Commanders vs. Falcons: Key NFC Playoff Implications

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00:00The Washington Commanders, Jaden Daniels,

00:02they're 10-5 for the year.

00:04And on the other side, it's the Falcons,

00:06who are still sitting right in the playoff mix.

00:09Kirk Cousins, he got the old bench job last week,

00:11but Michael Penix, he steps up and got him the victory.

00:15Four-and-a-half Commanders laying the points at home,

00:1747-and-a-half.

00:19Is that total?

00:21Do we play the Commanders?

00:22Do we stick with the hot hand?

00:25I don't know.

00:26I mean, listen, I'm not thrilled

00:29with Michael Penix Jr. coming in here in Week 16.

00:34I mean, it's great that you beat the Giants,

00:36who, I mean, let's be honest here,

00:38is not a real, you know,

00:40that's not a real feather in your cap here.

00:43But you're going to be taking on a Washington team

00:45that, you know, clinched their playoff spot last week,

00:48did it in epic fashion in a comeback

00:50against their division rivals.

00:52And now they got to get up for a, you know,

00:56an out-of-division opponent here in Atlanta,

01:00who has got, well, a whole lot riding here

01:03because they now control their destiny

01:06since Tampa can't seem to win a game

01:08and got blown out there by the Cowboys last Sunday night.

01:13So they, this is a huge game for Atlanta.

01:17It feels like we might have

01:18a little letdown situation here for Washington.

01:22I wouldn't be laying four-and-a-half with them,

01:24and it would not shock me at all

01:26if Atlanta finds some motivation here

01:30behind the rookie quarterback.

01:32They're going to have to elevate their game for them.

01:35I mean, make no mistake about it.

01:37They got a pretty good defensive-minded

01:38head coach in Washington.

01:40They're going to be throwing a lot of different things

01:42at Michael Pettis,

01:43but another guy that's played a ton of college football,

01:46another guy very experienced,

01:48more athletic than whatever Kirk Cousins

01:50brought to the table.

01:52This is going to be an interesting game.

01:54I think we're going to learn a lot about this Atlanta team,

01:57but I would not be shocked

01:58if this is your upset of the week here.

02:01Yeah, and we'll learn a lot

02:02about young quarterback Michael Pettis.

02:04I mean, first primetime spot.

02:07They've got playoff chances on the line.

02:09It's a must-win for the Falcons.

02:11That is a lot of pressure to put on a rookie quarterback

02:14in one of his first few starts in the league.

02:17And to that point, Joe, let's play devil's advocate.

02:20The commanders come out.

02:21They get off to a hot start.

02:23They put up two, maybe three, 21 to nothing.

02:26At what point do you entertain

02:27bringing Kirk Cousins back into this environment?

02:30Would you bring him back?

02:31Or do you just let Penix out there and you say,

02:33well, we'll live and die by that decision

02:35we made two weeks ago?

02:37I don't think you make that decision

02:40and you can ever go back to Kirk Cousins at this point,

02:43unless something happens to Penix,

02:46which is possible because he's a lot more mobile

02:49and he's going to be running the ball

02:51a lot more than Cousins did.

02:53So the risk of injury certainly is going to be there.

02:56But this is a rookie making his first road start

03:01in a playoff type atmosphere.

03:02So they're going to need, like they got last week,

03:07Atlanta's defense had a couple of pick sixes.

03:09The special teams was good.

03:12Everybody is going to have to help this kid

03:14in order to be able, they have the weapons.

03:15There's no mistake about it,

03:17but the defense has got to have some answers here

03:20for Jayden Daniels,

03:21who continues to light up opposing defenses here.

03:25So Atlanta's going to have their hands full.

03:27Could be some sort of wild, crazy shootout too.

03:30That wouldn't shock me.

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