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The starting offense needs to get real game reps together, especially with WR Terry McLaurin coming back, and the injuries on the offensive line. McLaurin obviously won’t be playing Monday night, but the rest of the team gets to gel before he returns. This is also our first look at the Daniels and Deebo Samuel connection, which has been strong all of training camp.
Not everyone will be out there, though, as Zach Ertz, Brandon Coleman, Noah Brown, and Laremy Tunsil will be out once again for the offense. This gives other players a chance to get on the same page, especially on the offensive line, with Sam Cosmi still on the PUP list as well.
Quinn said that the starters won’t be out there for a long time, but every snap counts before the season, and the starters lost a lot of reps when the joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens got called off. This might be the only real reps we see from the starting offense before the season kicks off.
Commanders.com
While Washington opted to sit starters for the preseason opener, the Bengals have taken a different approach, choosing instead to give the ones reps before the regular season kicks off. Paulsen added to Smoot’s point that giving players the opportunity to matchup with starters on the oppositional team throughout the preseason will be beneficial in terms of growth and could help solidify spots on the roster.
Paulsen and Smoot brought up the improvements they were looking for.
“I just want to see an efficient start,” Paulsen said. “Can we compete with the football? Can we run efficiently with the football? I actually thought the offensive line played really well. I know a lot of backs played really well against New England. Can that continue? Can we build on that?”
On what he wants to see from the Commanders, Smoot said he wants them to “get in, get the plays, get the ball moving. On defense, three and outs. Can we make plays?”
Smoot and Paulsen agreed that they also wanted to see a match in energy from what they’ve been watching in training camp throughout the week.
“Everything we’ve seen in practice, let’s see it on the field.” Paulsen Said. “I mean, that’s really as simple as it is. Like these practices have been incredibly sharp. Let’s bring that to the game on Monday.”
Commanders Wire
Whitt explained that this week the Commanders are not getting to a full game plan, “but we will do what we call a ‘snapshot game plan’ where we’ll give them a little bit of what the normal game week will be. But...
