Excited to talk specifically Lions and Commanders with the guy who's really familiar, knows the commanders inside and out, does a great job on the pre and postgame show on radio on the Commander's Radio Network. His name is Scott Jackson. You can follow him on Twitter at Jackson Sports and he joins us here on Exus and Bros. Scott really appreciate the time because I know it's valuable, and I know a lot of people are tugging at you. How
are you today, great, Matt, how you doing. I'm doing fantastic. Cappy new year to you and yours. What surprised you and impressed you most about how Washington has gone about its business so far this year?
Well, I mean it's so new right with we're talking about a staff change, and I mean from the top on down right. This was technically year two of a new ownership group, which everybody was excited about. Look, just getting Dan Snyder out of here with a huge win,
no matter what was on the other side. You know, I think everybody that they had been paying attention here, we've been talking about this for decades, which was I didn't feel like the franchise could move forward until you got him out of here, and they were able to do that that. Josh Harris made a really smart hire last year around this time with Adam Peters since the general manager of the forty nine ers at the time.
And you know, dan Quinn was not the number one target I think publicly, but they really really liked him and they were very intrigued on him. Obviously, Ben John Speer guy there Detroit was everybody's number one choice, and you know they just it didn't for whatever reason work and you hear different stories about why, but it didn't really matter because you know, here's dan Quinn. You get the second pick of the draft and he hits like he has and has been, you know, everything you could
want from a future star in this league. And I think you start right there, I mean, and then from there they build out this roster with with other parts that have come together. But it's far from a finished product. I mean, there's still the issues of the defense. Certainly, offensive line could be a lot better, and you know there's skilled positions that are lacking. But you know, number
five makes it all happen. So this has been an unexpected great season by so many levels for this franchise and overly do for a franchise, it used to be, you know, a very good one when I was young, when Will Gibbs was run of the show here first part of Joe Gibson's career, know, with Jackie Cook is the owner. So it's been refreshing for people my age to remember what it used to look like here prior to the nightmare that was the twenty four year tenure of Dan Sneiner.
And really all football fans Joe Gibbs one of the classiest and best coaches in history and winning three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks. When you look at Dan Quinn and he had that stint in Seattle, right or in Atlanta? Rather, we know what he did in Seattle to rejuvenate his head coaching opportunities, and rightfully, so, how has he made this team better? Do you think? I'm sure that's a multiple answer to the question, but overall, well,
how do you think? What do you think he's done to make him better?
Well? I think he's a heck of a culture builder. You hear that term culture thrown around a lot, and it's easy to identify that culture and harder to probably build the good stuff. And I think with him and Adam Peters vision and the staff they put together, it's not like he didn't come in here like he Cam's from Dallas, right. He brings you know, Joe Witz, Junior's coordinator with you know, the coordinator and Rim here. It wasn't like though he had like this heavy Dallas staff.
I mean a fe you guys from the Cowboys that came with him, but guys from all over the league. You know, got a couple of former head coaches. Cliff Kingsberry who he had no relationship with running this offense, but was a head coach in Arizona. You know Anthony Lynn, you know, is on this staff, who was of course the head coach of the Chargers. I think that's helped him. He leans into his staff. He's not trying to do everything, you know, he knows that, but he's the guy sets
the tone every week. I mean, the way he talks, he's very similar to your coach, you know, Frankly. I mean, the Dan's has got a lot of a lot of things that they're similar to coaches you probably want to go into a barroom fight with if you you needed to pick a coach to have your back. I mean they're both those kind of guys and both ultra aggressive
with fourth down. I mean he's built a lot of confidence in a like a you know, a Novs attitude in terms of way to want to approach the football game each and every week.
I love that too, And I think you're right the backward hat just it's who he is. I love that he's not afraid to show who he is. And Scott Jackson, who is the outstanding pre and postgame radio host for Commander's Radio network, joins his follow him on Twitter at jacks and Sports. Obviously, people want to always ask you, and you probably almost get tired of talking about Jayden Daniels. I don't we see what he does well? The thing that impresses me most from Afar you would know better
than I would. But from Afar is his willing to be unnerved. He never seems like the moment is too big. Is he has he surprised you in any way when he first came out of LSU? And how has he gotten better through the year through the season?
