Brian Baldinger Says the Bucs Are a Tough Matchup for the Commanders | Sports Junkies
Brian Baldinger calls into The Sports Junkies to discuss the Washington Commanders matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and what he expects to see from Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00We're all pumped to see Jaden Daniels debut.
00:03Are we getting over our skis a little bit?
00:05Because he's obviously a rookie, even though he's the number two pick.
00:08We know his accomplishments at LSU.
00:11They're well-documented.
00:12He's on the road against a Todd Bowles-coached defense.
00:16Are we expecting too much in game one?
00:18How do you see this game playing out, and how do you see Jaden playing?
00:21Well, I mean, Tampa's a very good team.
00:24They've won the division three years in a row.
00:27They've got a lot of good veteran players there, Vita Vail, Evante David.
00:30I mean, you just go through the roster, it's good.
00:33They upgraded their offensive line.
00:34The one thing, you know, I think Jaden and Cliff and Dan, they know that these pressures
00:40that Todd Bowles literally draws up in his sleep, they're coming.
00:44And so do you have an answer for it?
00:47Are you going to be able to handle it?
00:50What are you going to do when it comes?
00:51Because it's not just third down and seven.
00:54I mean, he's got different pressures from everywhere on the field.
00:57He's very unique like this.
00:59So I think that's a big part of what they do in a pass game.
01:02I mean, you know, it's a good defensive front.
01:04They have added a lot of talent, Elijah Kansi, you know, Yaya Diaby, some of these guys,
01:11people don't know their names, but they're good players.
01:13They've been drafted high.
01:15It's a good blend of defense.
01:17So it's going to be a great test, honestly.
01:18Like, this is a good football team and a team that will really compete for the NFC South.
01:23So look, it's a good test for J.D. in the group.
01:26It's a rebuilt offense, a lot of new offensive players, receivers, whatnot.
01:31It's going to be a good test for him, by the way.
01:34Baldy, I think that the receivers for Tampa are really going to give the DBs for Washington
01:41a tough day.
01:42That's just my gut feeling because Mike Evans and Godwin are veterans.
01:47You know, Evans scores 13 touchdowns a year.
01:50They drafted Jalen McMillan, quick guy, you know, in the draft.
01:55So they've got three legit receivers.
01:59You know, you've got Rashad White.
02:00I just think that they're going to give problems to the secondary because that was one of the
02:03major issues for Washington last year.
02:05There's no doubt.
02:06There's no doubt.
02:07I mean, you know, they signed Michael Davis, who's, you know, came from the Chargers, and
02:11he's had a lot of good days.
02:12He's a big corner.
02:13You know, he's 6'3", he plays big.
02:16Maybe I don't think they're going to, you know, put somebody on Mike Evans and travel
02:20him like that because Mike can line up anywhere, but, you know, you're going to get tested
02:24by those two guys.
02:25This Jalen McMillan, I watched him in preseason.
02:27All they did was talk about this kid.
02:29He was the guy that nobody really talked about at Washington.
02:32But before there was Roma Doomsday, there was Jalen McMillan.
02:35And that's who everybody was talking about going into the season.
02:38And so down there, they were looking for a third receiver.
02:40They've been looking for a third receiver opposite Evans and Godwin.
02:44They feel like they found it.
02:45Baker thinks they found their third guy.
02:48So look, the secondary was the worst and most porous in all of football last year.
02:53They gave up 39 touchdown passes.
02:56They can't come anywhere near that this year.
02:58They've got to work at getting that down into the 20s this season.
03:02And so this is a good first test because you get to the red zone, Mike Evans might be the
03:07best.
03:08I'll just say this.
03:09I remember one day talking to Kurt Warner about the greatest show on turf and red zone
03:13offense and what they did.
03:14He goes, look, Baldy, you drop all the plays you want.
03:15Sometimes it's good just to throw it to Larry Fitzgerald in the end zone.
03:16Right.
03:17Let him go get it.
03:18And that's kind of what Mike Evans has been.
03:19He's been maybe the best red zone receiver in his league over the last 10 years.