Which Washington Commanders news stories are hitting the headlines as the team gears up for their Week 5 primetime clash versus the Chicago Bears tonight?
And just like that, another game day is upon us. A short week for the Washington Commanders sees them kick off Week 5 with their Thursday Night Football showdown at home against the Chicago Bears, which represents a good opportunity to get back into the win column following two straight losses versus Super Bowl-contending opposition.
Nothing is guaranteed where the NFL is concerned, but another sold-out crowd at FedEx Field will be roaring on the Commanders every step of the way. Until then, the stories causing debate include Quan Martin's involvement, Sam Howell's preparation, Ron Rivera seeing togetherness from his squad, and Terry McLaurin's favorite route.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Commanders WR Terry McLaurin's favorite route
There are few who would argue that Terry McLaurin isn't one of the league's best route-runners. The former third-round selection might go under the radar compared to others, but the esteem in which he is held around the NFL is proof positive of the exceptional credentials he's brought to the table since coming out of Ohio State.
McLaurin has a chance to build on his 212 receiving yards through four games versus a suspect Chicago Bears secondary tonight. And don't be surprised to see the wideout use the "shake route" as a major method of gaining big plays based on his comments via the team's website.
"It forces the defender to be honest. It's good against any type of coverage in my opinion."Terry McLaurin via Commanders.com
The Washington Commanders will be heavily reliant on the connection between McLaurin and quarterback Sam Howell once again in Week 5. Eric Bieniemy continues to spread the wealth in terms of targets, but one of the prominent leaders within the locker room is always the go-to guy in key moments.
Commanders DB Quan Martin's involvement
A few eyebrows were raised when the Washington Commanders spent their second-round selection on another defensive back. They'd already taken cornerback Emmanuel Forbes at No. 16 overall out of Mississippi State, so to see them reinforce the secondary further was a head-scratcher to many.
Quan Martin was a good player in college at Illinois, but he hasn't seen one defensive snap as yet. When discussing the topic recently, head coach Ron Rivera stated via Sports Illustrated that hopes remain high for the No. 47 pick, but there are good players in front of him that he must surpass before warranting involvement.
"We do have high expectations for him, and it is just a matter of time, but you also got to consider the position he plays. It's a good group of young guys, and when you've got that many guys, the opportunities, they're not going to come. We're trying to make sure he's ready, that when that opportunity is there, that he gets the opportunity to go out and play and perform by being ready to go. When somebody's playing, you're not going to make changes to make changes or just say, ‘Oh yeah, well we drafted him, we got to play him’. They got to earn the right to get on the field too. They got to beat out whoever's in that position. Those guys that are in front of him are all very good football players. At least we believe so."Ron Rivera via Sports Illustrated
This is a good point from Rivera. However, it begs the question of why the Commanders took Martin in the first place, especially considering the outstanding interior offensive linemen that were available when Washington went on the clock.
Commanders HC Ron Rivera on togetherness
The Washington Commanders didn't manage to secure a shock victory at the Philadelphia Eagles after falling in overtime. However, there were plenty of positives to take forward - especially on the offensive side of the football.
This newfound momentum is all well and good, but the Commanders must capitalize on it when they take on the winless Chicago Bears in Week 5. Washington is favored by 6.0 points with most sportsbooks, but complacency cannot become an issue considering the Commanders are on a two-game skid themselves.
When reflecting on how things are unfolding so far, Ron Rivera sensed everything was starting to click based on comments via USA Today Sports. Something that's got the head coach feeling good about the team's chances moving forward.
"Now with the actual games itself, now you know exactly what you got, what you’re doing out there and you feel as if everything’s coming together. I’ve tried to talk to as many of the players as I can and just touch bases, see where everybody is, and the responses have been terrific. They really have. They’ve been tremendous. There’s a sense of eagerness right now. You know, it’s funny; I felt that on Wednesday, and I know I told you guys last week that I thought we had a good Wednesday. I felt that way about yesterday, coming in, and just in less than 24 hours, they were back here, and you know, there is this little bit more maturity, I think, and kind of in a really good way."Ron Rivera via USA Today Sports
Rivera cannot afford to fall short versus the team has famously played for. Nothing but a win will do, but the Commanders should be in good shape if the team performs as well as they managed at Lincoln Financial Field.
Commanders QB Sam Howell's preparation
The last few days have been another big challenge for Sam Howell. This is the first time he's dealt with a short week in his NFL career, but the quarterback has plenty of confidence after bouncing back positively against a formidable Philadelphia Eagles defense in Week 4.
That's in the rearview mirror for Howell now. Much like the team overall, the former fifth-round selection needs to build on the recent adulation with another assured display versus the Chicago Bears despite some differences in terms of preparation.
These alterations were something Howell discussed recently via Sports Illustrated. But the one-time North Carolina stud seemed happy enough that everything was in place for himself and the Commanders to give a good account of themselves.
"Yeah, it's a little different. You don't have all the practices that you usually have in a normal week. But yeah, just being here last year, I kind of got a good sense of what it's like. We had some Thursday night games in college as well, but yeah, I mean, it's different. You don't have near as much time to prepare, but you just got to put a little more time in you might have some later nights than you usually would on a normal week, but you just got to do whatever it takes to make sure you're go into the game fully prepared. I think we've done a really good job of that so far."Sam Howell via Sports Illustrated
Considering the opposition and the fact this game is on primetime, it's the perfect chance for Howell to formally announce himself on the national NFL stage. He's taken everything in his stride up to now, so it would be a surprise to see the signal-caller fall flat on his face.