Dabs’ Digest: Week 3 conversation with Coach Brian Daboll

Q: On Monday, (linebacker and defensive captain) Bobby Okereke said, “I think my focus wasn’t 100% on doing my job. (It was) about kind of three-quarters doing your job, a quarter trying to do someone else’s job.” Do you think that’s a captain and a veteran trying to take responsibility for his unit?

Daboll: “Yeah, that’s accountability. I’m not going to speak for Bobby. Bobby’s another guy that does everything the right way and he’s a leader for our team.”

Q: There’s been a lot of talk about the run defense (after Washington ran for 215 yards). The two quarterbacks (Sam Darnold and Jayden Daniels) you faced have completed about 79% of their passes. Is completion percentage a stat you look at? Does it matter? You can dump off the ball all day and complete 95% of your passes.

Daboll: “I’d say the efficiency is the most important. You want to force incompletions, but depending on where they are, if they are, call them basically 100% completions, screen passes, bubbles, things like that, then what we need to do is a good job of tackling them. The completion percentage in the history of this league has improved pretty much every year based on how offenses are playing. Back in the day, it was play action, throw it downfield. Throwing a 40-yard pass downfield is not a very high percentage. There’s good reward, but that’s why 50%, 54%, 55%, now with the way some teams play. You get the ball out of your hands quick and let those guys try to do work with the ball.”

Q: Your secondary has (cornerbacks Deonte) Banks and (Dru) Phillips and (safety) Tyler) Nubin. Banks is a second-year pro and Phillips and Nubin are rookies. What is it like as a coach to have the opportunity to watch those three players grow together?

Daboll: “There’s going to be growing pains with young players. There always is. But we think they have good talent. We think they have the right mindset. And the more you play, the more experience you get in this league, the more you see, the more the next time you see it you’re able to react faster and continue to improve.”

Q: You have a new kicker this week. Did you tell Greg Joseph he owes you a 61-yarder (after he beat the Giants with one two years ago for Minnesota)?

Daboll: “That would be great. That was a long one, I remember that, unfortunately.”

Q: You play the Browns Sunday. Did the fact that he’s played in Cleveland and worked with (punter) Jamie (Gillan) have anything to do with signing him?

Daboll: “He’s been to a lot of places. I think he’s had 121 attempts in the league. He’s been on a variety of teams. Obviously, Cleveland, he’s kicked there. So, again, a veteran guy that we thought was the best decision to bring in.”

Q: Twice last week you won replay challenges and then the Commanders picked up the yardage they needed on the next play. Is that exasperating as a coach?

Daboll: “No, I mean, look, when you challenge, and again, I have a good staff of people that do a great job with that, that help me. And that’s our job is to make sure that when there’s an opportunity to throw the flag, if we think that it warrants it, that we throw it. And try to win as many of those, obviously, as you can.”

Q: (Outside linebackers Coach) Charlie Bullen’s back in the building (after surgery for a broken leg sustained on the sideline in the opener). In your 25 years, have you ever been run over on the sideline?

Daboll: “Yeah. I have not. Knock on wood. Don’t jinx me. They’re coming fast. They sure are.”

Q: The Browns were number one in defense last year. (Coordinator) Jim Schwartz has been in the league longer than you. After they beat Jacksonville last week, (Jaguars coach) Doug Peterson said, “his is a really good defense, one of the best in the league.”

Daboll: “I would agree with Doug Peterson.”

Q: What makes them so good?

Daboll: “They do a good job of controlling the line of scrimmage, getting penetration into the backfield, affecting the quarterback. They play tight man-to-man coverage. They have a good blitz package when they use it. They disguise things well. Good players. Got a good veteran defensive line with (defensive end Myles) Garrett (the reigning NFL Player of the Year), Za’Darius Smith, (former Giant Dalvin) Tomlinson, (Shelby) Harris. JOK (Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah). (Denzel) Ward is a top corner in this league.”

Q: Offensively, (quarterback Deshaun) Watson gets a lot of attention, but (running back) Jerome Ford took over last season when Nick Chubb got hurt and has been very productive.

Daboll: “And they have (running Back D’Onta) Foreman, too. Ford and Foreman are both good players, have fit right in and done a good job in their offense.”

Q: Last week, they brought Jameis Winston in three times on fourth-and-short. Winston twice picked up first downs with quarterback sneaks, but the third time they faked it and Ford ran for 36 yards.

Daboll: “They got a unique little short yardage package where they bring him in. You never know what they’re going to do but that’s obviously their wrinkle that they have.”

Q: What has (wide receiver Jerry) Jeudy done for their receiving corps?

Daboll: “I had Jeudy at Alabama (in 2017), and he’s a talented player. He’s got quickness, speed. He’s got versatility as a receiver. He’s got good instincts when plays break down and he scrambles. He’s a good route runner. I think it’s been a good addition for their team.”

Q: Their punter (Corey Bojorquez) has a knack for dropping the ball deep in the opposing territory and out-of-bounds. Last week, he set up a safety.

Daboll: “He’s got a talented leg, and he was with us at Buffalo for a time (2018-20), so he’s been doing it for a while. He’s productive with it. He’s got good ball placement. When he was with Buffalo, he was good for us.”