Analysis
11/12/22
10 min read
Commanders vs. Eagles Week 10 Scouting Report: Grades and Key Matchups
This Scouting Report for Monday night’s Commanders vs. Eagles game is produced by The 33rd Team’s Scouting Department, led by former Eagles, Cardinals and Ravens personnel executive T.J. McCreight and assisted by scouts Justin Casey, Kevin Cohn and Evan Pritt.
Eagles TE Dallas Goedert vs. Commanders LBs Cole Holcomb, Jamin Davis
- Goedert is a key piece in the Eagles’ juggernaut offense that has the league’s second-most TDs (29), third-most total yard average per game (391) and fifth most total points (225).
- Goedert himself is coming off a big game against the Texans, where he snagged eight receptions for 100 yards and a TD. On the year, Goedert has the second most receiving yards (546) for a TE. His 29 first-down receptions are ninth most in the NFL, and his 13 yards/reception ranks fourth among TEs.
- Coach Nick Sirianni described Goedert best and said, “He’s big, he’s strong, he’s fast, he’s mean. That’s why he’s so productive. You’re just seeing his game elevate.”
- Goedert is a do-it-all type TE, who makes a difference in both the run and pass. He departs the line with good quickness, displaying awareness to locate voids, paired with the frame to box out or shield defenders. When the ball is thrown his way, he owns the hands to snag and grab around the frame or in contested situations.
- Once he has the ball, his vision helps to locate open areas, showing the speed to pick up yardage and the play strength/balance to break through or bounce off would-be defenders. Blocking is exceptional for Goedert as well, displaying angles to latch and attach before creating movement at the point of attack.
- Holcomb and Davis have helped solidify a defense that's given up the fifth-lowest completion percentage to QBs (59.9%) while racking up the 11th most sacks (23). Out of 116 3rd downs attempted, Washington’s defense has allowed only 38 of those to be first downs (eighth fewest).
- On the year Holcomb has 64 total tackles as he tries to recreate his 2021 season when he tallied 142 total tackles, two INTs and a TD.
- Davis has accounted for 44 tackles and three sacks. His 10 pressures are the sixth most among LBs this year.
- Holcomb is an athletic LB who commands the middle. Against the run, Holcomb shows quicks to get downhill paired with strike/strength to free himself of blockers.
- When kept clean, he owns the speed and range to close upon carriers. Angles hinder chances of tracking down runners, and he over-pursues on occasion. Against the pass, he has inconsistent diagnoses of plays that can plague his effectiveness. He’s better at reading and reacting to what’s in front while letting athleticism compensate for average processing.
- Davis is a long and lean LB with plus speed. Instincts and play strength hinder his effectiveness in the run game, being late to trigger while struggling to take on and shed.
- He’s most successful when kept clean, showing the quickness to skate past blockers and the range to erase space between the runner and himself. He utilizes his length vs. the pass to strike and delay a target's departure. Though not the most fluid with hips/feet to mirror and open, athleticism tends to bail him out with the speed to keep tight.
- All in all, this will be a good matchup between Goedert and Holcomb/Davis. Though Goedert might not be as fast as Holcomb or Davis, Goedert is an effective route runner with hips and feet to uncover, awareness to sift and settle in open windows, and hands to secure the ball.
- Goedert continues to solidify himself as one of the premier TEs in the league and will look to build upon an impressive Week 9 where he had 100 yards and a TD.
Eagles OL Jason Kelce vs. Commanders IDL Daron Payne
- Kelce has been an ironman for the Eagles. He has not missed a game since 2014 and continues to play at a high level for Philly. He is a leader in the middle for the Eagles and helps set the tone for the OL with his toughness and energy. Kelce is a grinder in the middle who rarely gets beat, using a combination of skill and instincts to win.
- He's a good athlete for the center position and does a good job moving laterally and running in space when he is asked to pull. He has a good ability to get to the second level and good eyes to not get caught up in the muck up front. Kelce also plays with good strength and balance. He has a strong base as well as good body control.
- He has a great anchor and rarely lets defensive linemen get a significant push. When he does get pushed back, he has a great anchor to recover. He has great technique and footwork. He does a great job with his hands.
- He doesn’t get too wide or too high on his strike point. He has the feet to go with the defender and beat him to his spot. Kelce is the focal point to arguably the best offensive line in football and an important piece for the Eagles' sustained success.