Do you think I see? I think he learns on the go, like if something is something that he's not doing well, he'll fix it the next week or even really the next player next series. You know, maybe he gets caught on, you know, he messes up a covers, gets picked off, you know, reads it wrong. You know it's not gonna happen again. He has not had big interception games this season. He is and really smart with the football. And you know it's the first after the
first week. They played awful against the Buccaneers in Week one and of course it just beat them, and you know, I remember he just took a lot of hits and he was very quick to run out of the pocket that week, didn't really have his eyes up. All the things that he was good at in college he wasn't doing in Week one. Next week comes the Giants game, sliding, you know, looking downfield when he's moving, you know, they in the end zone. They kind of kick seven pield
goals and week do to win a game. Then there's that Monday night game against the Bengals in Week three where like everything worked. I mean he was hitting downfield with McLaurin, which hadn't been happened before. And it's just like it's been a progression since there. And you know, the confidence and you mentioned the unflappable manner. So true. I mean the other night he's sitting on the benches sing.
Gonzalez is literally joinking the right up right, you know, and the ball's going through and he like he is like a he's just smiling on the bench and he kind of gets up really jill like and hugged one of the coaches that came over to him or one of the traders, and you know, just then starts celebrating. You know, But it just doesn't seem like the thing about him is I don't I don't think any of
this surprises him. Like he's not going to say like, yeah, I knew I was going to come to the league and be you of the Year and we were going to win twelve regular use the game. But I don't. I think he knows. He's that kind of athlete that has put in the time. And this is truly what the great ones to do, right, They put in the time.
They have a schedule, league stick to. I mean, he has a routine, is very regimented, and he puts in the work so he expects to be successful when they step on the field each and every week, and he has been. I mean he really has been, even when he has some games where we're like, hey's a little off, what's going on, And then he'll settle in and he'll know, he'll start hitting.
Yeah. What I really like about him is I think too often times we label running quarterbacks air quotes there that that's what they do best. I think he throws the ball better than he runs, and he's really good throwing the football. Too many times we just assume that that's how he makes his living. He's going to be running it. If he were a pocket quarterback or had to roll out and throw like we've seen plenty of this year, he could still be one of the best
quarterbacks the league. There's no question. He doesn't need his legs to validate how good he is.
Yeah, with this offensive line he does unfortunately at times. But yeah, I mean you're right. I mean it's like, I look, everybody wants to compare twenty twelve Robert Griffin and the third right Heisman Trump's winner as well. Yeah, that can overall pick but very different number one personalities, very different work ethics in terms of the way Jaden has put in the film work and he eases a much more polished passer which you hit it on the head.
Robert really needed that run. And look, don't get me wrong. The RPO is good for them, It's good for a lot of teams. I mean, you know, you've got teams that don't have athletic running quarterbacks all the time. It's a good way to address defenses. But he has. Yeah, he's excelled with his accuracy is really top notch. And you heard this coming out of draft, and you know, look, they're they're fortunate to have him. I mean, it's been a blessing. There's a franchise that has spun their wheels
for decades, even when they were good. You mentioned it, coming in three different Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks. They never really had that one franchise guy. They have the Hall of Fame quarterbacks on way way back like Paul and Jurgensen, but they never really drafted a quarterback
and developed one. You know, in this era of modern you know, passing football, and I think you know, again you got to always say, you know it's early, but you know the early results had been excellent.
Yeah, and had MVPs like Mark Rippon and one and the Lions can speak to that experience speaking of the Lions thirty thousand foot view. Outside this market, we all get caught up on our own teams, emotionally and rightfully. So how do you view the Lions. What impresses you most and perhaps what would you consider their weakness?
