{"id":127146,"date":"2021-12-29T18:57:34","date_gmt":"2021-12-29T23:57:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=127146"},"modified":"2022-02-02T18:24:55","modified_gmt":"2022-02-02T23:24:55","slug":"dyami-brown-terry-mclaurin-washington-football-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2021\/12\/29\/dyami-brown-terry-mclaurin-washington-football-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Dyami Brown Needs to Step Up For Terry McLaurin, Washington Football Team"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It was just one play. Only a single catch, and during an otherwise humiliating 56-14 rout, no less. Yet, this one play by Dyami Brown showed Washington Football Team offensive coordinator Scott Turner what he&#8217;s been waiting to see all season.<\/p>\n<p>Specifically, Turner saw the vertical threat rookie wide receiver Dyami Brown can pose to defenses. The proof was Brown&#8217;s 48-yard catch against the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/cowboys\/\" target=\"_self\">Dallas Cowboys<\/a> in Week 16:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Heck of a catch by Dyami Brown <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/DWFUKtXH6c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/DWFUKtXH6c<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NickiJhabvala\/status\/1475287080414687237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">December 27, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>One play doesn&#8217;t make a season, though, and it&#8217;s high time Brown stepped up more often. Especially since Washington&#8217;s leading receiver, Terry McLaurin, has struggled in recent weeks.<\/p>\n<h2>Dyami Brown Can Take Pressure Off Terry McLaurin<\/h2>\n<p>It&#8217;s not unfair to say McLaurin hasn&#8217;t been delivering during the business end of the 2021 NFL season. How you explain his lack of production will depend on how you view his circumstances.<\/p>\n<p>One explanation is that McLaurin is a marked man. This makes sense since he&#8217;s the best wideout on Washington&#8217;s roster. It means McLaurin commands a lot of attention every week. That attention can take two forms. McLaurin&#8217;s either doubled with safety help every play. Or else, he&#8217;s matched up against the opposition&#8217;s top cover man.<\/p>\n<p>The Cowboys took the latter approach in Week 16. They put interception-binging Trevon Diggs over McLaurin all game. It&#8217;s the same thing Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn did when the two teams first met in Week 14. The Cowboys won that game 27-20, largely thanks to how well Diggs shut McLaurin down.<\/p>\n<p>Two games against Diggs, and the numbers don&#8217;t make for good reading for fans of &#8216;Scary Terry:&#8217;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Trevon Diggs vs Terry McLaurin | 2021:<\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udd12 6 targets\/1 catch<br \/>\ud83d\udd12 0.0 passer rating allowed <br \/>\ud83d\udd12 1 interception <br \/>\ud83d\udd12 3 forced incompletions <\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udcf8: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TrevonDiggs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@TrevonDiggs<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/2KyRy9fkaf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/2KyRy9fkaf<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; PFF (@PFF) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PFF\/status\/1475474058917650436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">December 27, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Going up against the most skilled cornerbacks naturally makes McLaurin&#8217;s job tougher. So does having to catch passes from a carousel of unconvincing quarterbacks.<\/p>\n<p>Taylor Heinicke, Garrett Gilbert, and Kyle Allen have all tried to find McLaurin in recent weeks. That&#8217;s far from optimum for any pass-catcher.<\/p>\n<p>Turner can make things easier on his quarterbacks and their star receiver. He can start by making McLaurin a little less easier for shutdown cornerbacks to find.<\/p>\n<p>Some, including podcaster and <em>Washington Post<\/em> writer Al Galdi, are content to put the onus on Turner:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Terry McLaurin over <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WFT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#WFT<\/a>&#39;s last 4 games has just 9 receptions for 124 yards &amp; no TDs on 19 targets. Plenty of reasons for why, but the bottom line is that is an unacceptable lack of production for <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WashingtonFootball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#WashingtonFootball<\/a>&#39;s best drafted WR since Art Monk. Scott Turner must do better.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Al Galdi (@AlGaldi) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AlGaldi\/status\/1473630649517060099?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">December 22, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s a reasonable argument, and Turner has options for getting McLaurin the ball more often. Hiding him in the backfield is one way, while stacking him closer to the line is another.<\/p>\n<p>Playing McLaurin inside more often, the way <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.co.uk\/blog\/arizona-cardinals\/post\/_\/id\/28850\/larry-fitzgerald-has-proven-bruce-arians-right-to-move-him-inside\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bruce Arians used Larry Fitzgerald<\/a> with the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/cardinals\/\" target=\"_self\">Arizona Cardinals<\/a>, would create easier throws and catches in the middle.<\/p>\n<p>McLaurin is physical enough to handle the demands of playing from the slot. Especially if somebody else is challenging defenses from the outside.<\/p>\n<h4>Dyami Brown Can Take Safeties Away From McLaurin<\/h4>\n<p>One sure way of creating more room for McLaurin is to take away safety help. This is where Brown can make the most impact.<\/p>\n<p>Brown&#8217;s speed and ability to stretch the field will force defenses to adopt more two-deep shells against Washington. Provided, of course, Turner dials up more deep strikes for Brown.<\/p>\n<p>In fairness to Turner, Brown hasn&#8217;t exactly been pulling up trees as a rookie. He&#8217;s started just six games and made 11 catches for 140 yards. Those numbers are far from impressive, but the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nfl.com\/players\/dyami-brown\/stats\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">12.7 yards per reception<\/a> is proof of Brown&#8217;s deep threat.<\/p>\n<p>One thought occurred after that catch against the Cowboys. Brown can be another DeSean Jackson.<\/p>\n<p>The veteran&#8217;s still a solid big-play specialist for the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/raiders\" target=\"_self\">Las Vegas Raiders<\/a>, but Jackson once dominated with Washington. He posted two 1,000-yd seasons in 2014 and &#8217;16. Jackson&#8217;s potent double act with Pierre Garcon also helped Washington reach the playoffs in 2015 and post back-to-back winning seasons.<\/p>\n<p>There are similarities between Jackson and Brown. He&#8217;s a slight receiver at 6&#8217;0&#8243;, 185 pounds, like 5&#8217;10&#8221;, 175-pound Jackson. The same fallow frames contribute to the blazing speed of both players.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s a skill being wasted by Turner and head coach Ron Rivera. The latter has already seen one draft pick wasted on a receiver who didn&#8217;t make the grade. Antonio Gandy-Golden didn&#8217;t expand this passing game as a fourth-round pick in 2020, but Brown can be more effective.<\/p>\n<p>Establishing Brown as a deep threat is the only way to salvage another high draft pick and take focus away from McLaurin, the receiver who truly makes Washington&#8217;s offense tick.<\/p>\n<p>Main photo:<br \/>\n<a id=\"AWEU5VHgTMd0qAoDMhY_Dw\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1357409072\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'AWEU5VHgTMd0qAoDMhY_Dw',sig:'kGXg8HpLmDmoED_76MTtosCOspxgCg-Wfj3o-BXzV5s=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1357409072',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dyami Brown needs to step up and draw attention away from Washington Football Team No. 1 receiver, Terry McLaurin.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3988,"featured_media":127203,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22,54,8896],"tags":[1254,7890,7024,7916,4687,5267],"class_list":["post-127146","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-football-team","category-editorials","category-washington-commanders","tag-desean-jackson","tag-dyami-brown","tag-scott-turner","tag-team-featured","tag-terry-mclaurin","tag-trevon-diggs"],"modified_by":"Al Preziosi","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127146","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3988"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=127146"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127146\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/127203"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=127146"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=127146"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=127146"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}