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Locked On Commanders: Next man up for replacing Phidarian Mathis

The Washington Commanders have signed a couple of replacements to replace Phidarian Mathis. The Locked On Commanders podcast shares their thoughts.

WASHINGTON — The Washington Commanders have signed a couple of replacements to replace Phidarian Mathis, who is expected to be out for the rest of the season. 

It just wasn't some of the popular names that David Harrison and Chris Russell of the Locked On Commanders podcast discussed after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Also, some cool stats and Sunday Superlatives, a Detroit Lions player to watch out for, and a cool new job for a Super Bowl Champion.  

Watch or Listen to the Locked On Washington Commanders Podcast:

Offensive options could continue to help Wentz, Commanders

Acquiring quarterback Carson Wentz was just one part of the Washington Commanders' plan to open up the offense.

Drafting Jahan Dotson in the first round, along with getting receiver Curtis Samuel and Logan Thomas back from injuries, is expected to give Wentz plenty of options to work with. Wentz completing TD passes to Dotson, Samuel and recently extended top wideout Terry McLaurin in a season-opening victory against Jacksonville showed the best of what this offense could be. The Detroit Lions are up next in Week 2.

“We’re very versatile, and I think that’s what makes us have the ability to do some really good things,” Wentz said after his four-touchdown, two-interception performance. "(The game) showed a little bit of who we are and what we can do: running the ball, spreading teams out, underneath taking shots and hopefully we can keep getting better at it.”

Five different players had at least one carry, and seven caught a pass from Wentz, who also targeted three others in spreading the ball around. This is how it was supposed to be last year before Samuel's groin injury derailed his season, and it's exactly what coach Ron Rivera and offensive coordinator Scott Turner envisioned.

“If we can spread it and keep it spread, it spreads the defense and then we’ll see some plays happen,” Rivera said Monday. “We’ll be able to use the underneath passing game. We can throw it over the top. Those are the things that happen when you can spread the ball and they just don’t focus in on one guy.”

If there's one guy to focus on, it's McLaurin, and the Jaguars limited him to one catch for 9 yards before Wentz connected with him on a 49-yard touchdown. The presence of Samuel outside, Dotson in the slot and tight ends like Thomas and rookie Armani Rodgers makes it difficult on opponents.

“We just got a lot of talent,” Thomas said. "Sometimes you can just double a guy and completely take him off, and if you do that, you’re allowing three other guys, four other guys to be able to run down the field, too, and cover. That’s tough. That’s tough on any defense.”

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