- Payne is having a productive season in the middle of the Commanders' defensive line. He has 35 total tackles and 5.5 sacks so far this year. Payne is an active player in both the run and pass game.
- He is a good athlete for his size. He has an explosive first step off the line, great lateral quickness and is sneaky fast. He has good strength at the point of attack to push linemen backward and collapse the pocket. He delivers a blow and can quickly get off it with a great shed move.
- He also has the quickness to get by linemen using his feet. He does a good job of slipping between blocks to find a clean shot at the QB. He has good instincts to see where the ball carrier is going and find the quarterback in the backfield.
- He is a better pass rusher than run defender but still does a good job against the run. Even when Payne does not beat his defender, he still tries to make an impact in the passing game by getting his hands in the passing lane. He can tip balls at the line with his long arms. He is a disruptive force in the middle for the Commanders.
- This is a great interior matchup for everyone to look forward to. Kelce and Payne have a lot of familiarity with each other and are both top-tier players at their position.
- I see Kelce having a slight edge due to his supporting cast around him, but I think Payne will still find a way to make an impact. This will be a fun one to watch for those who love good offensive and defensive line play.
Commanders WRs Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel vs. Eagles CB Darius Slay
- McLaurin will play all over the field for Washington since they look for favorable matchups putting him outside and in the slot. He is having a good year with 38 catches, 16 yards per catch and two TDs.
- When you study McLaurin, you see he runs fast, but he does not build speed – he is fast right NOW and hits his top speed quickly. He has good feet, balance and body control.
- McLaurin is a good route runner that understands how to set up his routes and is adept at weaving and stemming defenders.
- McLaurin will leave plays on the field because he is not a natural hands catcher. Mainly a body catcher that will not go out and attack the football. Because of his body catching, the ball will bounce off his chest when he is contacted by the defensive back.
- What he does best is get on top of the corner, create separation and track the deep ball. His hands and feet work together, and he does a nice job of boxing defenders out.
- I also like him after the catch. He has outstanding balance after contact and somehow stays on his feet and to get up the field after taking hits. He plays strong with the ball in his hands.
- Samuel has 45 catches, averages 10.1 yards per catch and three TDs on the season. Another explosive wide receiver for Washington can stretch the field and create separation.
- Samuel will align in a variety of different spots- outside, inside as well as in the backfield. He is a good route runner that has very good feet and quickness to come in and out of his cuts.
- They work to get Samuel the ball in space to give him a chance to run- that is why his yards per catch (10.1) is not great.
- Similar to McLaurin, Samuel does not attack the football with his hands and is more of a body catcher. I was hoping he would win just a bit more on the 50-50 balls. He will have a few too many drops and they can come at critical times.
- I do like Samuel’s overall movement skills. He is a ‘strong’ runner with explosiveness and an ability to make defenders miss in space. Look out for smash routes, tunnel screens and passes out in the flat to give him space.
- Slay is having an outstanding season for the Eagles. He has three interceptions, eight passes defended and 25 total tackles. In his 10th NFL season, Slay still is an explosive athlete that runs fast and has quickness and good feet.
- You can see his experience when you watch the film, Slay has very clean eyes and is quick to read route combinations, and can recognize run/pass with ease.
- His burst will show up and you can see he can keep up with wide receivers down the field- he is an easy runner that has a second gear.
- Slay is good with his hands in press and can disrupt the wide receiver’s routes off of the line of scrimmage.
- I like his ball production. Slay has good hands and does a nice job of competing for the ball in the air. He has deceptive strength and rarely gets pushed around by big, physical receivers.
- As stated, Slay usually plays on the left side, but in the first game against Washington, Slay traveled with McLaurin most of the time. McLaurin had a solid day with six catches for 102 yards but did not have a touchdown. The biggest play was a 45-yard catch where Slay got caught in between zones.
- Overall, McLaurin and Samuel will be a fun matchup to watch as they face the Eagles' secondary- but it will all depend on the play of the quarterback.
Commanders’ Keys to Victory
- Get the football to Samuel in space and allow him to use his run-after-catch ability to get the ball up the field and create big plays.
- Be creative with McLaurin to get favorable matchups.
Eagles’ Keys to Victory
- Control the line of scrimmage on offense. This is a strength-on-strength matchup with the Eagles' OL facing the Commanders' DL.
- Keep the offense on the field and win the time of possession edge.
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