Chris Russell described the Saints’ 2024 as ‘such a weird team season’ on Monday, hours after they won 14-11 against the Giants in a game that saw blocked field goal at the buzzer, a heated argument between the punter and the interim head coach, and Derek Carr lost to a broken hand late in the game.
That Saints team is Washington’s next opponent, so when Jay Gruden joined Rooster on Monday, he was asked for his take on Nawlins right now.
“The Saints started out like gangbusters, the first two games they scored I think 40 a piece in each and I don't think they punted once. They were the team of the decade right there, but then they hit a cold spell, lost a few games, and they’ve lost some key players; they’ve lost Olave, Hill, and Shaheed was their deep threat, and if Carr is out, they have to turn to Haener or Spencer Rattler – so they have to give the ball to Alvin Kamara a lot, and that’s where the focus has to be for Washington. We have to stop Kamara and Valdez-Scantling for the big play, and if you do that, it could be a shutout, because I don't know how else they're gonna move the ball. I know it's easier said than done to stop the outside zones and Kamara, he's a hell of back, but we can protect the deep play by Valdez-Scantling and then all hats on Kamara, and let’s go get them.”
Sounds great, but remember, Washington is coming off a bye, so there’s always the possibility of a slow start – but hopefully, Dan Quinn has a plan like Gruden always did for his team coming off the bye.
“I didn't really have a concern, and I actually loved the byes, because it gave the team opportunities to get back with their families for a few days and just take a step away, and then when they did come back, they were a lot more mentally focused and physically ready to go, and that's important this day and age or this time of the year,” Gruden said. “The offensive line needed a break from grinding and playing physical football, defensive lineman were platooning and playing very physical brand of football, and Bobby Wagner is a veteran, he needed a couple days off. They needed that, and the coaches needed a couple of days to just recoup and come back fresh and really get ready for their stretch run, because they're in a great position.”
Which, that beats the alternative of last year’s bye week, when the Commanders were 4-9 and halfway through a season-closing eight-game losing streak.
“Had you been 2-12, you don’t want a bye, you just wanna keep going and get the hell out of there,” Gruden said. “But this is a perfect spot for the Commanders to get a bye, get their guys healthy, get their legs underneath them and get them back in the weight room a little bit, get some more strength conditioning and then let's hit it running and then get out early on the Saints and take it to them.”