David Blough is walking into his first game as an NFL offensive coordinator with the kind of challenge that can swallow a young coach whole.
The 31-year-old will make his play-calling debut on Sunday when the Washington Commanders open against the Philadelphia Eagles, and the assignment could hardly be more demanding. Across the sideline is Vic Fangio, one of the league’s most respected defensive minds, along with a Philadelphia defense powered by Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. For a Washington offense dealing with questions up front since left tackle Laremy Tunsil went down, that’s a rough first test on paper.
Blough isn’t flinching.
“I think we’ll all be ready to compete,” Blough said about Sunday against the Eagles. “I think you can trust your instincts when they’re founded in hard work, and our whole group has done that, you know? So, that’s kind of the mantra for us is, we’re gonna go cut it loose and, and let it all out there.”
That kind of answer doesn’t sound like someone still trying to find his footing. Blough retired after the 2023 season, jumped straight into Washington’s coaching staff in 2024 as an assistant quarterback coach, and now finds himself in charge of the offense in his third year of coaching.
The outside noise says the Commanders should be in trouble because of their offensive line. Blough and offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton have spent their time looking in a different direction: at the players they do have, not the ones they lost.
“I’m very excited, man. We have so much confidence in that group and the room as a whole, and Darnell’s done a fantastic job getting those guys ready.
It’s been cool to see Brandon [Coleman] after Laramy [Tunsil] goes down, just step in and do a really good job. So, I’m excited to see them gel.
You know, that takes time, and we’re really confident in that.”
Blough’s confidence is rooted in the basics, and he said Sunday will come down to which team executes them better.
“What gives me confidence is that this game always comes down to fundamentals and the team that blocks better, the team that tackles better, the team that throws and catches better, the team that takes care of the football better, you know, will win the game,” Blough said. “And we’ve been drilling it; we’ve been teaching. So I’m excited for people to see what our unit’s about and our play style on full display, but we know as a group what it comes down to.”
That’s the right tone for a first-time coordinator staring down a heavyweight. The Eagles are expected by plenty of people to handle Washington, and handle it comfortably. Blough seems fine with that.
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For the Commanders, the immediate question is whether they get Seattles preferred starter back in time for Week 3. Darnold could return as soon as that meeting, which adds another layer to a game Washington may already be tracking closely as the early schedule starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Tim Settle Could Decide Washingtons Biggest Week 1 Problem
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Tim Settles return gives the Commanders a defender built for that sort of fight. His development has centered on better technique, and the staff believes he can help steady the middle by doing the simple things well, especially in a scheme where gap control matters so much. For Washington, the question is whether that progress is enough to change a problem that has already shown up at the worst possible time. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Carries One Huge Question Over Washingtons Season
Jayden Daniels spent the offseason under a fair amount of scrutiny after a difficult previous season, but the conversation around him has started to shift. Around the league, there is growing optimism that the Commanders quarterback can take a step forward with David Blough taking over as offensive coordinator and a revamped defense expected to give the team more balance than it had before.
Even with that buzz, the biggest question around Washington still hangs over Daniels himself: whether he can stay healthy enough to make it matter. If he does, he should be central to whatever this season becomes, but his impact will depend just as much on the team clicking around him as it will on his own progress. [Read more 🡒]