dismantled the Arizona Cardinals forty two to fourteen, going to three to one for the first time in twenty eleven.
How about that. And after doing three.
Of four road games to start the season, they are coming back to Northwest Stadium to take on the Cleveland Browns who are one in three, not necessarily the record that they would want, but this is still a team that's a little bit feistier than maybe some would think. They've got a really strong defense to Shohn Watson is still maybe not as maybe not now corback he was, but still has some flashes of it here and there.
So the Commanders have a chance to go four and one for the first time in two thousand and eight, which would just be amazing for this French guys, for this team as they get into the first year of Dan Clinton's regime, and how do they gonna be able to do that. Well, that's what we're gonna be talking about today. And with me we have Mitch Tisler of Monumental Sports and the Beltwegh Football Pot and Bran Winstein and the voice of the Commanders and hosts of the Bran Wonstein Show Boys.
How we do It Today?
Immaculate.
Yeah, Mitch, this is a dream come true. I don't think I've ever done a show with you. I am very excited about this.
I am very excited about this too. I can't wait at the beat you a little bit, all right?
They all right, awesome, So they mentioned the debate this, We're gonna be really quick about it because guys, you know how it goes now. I mean, these guys are gonna be debating questions, They're gonna they're gonna be given points, and uh, there is gonna be a winner. Because it's my podcast. I can decide who wins the who wins and who loses. But at the same time, you know, what you should be more focused on is what these guys takes are rather than who wins and who loses.
Here because he's got some of the best of what they do. Uh. And without further ado, let's go and get started here starting with the Browns offense. And as I mentioned earlier, Deshaun Watson probably not the elite MVP caliber quarterback that he was with the Houston Texans, but you do still see flashes of the player that he once was as he's gone through the first couple of
years in his tenure with the Browns. So, Bram, I will start with you, because the quarterback is still the most important position for this defensive stop.
What's the best approach to.
Limiting him as they come to him to the Commander Stadium.
So I think this is really interesting because they don't know whether this is by design, or it's due to injuries, or they don't trust Watson to make plays down the field. I mean, I think only they can really answer this. But the vast majority of their offense is underneath. And you'll see this in metrics, like he's like thirty first in the league in pass yards per attempt, but they're all dump offs to running backs or tight ends underneath.
There's very little plays that are thrown down the field. Obviously, he can run and he can move, but he's not apt to scramble all that much. He does to extend plays you know, he's been held under two hundred yards passing in every single one of these games. I think, you know, like this team is concerned about giving up deep passes for good reason, right, like lack of a consistent pass rush, which maybe has taken a turn over the last week, which hopefully happened, and you know overall
cornerback play. Are they concerned with the matchups? And you know, the Browns do have legitimate, very good and potentially deep threat wide receivers on this team, but they don't profile it. So I want to see how Joe and Dan Quinn play this, Like are they going to be willing to put more people up closer to the line in this game? Daring Cleveland to try to do something that they're not doing right now at the risk of can you cover Amari Cooper and Jerry Judy down the field because the
Browns aren't doing it. So that's the cat and mouse for me here. But from what I see from Cleveland, everything's underneath. So I think Washington on some level needs to find out if they are willing to take shots down the field.
Yeah, you know, you bring up a good point, because the Brands do have some some really solid receivers. I would say probably one of the better groups that they've faced so far this year. And Mitch, you know, brand brought up, you know, bring the secondary close to the line of screens, playing a little bit of press and and this seems to be where Washington has gotten beaten a lot over the last first, you know, first couple of weeks of the season and honestly most of last year.
So you know, I'll kind of pit it a little bit and kind of ask you this so about contained Sean Watson, like, do you feel comfortable enough with the secondary that they are able to go up against Jerry Judy and Amari Cooper and some of these other receivers that they have.
I mean, I think you look at this Brown's offense and it has a lot of big names on it.
You know, we keep talking.
