One of the unheralded secrets of winning in a loud environment has been a point of emphasis this week for the Washington Commanders: getting close in the huddle.
The Commanders’ offensive players will need to bring their breath mints with them on a trip to Seattle this weekend, where they’ll take on the Seattle Seahawks and their famed “12th Man” environment.
“You have to get as close as possible in the huddle,” Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin said, adding that communication is also at a premium when the team is at the line, if quarterback Sam Howell decides to call for an audible.
“A lot of that stuff will be based off of hand signals,” Commanders coach Ron Rivera said. “We’ve played at some pretty noisy places for the most part this year, and just worked with the hand signals and stuff like that. So that’s probably the biggest thing is everybody’s got to be able to pay attention, see what they see, and be on the same page.”
The tight huddle allows for clear communication of the play from Howell, who will be looking to build on a pair of strong outings.
The game is an early barometer of who will be in the playoff picture in the NFC, with the Commanders sitting at 4-5, and the Seahawks a game-and-a-half up at 5-3.
Washington has enjoyed recent success in Seattle, having won its last three games there, and this one would set up the opportunity to go above .500 with a home win against the New York Giants the next week at FedEx Field.
“I try not to get caught up in that,” Commanders defensive lineman Jonathan Allen said. “Because there’s just so many other things I’m focused on right now, playing good football being one of them. So I’ll leave that for you guys.”
McLaurin said the key to playing in a loud environment is staying focused in key moments.
“I’ve never been there, but obviously they have that name, 12th Man, for a reason,” he said. “I think for us, you score points in the red zone, and you make plays on third downs, and those opportunities are when the crowds are really loud.”
Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy will be tasked with getting Howell ready for the next test of his young career.
“When you’re playing in hostile environments like that, everything seems to happen a little faster,” Bieniemy said. “That clock seems to be running a little bit faster. I’ve got to get the play out a little bit faster. Everything feels rushed.
“The biggest thing is, I want him to remain calm. I want him to remain poised under pressure, as he always does.”
This will also be the third week together for the Commanders’ new-look offensive line, with Tyler Larsen working as the team’s center.
Larsen is a role player, but one who has unexpectedly found himself in the middle of the Commanders’ last three November runs — he’s 8-2-1 as a starter in the last three years.
Right guard Sam Cosmi laughed when informed of that fact.
“That’s pretty cool,” he said. “That’s our lucky thing. He’s balling.”
Rivera is helping ease players into the burden of this stretch — after these two road games, the team will face another short week on Thanksgiving after its home game against the Giants.
Washington has had non-padded practices on Wednesdays, pushing its most intense work to the Thursday practice, and giving the players an extra day to heal.
“The high emphasis more than anything else on Wednesdays is the mental aspect, and really just making sure you’re aware of what we’re trying to do,” Rivera said. “For the offensive linemen, understanding what we’re going to see versus this defensive front. For the receivers, what kind of coverages are we going to get, and how are we going to be able to beat those coverages?”
Those are issues they’ll work to unravel as they prepare for a trip to Seattle where the Commanders are underdogs, but have the opportunity to create a winning stretch of football at a key time.
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