Well? I love their coach. Okay, I always start there. I was one of these people that was on radio the day after the NFC Championship game of telling people to shut up. I was like, look, this is the way they played all year. They got here doing this. This guy knows this team, this is how they played. There is I buy into the four down philosophy like
Dan Campbell and Down Quinn and these others. I think it's important because you can run on third downs, right you get third and seven, you don't have to drop back. I mean, if you're going to play it on fourth down, as long as you don't lose, you know, big chunk yardage. You know. I love the philosophy. Number one. I like the way that their offense is amazing, and I was look, I was excited about the idea of Ben Johnson last
year when the interview process started here. I thought he was he was very intriguing enjoy watching their offense and the new wrinkles they put in each and every week. So yeah, I'm a you know, i'd say I'm a Lions fan from Afar in the sense that like you'd like what franchises do and how they handle their business. And you know, any team that runs a score for the Cowboys is one of my favorites. So you know, I like those kind of thing. I look that the
weakness this year has been just you know geez. I mean, the defense is beat up. I mean, my god, I don't know how many more hits you can take. That being said, I mean the way they handled the end of the year I think is just such a great testament to what they're all about, which is we're not going to take a knee in the forty nine ers gable that we could have, you know, come back the next week and blow out you know, division rival to put an exclamation point on the season. That felt inevitable.
I mean all year we're like, oh, they're the number one seed by a lot, but they weren't right because like no, but actually gonna have to play Week eighteen to get it. So yeah, I love everything they've done to this point, and I think you know, defensively, yeah, there's some there's some aspects of their defense you look
at and sink, yeah, I do. You know, they're gonna have some The Commander's gonna have some chances here to make some plays and they're gonna but the Commander's big key, kind of like they did against Tampa, is they're gonna have to stay on the field like they're gonna have to have long drives and finish them off with touchdowns and keep golf for that offense and the sideline as long as possible because that's gonna be Look, the Lions offense is gonna be the best unit at the stadium
on on Saturday night, and they've got to try to limit their opportunities as best as possible and obviously maximize theirs.
And they're gonna have to play their game of the year in all three phases and they haven't done that yet, which is you know, interesting, but you know it's sometimes it never happens for teams, right, I mean, I think that that's what is really challenging about this this game, you know, coming up Saturday night and exciting, but I think there's a lot of similarities from what the two have gone through to get back to this point.
You can follow them on Twitter at Jackson Sports. He you's got Jackson, the Commander's pre game show host, joining us here on X's and Bros. Every team has weaknesses. There's there's no perfect team out there. Washington very susceptible to the run. It's one thing, one of the many things. I think Detroit's offense does exceptionally well. And David Montgomery comes back to compliment Jamier Gibbs like he has most
of this season. How challenging do you think that'll be and how concerning do you think that is for Washington fans knowing Detroit's run team is as stout as it is.
Yeah, it is. I mean they did the same thing last week. It's the Bucks, and they were able. Like I said, you know, the limit opportunities for Tampa. You know, it's just forty eight plays I think helped a lot. And Bucky Irving, you know, never got going like he has been this year, so that that's encouraging. But yeah, I mean it has been the weak spot. But here's the weird thing. Some of their worst run defensive performances are games they've won, which is just wild. I mean,
they'll have these games. Will they'll give up, you know, not much, and they'll get us some chunk runs like Sakwon Barkley the Eagles, you know when they beat the Eagles and the game where galn Hurst was knocked out of in the first quarter. You know, Barkley was killing them early and then they really locked in on him. Then the first Eagles game, Barkley was getting nothing. They had they had a great defensive game plan. Barket was
getting nowhere. You know, they were really containing that Eagles offense in week one or excuse me, in the first meeting, which they played up in Philly on a Thursday night, and then Barkley popped too late after the Commander's offense, you know, stalled out on a fourth down. But yeah, I mean that's going to be the challenge. I mean, it's going to be one of the loss that that offensive line just really just all parts of the offensive line.
Also the way they move when the you know, the screen game, and then the other things that they're able to do in terms of protections are going to be big, and you know, the ability to tackle, you know, don't let guys, you know, they're great after contact and after catch as we know. I mean, you've got to be really good in those areas if you're the commander's defense.
So that's going to be the biggest challenge for sure, and obviously maximizing you know, opportunities on offense when you get them out there.
