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Commanders struck gold with Frankie Luvu
Breaking down how well Frankie Luvu has played for the Commanders in his first year in Washington.
Run Defense
One of the knocks on Luvu when he was signed was that he can be a little erratic because of his play style, which can lead to him being a bit boom or bust. Sometimes that style could enable him burst through the line of scrimmage and make a big tackle for loss, but sometimes it could backfire and lead to him running to the wrong spot at great speed. But since signing for Washington, and quite possible thanks to playing next to a guy like Bobby Wagner, Luvu has been very strong with his run fits generally speaking this season.
Here’s a duo run from earlier in the season against the Giants. The idea of duo is to create as many double teams up front as possible, with the offensive lineman using double teams to drive back the defensive lineman up to the linebackers. Duo can be a very hard play to defend for defensive lineman because they’re put in two-on-one situations, so to prevent those defensive lineman from getting driven back too far, the linebackers have to fill quickly. You can see Luvu and Wagner do that perfectly here. Both step up to the line of scrimmage immediately and force the offensive lineman to peel off their double teams early to try and pick them up.
Luvu is more aggressive than Wagner here. He immediately initiates contact with the center, who was still trying to help the right guard on the double team. By being so aggressive, Luvu can stand up the center and shed the block quickly, peeling off to tackle the running back at the line of scrimmage for a minimal gain.
That speed of action while making the correct play has continued for Luvu throughout the season.
Commanders.com
Pro Bowl watch | 10 Commanders receive top recognition in fan votes
After two weeks of fan voting, 10 Commanders players are in the top 10 of their respective positions. Sitting at the top is rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who leads the NFC quarterbacks and is third overall for his position behind Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels. The signal-caller has smashed several league and team records, and with four games left to go in the 2024 season, he’s projected to break the Commanders’ rookie passing yards record set by Robert Griffin III back in 2012.
But Daniels is not the only Commanders player getting hype for their 2024 performance. Here is a position-by-position breakdown of where each of Washington’s top 10 vote-getters stand in the voting as of Dec. 9.
Commanders.com
Commanders name Jeremy Reaves as team’s Ed Block Courage Award recipient
The Washington Commanders announced today that they have named safety Jeremy Reaves the winner of the team’s 2024 Ed Block Courage Award. The honor is given annually to a player from each National Football League team who displays extraordinary courage in the face of adversity.
Reaves missed the majority of the 2023 season after suffering a torn ACL in the team’s Week 5 contest against the Chicago Bears.
Reaves returned to Washington for the 2024 season and was healthy for the start of training camp. Reaves has appeared in all 13 games for the Commanders this season and has been a leader on one of the best special team units in the NFL. Through Week 14, he ranks in the top five in the NFL in special teams tackles and has recorded one forced fumble.
Athlon Sports
Commanders Marshon Lattimore Maybe Finally Ready For Debut
Washington Commanders are feeling good surrounding Marshon Lattimore’s potential debut against his former team.
All-Pro cornerback Marshon Lattimore, acquired from the Saints at the trade deadline, has yet to make his Commanders debut due to a hamstring injury sustained in October. The upcoming matchup in Louisiana adds an extra layer of intrigue, with fans and analysts closely watching Lattimore’s progress during practice this week.
Head coach Dan Quinn provided an update on Lattimore’s recovery in a press conference, expressing optimism while remaining cautious.
“Last week went good—a lot of top-speed running. So, hitting all the markers as we’re moving along. He was able to participate in the work we did today. As we’re getting into practice, we’re looking forward to getting him regular work with the practice and with the guys, and we’ll take that all the way through the week.” Quinn said. “Hopefully, that’ll lead into a full week of practice and into the game, but until we get all the way to that spot, I’ll stay guarded and give you guys updates as we get into Friday.”
The Athletic (paywall)
Commanders’ playoff picture remains bright, but tackling Saints comes first
Ample work remains before securing the organization’s first postseason berth since 2020.
That begins with clinching a winning record, something Washington hasn’t achieved since an 8-7-1 mark in 2016. On paper, the latter goal was aided when the next projected starting quarterback on the schedule, the Saints’ Derek Carr, suffered a fractured hand in New Orleans’ road win over the New York Giants. Regardless of how the Saints rally, the Commanders must retain the momentum gained from their Week 13 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
The Athletic’s projections give the Commanders an 81.7 percent chance of qualifying for the postseason. There’s no definitive formula beyond winning the remaining four games, but a 2-2 finish would likely be enough. Anything less, and we’re talking about a potential disaster finish for an underdog team that surprisingly began the season winning seven of nine.
Catching Green Bay would have significant benefits for Washington, but all of that can evaporate with a loss at the Saints. Quinn said he spent his football Sunday watching games, namely New Orleans, rather than contemplating the playoff picture. Later in the video conference, a reporter asked if the coach shared with his players that Washington clinches a playoff berth by winning its final four games.
“There’s zero chance we’re talking about four weeks down the road,” Quinn remarked.
That doesn’t mean we can’t look forward on our own. Here’s a glance at Washington’s potential paths, notable mile markers and injury updates.
Upcoming opponent
Canal Street Chronicles
Who should take over if Carr isn’t cleared: Jake Haener or Spencer Rattler?
After attempting to leap over defenders in efforts to secure a first down late in the fourth quarter, Carr suffered a fracture to his left non-throwing hand that will sideline him for the next several weeks, potentially ending his season. He also sustained a concussion in the process and is currently going through the league’s protocol.
As previously reported, the Saints don’t plan on placing Carr on IR and will keep the window open for a possible return down the stretch. Darren Rizzi described Carr’s injury as “week-to-week” and labeled it as “non-surgical” given the opinions they’ve gathered to this point. He used Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert, who played through a fractured middle finger on his non-throwing hand during the 2023 season, as an example of a scenario in which Carr could suit up with his fractured hand. He hasn’t ruled him out for Sunday’s matchup with the Washington Commanders just yet, adding that Carr is a guy who could conceivably start without needing much practice.
As of now, it’s unclear who New Orleans will have taking first-team reps at practice this week in Carr’s absence. However, Rizzi stated that whoever takes those snaps will likely be the starter come game time if Carr isn’t ready. He plans to meet with both Jake and Spencer...to discuss how they’ll handle things moving forward and will consult with OC Klint Kubiak and QB coach Andrew Janocko to finalize the decision on who will take the reins if Carr can’t go. Rizzi emphasized that he genuinely believes both players give the team a chance to win games.
Podcasts & videos
On the playoffs -- and why the No. 6 seed can clearly be in Washington's sights; why the Commanders are in a good spot vs. the teams behind them (even the Rams). Of course, the key is getting to at least 10 wins. With this sked, it's a must. @ESPNRichmondhttps://t.co/clzoTDUiNE
— John Keim (@john_keim) December 11, 2024
️ Talking Commanders -- and Saints without Derek Carr, Marshon Lattimore and why running Jayden Daniels should emerge in this matchup with @Matthew_Paras. And a roster/rotation change that should be considered before the playoffs. https://t.co/LwmytSRMDb
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) December 11, 2024
The Bye Week’s Over: The Boys are Back and Discussing Potential Playoff Football
Dan Quinn Addresses Key Questions Ahead of Commanders Stretch Run