Washington Commanders Head Coach Dan Quinn said the Hail Mary pass in Sunday’s win was not normal, but the team’s explosive energy is. For Quinn, this is all about the team communicating daily. It’s about work on the field and off the field. It’s about knowing teammates’ playing styles and adjusting as a rookie in the NFL. This has led to the Commanders being 6-2 and leading the NFC East. Going into Week 9 for him and the team is another week at work.
Dan Quinn: ‘Little Overtime’ Moments Win Games
Speaking to the media before practice Wednesday, Dan Quinn responded to a question about Quarterback Jayden Daniels’ ability to capitalize on what was described as “low probability throws.” “Let’s take the one from Sunday out because that’s not normal…A good bit [of that] comes [from] the work the guys put in together… Little overtime moments…Extra work to put in with people pays dividends but you have to have space to do that, and that’s a big piece of that.”
Those moments have paid off. Including Daniels, Running backs Austin Eckler and Brian Robinson Jr. have more than 200 yards rushing this season. Robinson carries the most weight, leading the team in rushing with 464 yards. The receiving side of the ball for Washington is just as good. Seven players have 100 receiving yards. Four players have more than 200 receiving yards. Receiver Terry McLaurin leads the pack with 579 yards.
Along with everyone getting a good investment performance-wise on the field, Dan Quinn also cited the team’s maturity. He said, “What makes me think about those guys first is the maturity of this group. They have really leaned into one another. They were really ready for the challenge. I think some of that comes with their maturity….they’ve really bonded. The older guys have a lot of respect and regard for them because of the way they compete and they can be counted on.”
Daniels: It’s ‘On To The New Week’
Speaking to media after practice Wednesday, Daniels said he felt good and was taking it day to day. “It’s just how I feel daily,” he said, not giving a timeline on when he would feel 100 percent. When it came to Sunday’s win and the hype that goes with it, he said it’s already behind him and is focusing on the next game. Dan Quinn’s comments on the team’s maturity were seen in Daniels’ demeanor. He was completely calm and focused. “Yesterday’s in the past and I was on to the new week so, that’s how I took that approach,” Daniels said.
The Commanders will face the New York Giants in Week 9. They beat the Giants earlier this season thanks to the kicking ability of Austin Seibert. Seibert kicked a team-record seven field goals, including the game-winner from 30 yards out as time expired, giving the Commanders a 21-18 win over the New York Giants in Week 2.
Daniels Is Staying Focused
For Daniels, it’s still just another game. “At the end of the day what happened last week and the week before that doesn’t matter, ” he said. “It’s not going to carry over to the next team…at the end of the day, we gotta go out there and play ball. We gotta go out there play fast, physical, and try to execute our game plan.” For Dan Quinn, he’s got a team completely dialed in, celebrating just enough for the moment, but preparing for the next.
Going into Week 9, both teams had time to adjust and realign. The Commanders lead the NFC East while the Giants are dead last in the division at 2-6. They lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 28-16 Monday night. “It’s going to be a different game,” Daniels said. “It’s gonna be different from Week 2 to now. Obviously, they’ve grown as a defense and a team. We’ve grown as an offense and a team so it’ll be fun to go out there and play a division foe again.”
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