Yeah, I'm super excited for it. I think what excites me most is I like seeing good teams play. I know a lot of people feel like, oh, I just want to blow the opposition out. I like watching good teams play. I like watching Jayden Daniels. Not because you're on with us, but I think he can hurt you from the pocket, he can hurt you outside the pocket. I like Zach Ertz. I think Terry McLaurin, now that he has a quarterback, really kind of shines through and
how good of a wide receiver he truly is. He's probably one of the best wide receivers in football. People just didn't know enough about it. You mentioned Philadelphia. Philadelphia now gets the Rams. After the Rams win last night, people feel like you have to run the football, And that's what kind of piqued my interest when you said that about Barkley. Both the Rams last night and the Vikings rushed the ball twenty two times and actually Minnesota
I'll gained them on the ground, which is interesting. Turnovers is big. Did it surprise you? How do you handicap the Rams at Philadelphia this weekend in the NC semi Finals.
I say before last week, before Sunday, I should say I would have said the Eagles by a launch them earlier. This syear pretty good. But after watching the you know, the Rams essentially come out of a bye week. Let's be honest. They didn't play anybody in week eighteen, right, they sat their starters. They were a comfortable dropping down the spot. I'm intrigued by the matchup much more, I'd say coming through the weekend now, because I don't think
Eagles offensively were that sharp. I thought I thought it hurts, looked like a guy who had missed multiple weeks with a concussion. Frankly, And you know this is you know, Eagle fans will tell you if their deep dark secrets sometimes if you if you let them uh one of their one of their concerns, their quarterback. You know, if they if they get into a game where the running game, the balance they got to get the drop back game, can he really beat you, you know, throwing the football
around the yard. And I think that's the thing right now that you know, a couple of seasons ago, when they had the Super Bowl run, it felt like there was a lot more flicking going on there, and you know, with A J. Brown, that was all new. But now, I don't know, it's interesting Philadelphia. I think talent wise, you know, player for player, you could you can make the arguments the best roster owen, but it's not always shown in the results right or the way they play
right now. But yeah, I think there's more of a chance. I'll say this coming out of the weekend, and I've talked too long already the Rams. I have a much better feeling about the Rams that having a shot going into Philly that I did prior to this weekend.
Last thing from you, because you're in depth, indeed deep with the NFC East. You brought up the Cowboys. We were talking about it earlier. We're just thankful that Jerry Jones isn't the Lion's owner. I know the Lions have been the laughing stock in the past, but now no reason to be because she has done a really good job. But Jerry Jones thinks he's the smartest guy in the room and every conversation, especially when it comes to football.
We thought he screwed himself by not allowing Mike McCarthy to talk to the Bears and by holding on he did not talk with Ben Johnson or Aaron Glenn didn't get that chance. But he's going to talk with a guy like Dion Sanders, which you know, to each his own. I suppose how thankful are you that he's not your owner? And what's the overall belief as you make your way through the NFL, especially in that division about Jones and the Cowboys direction.
Well, it's great. I hope he stays forever, you know, doing what he's doing. I don't want him to change. I mean, he does. He thinks he's been doing this since the mid nineties when Jimmy Johnson, you know, just couldn't deal with it. But he's worn.
He's also got rights.
Yeah, right, as I'm saying, is he let Jimmy go, uh, you know, basically force him out by by trashing him and telling him anybody could do what he does and then you watch, you watch it as you know you can't.
That's not true.
It's actually the opposite Jerry. You know, you needed Jimmy needed a football person. You need somebody to you know, to be in charge. But he wants to prove his life's mission and he's going to take it to the end is to prove that he's the smartest football guy and what he's was in that organization and we can see the results. They have wonderful regular seasons, but they
can't get it done in the postseason. I mean, Dion Sanders has already told you out loud what what what he thinks about the NFL, which is he didn't think his style and he's cut out for it. But yet, you know, I don't know how serious these things are. Like he said, he listened to conversation, he hung up the phone happy, but he doesn't really know I what it's going anywhere. And he thinks to stay in Boulder or whatever. So I don't know if this is going anywhere.
I think this is just a great way for Jerry to stay in the public spotlight as he liked to do. And it's about marketing. You know, they're great at making money. Nobody's made more money than he has. He's awesome about it. But in terms of putting together a championship roster and organization. He's not been able to do it since Jimmy Johnson left.
Yeah, I think that would end badly if Deion Sanders were their next head coach. But really enjoyed the conversation with you, Scott. Thanks for the time. Continued success, enjoy the weekend.
Thank you, Matt, you too appreciate it.