We've mentioned the receivers, the you know, you know about the quarterback. But I think it's like a lot of a lot of teams that we've seen here in Washington going back however many years, some big names, but not big production. And I think it starts with what Bram was talking about, the fact that they are scared to go down the field Deshaun Watson's top five in the league and dropbacks and bottom five in the league in yards in yards per game, and it shows you kind
of what they're trying to do on offense. They're trying to think and dunk it and run the ball a bunch. And even though they are trying to run the ball a bunch, they aren't even that successful at it because they're bottom half of the league in running the ball, and it starts up front for them. They have a couple pretty key injuries. They haven't played a whole lot
this year with Jedrick Willis. Jack Conklin looks like he's going to be out Wyatt Teller as well as a All Pro guard for them, and they've gotten Deshaun Watson hit a lot. He's been hit I think it was seventeen times in two of the first four games, including an eight sac performance in Week one. I think you're gonna have an opportunity to put pressure on him, and it's gonna be incumbent on the secondary to be able
to cover. We know that Joe Witt likes to play single high d he likes to play press coverage on the outside, and there have been you know some receivers that have beat them with it. But if this d line and this you know, complimentary pass rush can get to Deshaun Watson and pours them off his spot, he's
proven that he can't get the ball. He hasn't been able to get the ball downfield, particularly when he breaks the pocket, and he's had, you know, amongst the lowest time in the in the league drop back to past year. So it's these guys shouldn't have to run around in the secondary for five ten seconds like we've seen you know, other years. Other teams have to have to try and do.
And so I do think they're going to be able to get up there and use Benjamin Saint Jus's size and Jim Met the line of scrimmage a little bit.
Yeah, I mean, yeah, that is a good point.
And you know, I think Watson is really at his most dangerous las in the games that I've seen, you know, over you know, when I watched it yesterday, is it seems like he is at his most deadly whenever he's outside of the pocket, whenever he's able.
To extend plays.
And you know, I know that the commanders only allowed Cali murder for one rush for three yards. But this is mobile quarterbacks are still I would say it's still a bit of a challenge for this defense. So so bram D and as good as they were able to play against Calmber, do you think that's a little bit of a formula for how this the Stevens the line can contain Watson going into week five.
Last week was by far and not close, their best collective defensive performance, and I mean by a mile, like by a mile. And I will say this, there were multiple occasions where they had Murray confused the fact that he took a sack on the fourth and one on to tell you everything, you kind of really need to know about where he was in reading what Washington was doing to them. So I do hope that there's a carryover. There was a deficiency on the right side of their line.
Calvin Beacham played, but he was coming off the hamstring. They didn't really have backups, and Doriance Armstrong had his best game, you know, as a commander. Off of this. To Mitch's point, this is a this is a really great offensive line when they have their players together. They don't they're missing two or three of their starters. They're playing a ton of backups I think they're doing. Go watch Chelsea. You want to go watch something interesting on
the film, Go watch on the outside. Their receivers they barely release when they're running the ball, like I think that they just they have kind of come into this position of they are what they are based on the injuries, and I think maybe what the coaches think the capabilities of this offense are so they're to me in lies a couple of things. One, are they a competent group? Right? And if they're not, if Washington get on top of them, maybe you can get a couple of sacks. The most
sacked quarterback in the NFL. I think there's an opportunity here to limit them. They're having a hard time scoring points. It's partially by design. They're trying to go small chunks at a time. So if I'm Washington, you know, I think I'm loading up the box a little bit here and I'm daring them to throw the ball a little bit and see if maybe we can get even bigger mistakes than what you're getting now, which is they're not turning the ball over a time, they're just not scoring
and they're not moving the ball in chunks. Can we get a couple turnovers here, because that seems overdue and that seems to be kind of heading in that direction. If that's what's happening here, then I think it gives your offense a better shot here because this is and I know we haven't gotten another side of the ball yet, this is gonna be arguably the best defense they have faced up to this point in the season. Maybe maybe Tampa's, but like this, in my opinion, this is, across the board,
probably the best defense they have faced. And therefore I think they're gonna need a couple more breaks than what they've gotten in previous weeks.
And before we get to this side of the ball, and you're right about that, Mitche, Like, you know, do you think, as Brams said, that they're going to try to load the box a little bit and try to put some more pressure on Watson to make some of these more difficult decisions.
