The Commanders got Austin Ekeler back in the mix, and the veteran running back made it clear why he jumped at the chance. For Ekeler, the draw was simple: a shot to be on the active roster and possibly make an immediate impact.
“The opportunity to be on the 53[-man roster] was something I couldn’t pass up,” Ekeler said, via the team’s website. “Get right back into the game is what I was looking for.”
Ekeler also likes what he sees in Washington’s backfield. He believes the group has room to grow, and that adding another layer to it can only help.
“I think the more firepower we have, the better, especially at the running back position,” Ekeler said. “It’s a brutal position; you take a lot of hits, and you have a lot of different body types for different types of play schemes. That’s what I think is what’s best of what we have now.”
In Philadelphia, DeVonta Smith is stepping fully into the spotlight after the Eagles traded A.J. Brown to the Patriots in the offseason. Smith said being the clear top target carries meaning for him, and he believes the timing fits where he is in his career.
“I take a lot of pride in it,” Smith said, via Tim McManus of ESPN. “I feel like it was time… It was time for me to go out there and show what I can do, that I can be that guy. I had the opportunity and I went out there and did it.”
That edge, according to the people who knew him long before the NFL, has always been part of Smith’s makeup. His high school receivers coach, Christopher Gordon, described him as a player with plenty of competitive bite.
“He’s not selfish, but he’s fiery and feisty,” Gordon said. “He’s always been that guy, to where it’s ‘Give me the ball.’ You know, ‘I’m gonna make a play.'”
Smith’s high school head coach, Zephaniah Powell, also recalled how seriously Smith took the idea that he needed to get stronger.
“So I get there and he gets up off the ground. I say, ‘DeVonta, what are you doing?’
He said, ‘Well, you know, Coach, I’m a little slighter of build, so I know I have to get bigger. So every time I see my reflection, no matter if it’s in a window or water puddle or whatever, I drop down to do pushups,'” Powell said.
“I say, ‘You do this every day, all day? He says ‘Yes sir, and plus I’m in the weight room as well.'”
Over in New York, the Giants are dealing with a major blow after Brian Burns went down with a season-ending torn ACL in Week 3. Kayvon Thibodeaux said losing Burns stings because of everything he brings to the defense and the locker room.
“It definitely hurts, man,” Thibodeaux said, via GiantsWire. “Having Burns go down, he gives so much to the game.
He gives so much to the room. I’m definitely wishing him a speedy recovery… I’ve just got to play my game.
I’ve got to command, and I’ve got to make my presence known.”
Thibodeaux also said he’s comfortable with the chance to handle a more traditional edge role, noting that narrowing his focus can help him deliver for the team.
“I would say definitely, just being able to kind of focus on one job and be out there and be able to deliver for the team,” Thibodeaux said.
In Other News...
Commanders Got Pulled Into Jason Kelces Latest On-Air Awkward Moment
Jason Kelce found himself in another clumsy on-air moment during the NFL International Series game between the Commanders and the Colts, when he slipped and used Washingtons former team name. Dave Pasch quickly corrected him on the broadcast, keeping the moment from lingering too long, but it was the kind of live-TV stumble that instantly stands out when the whole audience catches it in real time.
Kelce has already had a few of these awkward broadcast miscues lately, including a separate slip on Monday Night Football when he referred to the Eagles as "we." For Washington fans, it was another reminder that even in a game with an overseas spotlight, the conversation can drift away from the action on the field and into the broadcast booth. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders London Game Suddenly Feels Very Different Before Colts Matchup
The Commanders trip to London just picked up a different kind of weight. What was already an unusual early kickoff against the Colts on Oct. 4 now has a new quarterback storyline attached to it, with Jayden Daniels sidelined and Marcus Mariota set to make the start. Washington is also carrying a mixed injury picture into the game, with Sam Cosmi and Nick Cross ruled out while Frankie Luvu and Chig Okonkwo are back in the fold.
For a team trying to keep its footing on an international stage, the ripple effects are hard to ignore. A morning kickoff alone can alter the feel of a game, but losing Daniels changes the way Washington will have to approach everything from protection to tempo against Indianapolis, even as a few injured pieces return to help stabilize the roster. The matchup still has plenty of intrigue, but it now looks like a very different kind of test for the Commanders. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Now Face A Brutal Problem Heading Into Division Games
The Commanders left London not just with a loss to the Colts, but with a deeper sense of urgency heading into the division stretch. Playing with third-string quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis after injuries sidelined Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota, Washington was already operating under difficult conditions before Indianapolis pulled away for a 30-13 win. Jonathan Taylor powered the Colts with two rushing touchdowns, and Daniel Jones added another on the ground even while his passing day never quite got going.
For Washington, the bigger concern is how thin the offense looked by the end of the trip. Wide receiver Jaylin Lane also exited with an ankle injury, adding another health issue to a unit that is suddenly scrambling for answers. With division games up next, the Commanders are facing a stretch where every missing piece matters, and the margin for error already looks painfully small. [Read more 🡒]