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

Where are the Commanders in the NFC East right now?

Three weeks of playoffs have passed us, so where are the Washington Commanders thus far in this offseason?

The Commanders have publicly announced that they have interviewed Pat Shurmur, Ken Zampese, Charles London, Eric Studesville and Thomas Brown to fill the offensive coordinator position.

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Eric Bieniemy is now said to be a target. Is Bienemy really that unhappy in Kansas City, that he would choose to leave Andy Reid for Ron Rivera? Would he actually rather work with Sam Howell than Patrick Mahomes?

Why on earth would Bieniemy consider a lateral move, working for a team that hasn’t had a winning record since the 2015 and 2016 seasons? Meanwhile, in those same eight NFL seasons, the Chiefs have won 11, 12, 10, 12, 12, 14, 12 and 14 games in regular seasons.

What are we missing here? What is not being said?

Are we simply to believe Bieniemy would make a lateral move to a young Sam Howell who has attempted a whopping 19 passes in his NFL career? He would actually make a lateral move away from Mahomes, who, since being the starter in Kansas City, has passed for 5,097, 4,031, 4,740, 4,839 and 5,250 yards.

Howell, with those 19 passing attempts, is the only quarterback on the roster for 2023. Consequently, the new offensive coordinator is by necessity going to be someone who has no guarantees about the ownership for the 2023 season, if Ron Rivera will be around for the 2024 season, or if he himself will be around past the 2023 season.

Meanwhile, in the NFC East, the Eagles have, in the last three seasons, drafted Jalen Hurts in the second round, traded Carson Wentz, moved on from a Super Bowl-winning coach, hired a first-time NFL head coach, and are back in the Super Bowl for the second time in only six seasons.

The New York Giants, in their previous five seasons, had lost 13, 11, 12, 10 and 13 regular season games. Enter Brian Daboll. Daboll, in his first season, managed to change the culture of the losing Giants and instantly improve them to move ahead of the Commanders and win a playoff game over the Vikings in Minnesota.

The Cowboys? Dallas won 8 and 6 games in the two seasons prior to head coach Mike McCarthy’s arrival. Since McCarthy took over the reins, Dallas has won 12 games in both 2021 and 2022, won a road playoff game, and gave the 49ers all they wanted in San Francisco in the divisional round. Meanwhile, the TV and Twitter pundits are repeatedly telling you what an idiot McCarthy is.

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