I think they need to, but it's not necessarily related to Watson's quick decision making. It's related to stopping this run game. If you can make this Browns team one dimensional, especially if the offense is able to continue scoring points, and you know that Deshaun's going to be dropping back, then you're gonna be able to to really get after him. But the middle of this defensive line has struggled against the run. In the middle of this defense across the
hole has struggled against the run. And if you allow this Browns team to get comfortable and start moving the ball easily on the ground, then things are going to open up for Deshaun because you're gonna have to start, you know, packing it in on that side. And so I expect that we're going to see a more concerted effort in the middle of that defense. Like Bram said, last week was the best defensive performance we've seen in a wild year in Washington, and it was awesome to watch.
But if you there's one criticism we have of it is that they're able to run the ball for almost one hundred yards directly up the middle, and a lot of that was at kind of the end of the third quarter start of the fourth quarter, where you would think that teams would be more apt to be throwing the ball as they're trying to catch up. And so I think you know Deron and John obviously we know
all there is to know about them. I like last week that you started seeing some combos of Johnny Newton and Frederian mathis playing there in the middle, and I think Fiderian in particular, with his size and his strength, can help them, especially as the Browns keep trying to pound the ball twin tackles.
You know, I'm really interested to see how this this Commanders defensive line goes up against this Browns group, because, yeah, if they do have the reputation for running the ball really well, although they haven't necessarily done that so far this year, probably because they don't have Nick Chubb and and they're off of the line speed up, but their averaging I think it's like ninety four yards per game
on the ground right now. But at the same time, to your point, like they are still capable of busting a long especially against a group that is really you know, I would say struggled with quite a bit to contain the run, which is I think it's a little bit surprising. But either way, we're gonna go on to the next question.
But before we do that score update, it was todd three to three. We miss.
I really liked the point about about the stack of the box to south of run game, So you are up four to three as as we get into question two here, but it's yeah, you know, the fellow, the fellow off the line. We got to stick together at some point. But going into the off inside of the ball, you know, Braymy mentioned that this is the biggest test for the for for Washington offense that that they've faced all year.
I would also argue that this is.
Cleveland's defense, that the biggest test for the Cleveland defense that they've faced all year two because this, this Washington offense has been historically great over the special blast three weeks or so, they're leading the league in third down success rate and I forget what the exact percentage is, but it's over I'd say it's about two thirds their
their third Act of conversion percentage. But at the same time, this, this Cleveland defense is seventh right now, So Mitchell start off with you, like, what do you think Washington do to continue that third down success against the Cleveland defense? Who is you know, has been has a reputation being very solid and has some of the numbers to back it up as well.
Yeah, I mean, you hate to be too generic here, but Jade Daniels has done such a good job of keeping them a third and short or third and manageable, and they've shown different ways of being multiple in those short third downs. And I think that kind of the combination of Jaden the so uh so accurate and so quick getting rid of the ball and Cliff Kingsberry kind of having a little bit of fun on that on
that offense. I mean, I think we've seen a couple of kind of different types of plays from from Cliff in this offense. A double pass to uh in Week one against the Bucks, and then obviously the touchdown pass against the Trent Scott against the Bengals were you know, two that kind of stick out. But I think their their ability to kind of keep the keep the defense
off there on their heels goes a long way. That's the end of the game against the Cardinals where they had Elamind's the Keys kind of motioned into the backfield and then motioned back to kind of where he came from and caught a quick little screen and took it for you know, eight yards and a first down. I just think their ability to to kind of keep the defense on their heels with a lot of different looks, particularly I'm third and down is going to be something that helps them a lot.
No, I really do like how creative Cliff Kingsberry has been with this offense. You're right, he does look like he's having a lot of fun out there, just kind of like some of the players that he's had are. You know, they're so creative and so innovative in ways that really highlights what these players do best.
Uh, brand I'll turn over to.
You because I know, I know you really love Brian Robinson, but like, what role did Brian Robinson is he going to have? Do you think on Sunday kind of convert converting these third downs.
I was surprised to see his name on the injury list, so like, let's just start with like assuming he's available, right, Like that was a surprise, like seeing that on Wednesday. So I'll kind of reiterate with what Mitch just said. I really think one of the most impressive things this team is doing here is how they're starting their drives. They're getting Jayden in company in second and six or shorter situations, and they're going to live good in that way.
