Daronte Jones has no idea how many ticket requests he’s received from friends and family ahead of the Washington Commanders’ home opener against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The first-year defensive coordinator — a native of Capitol Heights, Maryland — has enough on his plate.
“I leave that for the lady of the house,” Jones said Thursday.
He’s not the only one trying to avoid the homecoming jitters, allowing his wife to handle ticket requests. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs grew up in the Washington region before playing his collegiate ball at Maryland.
The veteran pass-catcher has played in Northwest Stadium for three regular-season games, but only as a visitor. This time, he’ll don the burgundy and gold that consumed the area where he was raised. The storyline is only further complicated by his family ties.
Diggs’ brother, Trevon, is on Seattle’s roster.
But Washington’s 0-2 start has weighed heavily on the Commanders. The pressure to perform has outpaced the more emotional ties.
“It’s a very proud moment, but, with where we are, how we’ve been these past few games, I’m not really concerned with a homecoming or something like that,” Washington’s leading receiver said. “I’m thankful to be here. It’s a great place, it’s my hometown. I’m super thankful. But at this point, I just want to win.”
Jones shared the same sentiment. His defense needs a lift after a lackluster performance following the back-to-back losses.
That challenge represents Jones’ top focus. How can he secure a secondary that will be without starting safety Nick Cross (another Maryland native)? How can he scheme up pressure against a Seattle offense that gets the ball out quickly? How can he limit receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year?
The emotions of coming home and coaching in front of countless friends and family members haven’t risen to the top of the priority list.
“I haven’t thought about it, to be honest with you, in that regard,” the defensive coordinator said. “And I probably won’t, because I’m so much focused on the player and their mindset and they’re getting prepped for this game.”
The fact that it’s the home opener matters, though. Jones said he hopes it’ll give the Commanders’ secondary the juice to find its first turnover of the season.
“I’m fired up about our players playing at home and the crowd and how the fans are going to be there,” he noted. “Using the crowd noise to our advantage.”
“Just ready to feel that atmosphere,” defensive tackle Daron Payne said.
The Commanders aren’t sure which quarterback they’ll be facing on Sunday. Starting quarterback Sam Darnold hasn’t played since suffering a glute injury in the Seahawks’ first drive of the season.
He returned to practice this week, but Seattle could still opt to start second-string signal-caller Drew Lock for the game.
“We’re preparing for both,” said Jones. “We can’t control who plays offensively for them. What we can control is how we play, how we handle our execution, how we handle our communication and how we handle the urgency of that.”
Jones has shouldered the responsibility for fixing the defense. He brought an exotic, disguise-heavy and blitz-happy scheme from his days as an assistant under Brian Flores with the Minnesota Vikings. The early returns have been mixed. The pressure from the defensive line has been solid, but the secondary hasn’t held up its end of the bargain.
The play-caller has revisited his teaching approach and tried to limit the number of decisions that cornerbacks and safeties have to make on a down-to-down basis.
“That’s where the self-scouting and the self-reflection is coming in,” Jones said. “It’s like, you know what? Let’s dial it back to, maybe the 100-, 200-level and not be on the 400-level in certain things.”
The group will be missing Cross, who suffered an internal injury during Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys. Other defenders, such as defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and linebacker Frankie Luvu, are questionable for the home opener.
Regardless of the result, Sunday’s game will mark a milestone for Jones. It’s one that will linger, even if he can’t predict his reaction.
“Who’s to say what happens [when the] national anthem plays,” Jones said. “Who knows?”
“The Star-Spangled Banner” will ring through Northwest Stadium just before a 1 p.m. kickoff on Sunday.
Contact the author
Please read our comment policy before commenting.