NFC Notes: Commanders, Giants, Saints

Commanders

Commanders HC Ron Rivera admitted that he is feeling the pressure as he enters his third season as the head coach in Washington.

“I do feel it,” Rivera said, via John Keim of ESPN. “This is the year that says, ‘We’re going to ascend.’ And we should be ascending. What happened my first year was an anomaly. I don’t get too caught up in that. My second year was kind of on par, maybe a step back, because even though I felt we were immature, I was hoping we could get it straightened up and we could work it and go in the right direction. The third season is when you take another step. This area is hungry for a winner. They want a winner and I want to win. I’ve seen the energy level rise. You can feel that energy spike. How long you’re at someplace is all about winning. That will never change. If you’re successful you can have a nice, long run. If you’re not, it will be time to move on. That’s the crux of this business.”

Giants

The Giants aren’t going to be bringing QB Tyrod Taylor in to compete with QB Daniel Jones for the starting job, as owner John Mara, GM Joe Schoen, and HC Brian Daboll are banking on Jones as their starter in 2022.

“He’s shown enough when we’ve had the right pieces around him — when we’ve been relatively healthy — he’s shown enough talent to make us believe we can win with him,” Mara said of Jones, via Jordan Raanan of ESPN. “You’re going to have to wait and see. I can understand there is going to be a lot of skepticism about that. But you’re just going to have to wait and see. You tell me: Which quarterback would have thrived in the situation that we’ve been in over the past two or three or four years? It was very difficult. I think he did the best he could. Plus, he’s been hurt. We think he’s going to be healthy this year. Our offensive line should be better. There are also some pretty good skill players out there. We have a new scheme. We have a head coach who has been very successful in developing quarterbacks. So all of those things indicate we’re going to be better. Until we do it, I understand there is going to be skepticism.”

“Yeah, [Taylor] came in as the backup,” Daboll said. “Again, you’ve seen Daniel here the last few years. I think Daniel, I’ve said this before, he’s got good athleticism, he’s made some really good throws. I’m sure there are some plays that he wants back just like everybody. I think going into it right now and [the start of the offseason program], we kind of got it set the way we want it set.”

“I like Tyrod a lot,” Schoen said. “I was in Buffalo with him that first year [2017] when we broke the 17-year drought in terms of the playoffs there. Morning workout guy. He was always the first one in. Always in there. First one in, last one to leave. He’s smart. He’s a leader. He’s athletic. He can run Dabes’ system and [offensive coordinator Mike] Kafka — the stuff they want to do on offense. You don’t have to change up your offense if he has to go into the game. Similar type skill sets [as Jones] and they can run the same offensive scheme. That was kind of some guys that we targeted. It was guys you don’t have to completely change your scheme in order to run your offense. That was important.”

• Jordan Raanan reports that Washington State OT Abe Lucas is having a Top 30 visit with the Giants. 

Saints

Former Saints QB Drew Brees thinks that current QB Jameis Winston has a chance to be successful in New Orleans if the team continues to 

“I think it’s set up for success with Jameis,” Brees said, via Jeff Duncan of the Times-Picayune. “I think you continue to build pieces around him that will help him be successful. I think the defensive side of the ball has incredible leadership and has been playing at a really high level for the last few years. He’s a young guy, and he’s had to struggle and overcome things before, so he knows how to do that. I think the more that he’s in the offense, the better that he’ll become. He’s with a great group of coaches. Even with Sean’s departure, so many of the guys on the offensive side of the ball are Sean’s disciples, so to speak. [Offensive coordinator] Pete Carmichael is as good of a playmaker as there is in the league, in my opinion. I have vast experience with him.”