Because of Jayden's ability to run, I think it keeps a defense off balance and he opens up the playbook immensely for them to play out of that. The one time they punted last week, which is the one time they punted in three weeks, was the one time that on first down they were stunted for nothing and ended up in a second and ten. And then oddly, I
thought they made an incredible call on this play. No one's remember this one because one of the million scoring drives that they had, they did a delayed draw to Brian Robinson, which I haven't even seen them do, right, I haven't really seen them do, And it just happened that Arizona ran a double twist stunt with their two defensive tackles, and I'm not even sure that they made
the right call. They just happened to have the right thing on for this play at that moment, and he ends up sliding away from one three hundred and fifty pounds dude and running into another one. But it was, honestly like it was the right play call at the right time, which I think his timing has been on. Doesn't mean they all work, but like he's just had a feel for this. He's gotten them into very comfortable positions.
I think it's helped the comfort level of Daniels. This is a team that blitzes among the top five in the league. They will play a ton of man because this is the best set of corners that Washington's going to face up to this point in the season. Are very comfortable blitzing and hopefully getting an advantage matchup with Miles Garrett. So this is one where third and long
is death for you. I think you're going to see a very different outcome this weekend if it's third and eight or longer, over and over and over because of the personnel that they're facing this weekend. So if they can keep this model of whether it's be rob or not be rob of getting into these second just four yards on first down, second and six or shorter, this is where they eat. And I think that that's where
they can continue. Maybe not to the degree that they have over the last few weeks because it's historic and unprecedented, but like, could they still be extremely effective possessing the ball, scoring points and having a lead on a team like this. For everything we talked about earlier about the Browns offense, seems like the right path to a win this weekend.
Yeah, you know, Brian Robinson being on the Ajor report was surprising to me as well, because we had just got done hearing from Dan Quinn about how reliably is how tough he is, and how he really doesn't really ever need that much time to recover and get back and back healthy. Mitch, like, I mean saying, saying Brian Robinson maybe not wouldn't play is kind of a big deal for this offense because he's by far one of the most consistent weapons. I mean, he has the most
scrimmage jars for them. I think he's I think behind Jane Danis's park downs produced. So you know, say, god forbid, he's avail, he's not, he's not too badly hurt and everything.
He is available.
But like, what if you know Brian Robinson is ruled out on Friday, Like, do you think this is gonna have the dramatic effect on the offense and how do you think they recover from that?
I do think it would have a pretty dramatic effect because it was one thing when Austin Eckler went out, Because Jeremy McNichols is a similar type player in terms of you know, catching the ball to the backfield and being able to help him pass. Bro they don't really have a second Brian Robinson. I guess Chris Rodriguez would probably get called up and get a fair amount of a fair amount of carries there. But I do think
that he's a very important part of this team. I think you also have to remember that, you know, this is week four. There by week is in what another ten weeks from now, You're gonna start seeing some veteran days here as we go through, and generally when those guys sit out of practice, they don't get the designation of vetter in days. It's a you know, an ankle injury and the injury it did not practice for one
of those reasons. But regardless, I think the commanders often should have a lot of success, particularly in the running game, but kind of across the board. Last week against the ram against the Raiders, the Browns defense had twenty miss tackles. It was a most in a single game in the NFL this year. The Raiders came in averaging fifty yards on the ground. They ran for a buck fifty five or something like that.
Last week.
I mean, there's a lot of opportunity to run the ball here. And as impressive as Jayden Daniels has been in the past game it's been Brian Robbins and Austin eckler Jeremy mcnichol's on the ground, you know, opening up things and not allowing teams to play this deep cloud cover two that we've seen all over the NFL that
all the all the analysts are complaining about. And so getting somebody who's gonna be able to get those tough yards of the middle and turn those three four yard runs into eight nine ten yard runs like Brian Robinson does kind of regularly is certainly a very important part.
Now, Brandon, before we move on to the last question, here another commander running back who is still a little who was on the injury port, Austin Ecklery with the cushion partival.
He was limited, you know on Wednesday.
Seems like he's like maybe on track to to be available for Sunday if he is able able to play. You know, as much as we love the way Jeremy McNichols played and everything, like, how big is that going to be for this for this offense to get a player like that back?
