Which Washington Commanders news stories are hitting the headlines as practice resumes ahead of their home game against the Miami Dolphins?
Preparations will officially begin for Week 13 later today, which is the final engagement before the Washington Commanders go on their bye week. Something that's been a long time coming and will provide sweet relief for a fanbase being put through yet another losing season under head coach Ron Rivera.
There is the small matter of Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins to get through first. Until then, the stories causing debate include London Fletcher's honor, where the Commanders stand in ESPN's power rankings, more rumored player friction with Eric Bieniemy, and Rivera's biggest remaining challenge.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
London Fletcher's honor
One of the greatest linebackers to ever play for the now-Washington Commanders got one step closer to Canton this week. London Fletcher was named as a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2024, which would be deserved recognition for an exceptional career.
Fletcher is a four-time Pro Bowler who spent seven years in Washington after a glittering spell with the St. Louis Rams. Many wondered how much the second-level presence had left, but he answered his critics and more with exceptional production and the sort of effort that saw him become a fan favorite in no time at all.
The former John Carroll standout managed 39 sacks and 2,039 tackles with Washington, including a career-high 166 tackles in 2011. The undrafted free agent was a rags-to-riches story that remains inspirational to this day - one that could see him immortalized in NFL folklore sooner rather than later.
Commanders slump in ESPN's power rankings
The Washington Commanders picked a bad time to embarrass themselves on Thanksgiving against the Dallas Cowboys. Television ratings were among the highest for any football game in history, with those viewing forced an absolute hammering that eventually resulted in Ron Rivera finally cutting ties with defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio.
It came as no surprise to see the Commanders' slump to No. 25 in ESPN's weekly power rankings as a result. When looking at where the team stands statistically, beat writer John Keim was under no doubt it was a fair reflection on what's been put out on tape.
"Offense: 22John Keim, ESPN
Defense: 31
Special teams: 22
These rankings explain why Washington is 4-8; it's a collective failure and none of these areas have served as a pick-me-up to offset other unit's struggles. Washington's defense ranks last in scoring (29.2 PPG) and 29th in yards (377.7) -- one year after being seventh and third, respectively, in those areas. That group was supposed to lead the way while the offense -- with a new coordinator (Eric Bieniemy), inexperienced quarterback (Sam Howell) and a questionable line -- meshed. That hasn't happened. Howell has improved and in the past six games they rank ninth in yards -- but 22nd in points. In the first six games they ranked 22nd in yards but 15th in points."
Rivera will take over defensive play-calling in one final roll of the dice to save his job. However, his fate beyond the current campaign seems like a foregone conclusion as Josh Harris' ownership group looks to stamp their own mark on the franchise they bought for a record $6.05 billion.
Ron Rivera's biggest challenge
Ron Rivera has a lot on his plate right now. Firing defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio had been a long time coming, but the head coach must now try to muster some improvements on that side of the football in the hope it can alter his inevitable fate once the campaign concludes.
Rivera has a new set of challenges to overcome. When discussing this exact topic in front of the media, the head coach stated via Sports Illustrated that maintaining focus amid the turmoil represents a tough yet attainable objective.
"I think the biggest challenge, more than anything else, is just keeping them focused, keeping them right where they need to be and understanding that what we're doing is trying to create opportunities, and we'll see what happens."Ron Rivera via Sports Illustrated
Some established stars on the Commanders are not covering themselves in glory on defense. Jonathan Allen's underperformed, Daron Payne hasn't lived up to his lofty contract extension, and Benjamin St-Juste is also going through complications in coverage as demonstrated by a Dallas Cowboys passing attack that identified the cornerback as a weak link immediately.
Just how much Rivera can change things with such a short timeframe before taking on the juggernaut Miami Dolphins offense remains to be seen. But it's another fascinating dynamic to monitor closely this weekend.
Commanders player friction with Eric Bieniemy?
Getting a head coaching job has been a long time coming for Eric Bieniemy. With Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera's departure after the season almost inevitable, attention turns to whether or not the respected offensive mind is worthy of a long-awaited promotion.
Bieniemy's progressed Washington's offense and his work with quarterback Sam Howell deserves praise. However, there's been obvious friction between the coach and players almost from the moment he got into the building.
Some haven't been thrilled with Bieniemy's hard-nosed efforts, complaining to Rivera before the campaign and also reportedly asking the head coach to take back some power in recent weeks. This led Grant Paulsen from 106.7 The Fan to suggest the recommendations wouldn't be coming if Josh Harris' ownership group involved the players in the pending head coaching decision via USA Today Sports.
"I continue to hear that if this is up to the players, if they are counseled in any way by this ownership group, there will not be glowing endorsements by and large for Eric Bieniemy, from the guys on offense. That doesn’t mean I don’t think Bieniemy has done a pretty good job. I do. It doesn’t mean I don’t think Bieniemy has done an outstanding job developing Sam Howell. I do. I’m not sure his style works in today’s NFL as we think it might. I just continue to hear from people in and around the building that the players that are working under Bieniemy aren’t necessarily advocating for or standing on the table for him to become the guy."Grant Paulsen via USA Today Sports
Most of these players aren't fit to wear the famous burgundy and gold uniform. Soft doesn't begin to describe their attitude towards Bieniemy, which has caused unnecessary problems when the best thing would have been to get their heads down and work.