Headed into their Sunday night matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Washington Commanders are gearing up to face off against a formidable opponent in quarterback Jameis Winston. Known for his ability to scramble and extend plays with his legs, Winston’s penchant for taking off and running for extra yardage is no secret.
While he’s not always the most conventional runner, Winston’s ability to slide around the pocket and make defenders miss has been a key component of his game. It’s an aspect that the Commanders’ defensive coordinator, Jack Whitt, is acutely aware of, and he’s preparing his team to be prepared.
“We’ve gotta stay shoulder to thighs,” Whitt said. “He does a good job of sliding up and out, and he’s keeping his eyes downfield. I know he does scramble, but he’s scrambling to throw. He’s just playing high-level ball, and so, we just gotta get him on the ground.”
To combat Winston’s mobility, the Commanders will be focused on maintaining rush integrity, rather than trying to win with speed off the edge. Instead, they’ll be working to keep Winston in the pocket and limit his opportunities to extend plays with his legs.
“He’s a rare competitor in that way,” head coach Dan Quinn said. “And there’s some guys that, in the pocket, the foot quickness the ability to move a shoulder to get underneath somebody. They do have that. And you do have to make sure when you’re rushing somebody that – we call it a cage – where you try to put somebody into a spot to at least not allow them to hitch up and go.”
The Commanders have a chance to test their strategy against their own mobile quarterback, Jayden Daniels, in practice, and will be looking to put their game plan into action on Sunday night. With the chance to earn their first postseason win in nearly 20 years on the line, the Commanders are ready to face off against Winston and the Buccaneers.