Well, I mean, either way with Robinson, whether he plays or not, and I'm not I don't have any information he's not gonna play.
I was just.
Surprised on the injury list, like he's really the lead running back on the team. I don't think Eckler steps up and becomes that for this I think he can. He maintains his role, and it's obvious it's a big deal if he comes back and plays by the way that he's played. But I don't think you're turning around and giving him seventeen to twenty carries like you have b Robs. So it does change the dynamic of the offense.
Maybe it limits the amount of carries that you give to Robinson, and I think that would be sounds like should be trending in that direction anyway at this point. And I will say this just largely, and I think really there's a couple of things to the success and number five is a big part of it, obviously, and Cliff Kingsbury's play calling is a big part of it.
But the buy in and overall physicality of this team across the board is it's surprising just because of how new it all is, and you hear coach speak and cliches and all these things, and like we're going to do this and we're going to do that, and everybody's got their slogans and this team's living up to it. And just go watch Ben Sinnett or Sam Cosmy or a big time rejuvenated Andrew Wiley specifically in a run
heavy type offense. Now go watch Brandon Coleman all the things they were saying about him, like in the summer that they're like, you're going to see how athletic and how aggressive he is. You're seeing this like Terry mclaurin's blocks on the edge. Go watch Daniel's touchdown run and where he rides his own you know, offensive lineman and points out where they're almost like he was navigating to
Kentucky Derby. I mean, it's pretty wild. Like what you're saying, Baddish is he should be in the Pro Bowl for the way that he's played so far through four games for them as well, like largely and I know this is a Commander show, but like go watch them and you will be it is. It's shocked how efficient they are, how aggressive they are play to play to play to
play to play. And while you know, I think every all the gushing over Daniels is completely deserved because what he's doing is literally unprecedented, but everything that's happening around him is allowing it to happen at the same time, and it's really it's it's amazing. And you know, they got a one to three team that at some points, you know, and in some groups, doesn't look like that they're as locked in as this group is. I think if Washington gets on top of them, this is a
team that could fold. They could fold. And that's what I'm hoping to kind of see on.
Sunday, Bram when your point is so good because the running that the offensive line gets credit for the first three to five yards of a run, then the secondary group of blockers, your tight ends, your wide receivers, your fullbacks, whatever they get kind of the next couple of yards, and then the running backs are get credit for the rest of it. And the blocking that we've seen from
the non o line has been so impressive. You mentioned Ben Sennett, Yeah, the German Jeremy McNichols first touchdown against the against the Cardinals, you had Terry McLaurin lead blocking. There the buy in that you see across the board from these guys, particularly when you compare it to what's happening in Cleveland. Braham talked about the wide receivers not looking too interested on running plays getting out there the
mistackles last week. This feels like a team that is that you know, is prying to be to to crush their souls early in the game and get out to a lead and not have to look back.
You know, if there's one thing I've I've come to appreciate over the last five weeks or so, it's the power of the buy in. Because, yeah, you hear a lot, like you're a coach speak things and you're like, we've all heard it, you know, like oh yeah, like you know the cliches that every coach says for whatever is.
But like this, these players really believe in it. And I think that's just as big of a of a reason why they're three and one are now as you know, the way Jaye Daniel is playing with offenses playing like they really truly believe like the messages that DQ and his staff have have implemented and that it's just that I think it just makes it that much more fun.
Uh.
But final question, you guys are tied, so there's a lot of stakes heading into this third question here, and you know, there are a lot of really big matchups across the game that's gonna happen on Sunday. We kind of talked about a couple of them already. Uh, you know, with the Browns receivers versus the Commanders secondary, but the Commanders off the line for Miles Garrett and the Browns
deefsive line. I mean, that's probably gonna be I think one of the more important ones, especially considered Miles Garrett and then the reputation he has and the pedigree he's been able to accumulate over his career. Uh So, Bram, start with you, what will the more important matchup for the Commanders to win on Sunday? The Commanders off the line versus Mouth Garrett, and that even the line or the Browns receivers versus the Commander's secondary.
