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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Ivan Lambert

Chris Cooley on Commanders loss: ‘It didn’t have to be that ugly’

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“It was so ugly, top to bottom, and it didn’t have to be that ugly.”

That was how former Washington tight end Chris Cooley began his film review with “The Kevin Sheehan Show” Wednesday concerning the 37-3 loss to Buffalo.

Here are some of Cooley’s observations from his film review. When he says it didn’t have to be that ugly, Cooley then begins showing how the very first drive of the game for the Commanders could have been so different.

“I do see a lot of confidence when he (Sam Howell) knows where his one read is. And I see some gamer in him.”

“Dude, if you are not going to throw that check down, you have to get out of the pocket. You can’t just stand there, eyes down the field, waiting for it to come open. You have to make that decision quicker.

“The Bills were saying, ‘Dude, throw it underneath. We dare you. You’re not going to do it. Your eyes are downfield too long. We’ll play soft. We will give you some of these early check-down throws and see if you can do it.’ And he is not going to. So, he ends up taking sacks.”

“You’re on the 34-yard line. It’s 3rd & 19. You do not have to be a hero on the 3rd & 19 on the first series of the game. He has his tight end out in the flat for an easy gain of 9 to 14 yards. I don’t think Bates is going to get it (first down), but it puts you down to the 25-yard line. It’s an easy field goal. Let’s take the points and have some success early.”

That is an example of some of the details of Chris Cooley’s film review on the first drive alone.

There is much more. Here is the link again.

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