‘It Begins Up Entrance!’ Dan Quinn Reveals Commanders’ Strengths – Anthony Licciardi, Sports activities Illustrated
New Commanders’ head coach Dan Quinn is aware of all of it begins within the trenches.
After an exhaustive teaching search left the Washington Commanders burnt by the favourite for the job, they turned to Dan Quinn to proper the ship. His expertise and connections shall be trusted to stabilize the group whereas new possession makes an attempt to work its magic.
Washington is staring down the barrel of a rebuild, having traded its two greatest edge rushers on the deadline and possessing the No. 2 decide within the 2024 NFL Draft. Nonetheless, good quarterback play can speed up a workforce’s timeline, and the Commanders are usually not utterly devoid of expertise.
“I’ll begin with the protection as a result of that’s sadly typically the place my eyes go first,” Quinn mentioned. “However, I might say man was I impressed by the within of the protection, with the defensive tackles. Figuring out that it begins up entrance on either side, man, defensive position and offensive line, in order that was the spot that jumped out to me, the defensive tackles.”
Defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne headline a Washington protection that was unhealthy on each a down-to-down and explosive play foundation. Nonetheless, a powerful backbone is integral to constructing a bodily protection – one thing Quinn lacked at his final cease with the Dallas Cowboys – and his two defensive tackles are cornerstones, ought to they purchase into Quinn’s imaginative and prescient.
Quinn additionally talked about the offensive line which, regardless of quarterback Sam Howell doing his greatest to interrupt the sack report, wasn’t as unhealthy because it was made out to be. Former second-round decide Sam Cosmi discovered immense success whereas sliding inside to protect. Washington might take a sort out with certainly one of its early picks, however this isn’t a state of affairs the place a potential quarterback is certain to fail due to his supporting forged.
Washington actually has its issues – underneath middle and encompassing a lot of the protection, particularly – but when Quinn’s hiring of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury pans out, there’s sufficient expertise to be feisty within the first yr of this administration.
Giants rent Shane Bowen as defensive coordinator – Giants.com
New York is hiring the previous Titans’ coach to guide their protection.
The New York Giants in the present day crammed two vacancies on their teaching workers with former members of the Tennessee Titans.
Shane Bowen, who was Tennessee’s defensive coordinator for the previous three seasons, will take over the identical place with the Giants. Tim Kelly, in the meantime, was introduced earlier because the workforce’s new tight ends coach after serving because the Titans’ offensive coordinator in 2023.
Bowen simply accomplished his sixth season with the Titans, eighth general within the NFL. Tennessee promoted him to defensive coordinator in 2021 after he spent his first three seasons as exterior linebacker’s coach.
In 2023, Bowen boasted the No. 1 protection in pink zone scoring (allowed touchdowns on 37.7 p.c of drives contained in the 20), goal-to-go scoring (42.9 p.c leading to touchdowns), and third-down dialog fee within the pink zone (23.4). As well as, Tennessee ranked second in contained in the 30 landing effectivity (34.7 p.c) and opponent third-and-short conversions (50.0 p.c).
From 2021 to 2023, the Titans surrendered the fewest dashing yards within the NFL (89.7 yards per recreation) and a league-low 3.70 dashing yards per carry. They allowed 33 dashing touchdowns in that span; solely the Ravens and Patriots gave up fewer with 30 apiece. Total, the Titans allowed 106 touchdowns from scrimmage in Bowen’s three seasons as defensive coordinator, the seventh fewest within the NFL.
From 2021 by means of 2022, opponents averaged a league-low 80.7 dashing yards per recreation (2,745 whole) in opposition to the Titans. In that span, Bowen’s protection allowed a complete of two particular person 100-yard rushers—one in every season.
In 2022, the Titans led the NFL in dashing protection for the primary time since 2003, surrendering a league-low common of 76.9 yards per contest (1,307 whole) for the second-best end in franchise historical past (73.4 in 1960). The Titans additionally ranked third in third-down protection in 2022, permitting a conversion fee of 34.2 p.c (77 of 225). The 28 whole starters used on protection was the second-highest whole within the NFL, and the 40 whole gamers used on protection led the league.
Eagles to play in NFL’s first recreation in Brazil to kick off ‘24 – Paul Gutierrez, ESPN
Philadelphia will head worldwide for the primary week of the season.
LAS VEGAS — The Philadelphia Eagles will play host to the NFL’s first regular-season recreation in Brazil, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell introduced Monday in his state of the NFL media convention at Allegiant Stadium.
The Eagles, who final performed a world recreation in 2018, will face a to-be-announced opponent in São Paolo on Friday, Sept. 6, the day after the NFL season kicks off on Thursday evening. This would be the NFL’s first Friday recreation on opening weekend in additional than 50 years.
“We’re simply extremely captivated with our development on a world foundation,” Goodell mentioned. “We’re satisfied we generally is a international sport within the close to future. Our possession has dedicated to permit extra video games to be performed on an annual foundation, on a world foundation. We’re excited concerning the followers’ response and our media companions. I believe this can be a nice alternative for the league and we’re dedicated to creating it a world sport.”
The Eagles’ dwelling opponents for the 2024 season are the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Inexperienced Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.
“Brazil is new for us this yr,” Goodell added. “We predict that is giving us the power to entry extra followers. Not simply right here within the States, however on a world foundation. And I believe it’s going to be an enormous hit. We’re excited.”
Per NFL.com, the league counts 38 million followers in Brazil with an “elevated” curiosity in recent times in the case of the playoffs and the Tremendous Bowl. The league’s web site additionally famous 49,000-seat Corinthians Area, which performed host to World Cup matches in 2014 in addition to Olympic soccer matches in 2016, because the doubtless web site of the sport.
The NFL already performs worldwide video games in England and Germany and could possibly be concentrating on Spain in 2025 as homeowners handed a decision within the fall compelling every workforce to play a world recreation as soon as each 4 years.