Oooh god, I want to pass because this team plays man more than most teams do, and they will blitz a lot. And I and assuming, unlike Arizona, who I think tried to switch things up on Jayden to see how he would react to it, and they forty two points later probably regret that, I'm going to assume that, like Cleveland is going to play to their core, which is they do bring a lot of heat. They will blitz. They're top by blitz team. They're kind of like Tampa,
so they'll put their corners on an island. And for good reason, this is the best set of corners Washington's face this year, like across the board collectively, So you know, the blitz pick up is everything here again to give Jade the time. And then do they have the receivers? We've asked this a million times. Do they have the receivers to win one on one? And not? Do they have the receivers to win one on one just in general? But do they against one's a pro bowler and the
other one's really really good. So let's see where they are. To answer your question directly, I am more inclined to believe because of the physical nature of the play and how kind of in lockstep they've been with one another, that there's not gonna be a lot of breakdowns. So
Jaden's gonna have the time to make the play. So I'm gonna go with the receivers against the corners because I think that is, to me, is the matchup of the day, and that is a massive strength of Cleveland, And I still think it's semi and open question about Washington. Do they have the level of receivers to beat top tier corners like this regularly, So that to me would be probably the way I would lean. But it's close because Miles Garrett might be the best defensive end in
the NFL. So you know, like it's close, all.
Right, Mitch, I a feeling you might go the direction I think you're gonna go.
But what do you got for me?
I'm actually gonna agree with Brim and I think it's wide receivers versus dbs there because I've been so impressed with what you've seen upfront from this Washington offensive line. Two weeks ago, they played Trey Hendrickson, who was the second leading sacker in the NFL last year, and held him to one late sack that was a little bit of a miscommunication, but for the most part handled them almost one on one exclusively with Brandon Coleman and Cornelius.
Lucas out there.
And yes, we're gonna see the Browns bring a lot of pressure, which I think is you know, in their DNA. But the let's pick up from this running back group so far this season has been so impressive. You think about that touchdown pass, the Terry and Jeremy Nichols, you know, body slamming whoever the linebacker was that was blitzing up
the middle. Austin Eckler has been an absolute beast in the backfield, particularly in pass pro, and I think that's sort of what's helped him in those kind of quick screen games is that these teams are now recognizing they have to put pass rush moves on a running back to try and get to your QB. And so to me, I think it's gonna be about making this Browns offense one dimensional. I want to see them pack the box and not let the Browns run the ball in them.
Quite frankly, I'm not too scared that Deshaun Watson's going to beat them over the top. But obviously if you're throwing the wide open receivers thirty yards downfield, that can be the case. So I do want to see what Emmanuel Forbes and and Mikey Sanders still and Benjamin Saint just can do. Because last week those guys had a
pretty you know, had a pretty good day. Sander's still got beat for the touchdown early and then they kind of locked it down on that Cardinals receiving cores and they didn't get open deep and Marvin Harrison Junior ended up with you know, very few yards. Obviously, you know there are two guys here in uh in Cleveland who can beat them deep, but they haven't done it so
far this season. So I want to see these corners continue to step up, you know, get a little more confidence and be able to cover these guys one on one.
Now, the commons of the corners is going to be is going to be massive, Yeah, because I think you've seen the Stevens slowly grow a little increments by increments over the last two weeks, and they really took a big step forward against the Cardinals. And you're right, Jim Schwartz, He's been known for bringing the heat throughout his career and I think he's probably going to continue to do
that again. But after much, after all hearing all the pontification that from both these guys, the final decision is rested upon my shoulders, and I determined that Bram coming back from down two points, you are now the winner of this episode of the Beatdown Podcast.
Do you have any parting words of victory for us.
Like I said, this thing is rigged, like there's always sing the whole thing was gonna be rigged. I was gonna get the comeback the whole time. Sorry, Mitch, its stacked against you.
You called it the Beatdown Podcast.
I'll see both of you guys in the media room and you better believe I'll be ready for it.
Oh god, well, I think we sitting next to each other, Mitch. I might just sit on the other end of the room today. But guys, I really appreciate you guys doing this. We'll see what happens on Sunday. Should be a really exciting game. And for everyone listening, please you should to rate, review, subscribe, and this has been the Beatdown Podcast.