Burgundy & Gold Reaction: Week 12 Takeaways & Sean Taylor Remembered

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November 29, 2022

by David Earl

Unveiling of Sean Taylor Memorial

There is enough coverage of the fan outrage over the memorial from the mannequin used as opposed to a statue, which the team never officially stated it would be, to the Nike jersey used when it should have been Reebok, so I am going in a different direction. The sheer emotion from his family, especially Jackie Taylor, is what truly matters most here and why fans even expected to see something masterful by the Snyders is beyond my comprehension today considering the source. What was amazing to see was one of the biggest outrages, the soccer cleats, from the fans was probably the single most emotional aspect for Jackie as Sean Taylor preferred to wear soccer cleats. Honestly,  in the past I never looked in great detail  atwhat type of cleats he wore – how often do you look at another man’s shoes? Seriously though, this memorial incorporated the thoughts and ideas from the Taylor Family (especially Jackie Taylor) and kicks off the Sean Taylor Legacy Project so maybe a little more decorum by us fans might be in order.

I get it: everything Dan Snyder touches will be scrutinized heavily and rightfully so, but this might be one time when we should try to see the full scope prior to critiquing every little aspect of the situation. For example, the reaction to the wire mannequin was severe, as many felt he deserved better, such as a statue like the one we saw the Arizona Cardinals create for Pat Tillman. What was the purpose of this memorial? In honoring Sean Taylor the idea was to display his helmet (yes I agree should have been taped), his proper jersey, and the soccer cleats he clearly used during game time. Well, these modern wire mannequins are a sleek design meant to allow the important aspects of the display to stand out which this has done. This design is also lightweight and will survive any environmental condition and will ensure a long-lasting and clean display. I can’t believe I actually researched these wire displays but I did, right here.

Here’s the point we fans and the media probably need to understand which is this may not have been the best of memorials but it seemed to achieve the end goal ultimately fairly well. It was clear Sean Taylor’s family had input and his daughter Jackie was emotionally moved by the final outcome. The Snyders are in a position where a winning formula does not exist in anything they do, and for very good reasons, so this memorial was destined for a critical review before any idea was laid in place. That’s the unfortunate angle here because it seemed this presentation was along the lines of what the Taylor family wanted, especially to help launch the Sean Taylor Legacy Project. So as you pick apart certain aspects of the memorial, such as using the wrong jersey and not having tape on the face mask, recognize the importance of the proper cleats used, the gloves not being velcroed, and the launch of a legacy project that’s very important to Jackie Taylor. Ultimately we should consider how this hit home to the family and what this memorial signifies. Maybe, at the new stadium, a proper statue will be erected along with other deserved figures being erected like Joe Gibbs and Darrell Green.

Allen Brings Payne

It’s become really simple and the math needs to find a way to work for cap space because Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne are absolute monsters. Keeping these two probably sees someone like Montez Sweat flourishing elsewhere, but when you can control the middle of the trenches and generate a pass rush that becomes invaluable. Even when Atlanta was moving downfield after their prior possession was dominated by Washington’s defensive front to force a 3 and out, Payne positioned himself perfectly on a 3rd and goal situation. On the final drive, Atlanta moved the ball effectively via the run game and with Marcus Mariota‘s legs but when it mattered most, Payne combined with Kendall Fuller to end the drive with a turnover. The attention Allen and Payne have received in recent weeks allowed Montez Sweat to have another sack, multiple quarterback hurries plus this is yet another game Jamin Davis was active sideline to sideline. While this unit did allow over 6 yards per play they held Atlanta to a 40% third down conversion rate, made some crucial stops such as the 3 and out late in the game, and created that important turnover.  All of that starts up the middle. Mariota are an example of what this defense lacks, but overall this unit has truly come into form and is showing no signs of regression.

Offensive Identity Solidified

Despite the flaws along the offensive line and their bottom 3rd run blocking performance, the running game managed 4.8 yards per carry.  It was against a bad run defense but it’s still significant. Scott Turner opened the game with a balanced play scheme, passing 7 of his first 15 plays and finishing the first half with 14 passing plays vs 12 on the ground. While it appeared Scott was kind of going away from the run early, as he ran well-designed plays utilizing Curtis Samuel early just to back the defense off and it seemed to work. While Atlanta controlled the clock in the first half by more than 3 minutes, the continued run-heavy approach Scott took in the second half dominated time of possession, nearly doubling Atlanta’s time. Scott Turner adjusted from a near 50-50 play-calling scheme to a 62% run-heavy offense in the second half that just kept the Falcons’ defense on their heels.

The fact that Brian Robinson Jr had a career game leads me to the fact this team is truly winning in spite of Taylor Heinicke‘s performance. The team seems to rally around him and is 5-1 under his leadership these last six games, but Taylor has not had a quarterback rating over 90 since week 8 (98 rating). While the offense has its identity and is driving towards a playoff run, this high off the heels of Taylor Heinicke‘s moxie and guts is sure to not last long. As we enter back-to-back games against a disciplined Giants team, the 49ers are on the horizon, and in another matchup against Dallas, Washington will need better play from him if they are to maintain a run for the postseason. I won’t go into my Carson Wentz speech again, since the bigger picture isn’t often considered, but is there really an answer waiting for Washington in Sam Howell? If Heinicke plays himself to the bench I doubt Ron turns the season over to a rookie, but what if he did well? Howell presents almost a stronger-armed version of Heinicke in many ways, which may be why fans looked to him this season at time. He may be better Heinicke in terms of mobility, certainly has the football IQ even though the NFL mindset may not yet be there, and is a tough, undersized quarterback.

It would be intriguing to see what Howell could do with this team but understand that Wentz would certainly get another crack at this if Heinicke falters. If that happens that will certainly be the only way Carson Wentz remains with the team in 2023, if his performance dictates that scenario of course. Looking forward to 2023 and speaking earlier about finding a way to sign Daron Payne, the one most likely scenario is Heinicke back to compete with Sam Howell, and Carson Wentz let go for yet another team. It almost benefits Washington for Taylor Heinicke to rebound in his performance and just eliminate any potential “What if” situations involving Carson Wentz in 2023 in order to allow a smoother path to a long-term deal for Payne.