Washington Commanders Head Coach Dan Quinn understands the sacrifices to create a winning team. He also understands that it takes everyone, not just a few people.
Coming off their 42-14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, the Commanders will play their second home game against the Cleveland Browns. After having great success on the road, the home game is expected to make for an exciting Week 5. For the Commanders, winning at home and going 4-1 would be the epitome of the season.
Dan Quinn Monday Recap: Defense
Speaking to the media on “Victory Monday,” head coach Quinn said the team is ready to play in front of their fans. “We’re jacked to be back home, to get in front of the fans. I think the environment in the stadium is going to be wild.
We’re looking forward to that,” he said.
Quinn went into Sunday’s game feeling like it would be challenging but pleasantly surprised. The Commanders’ defense held the Cardinals to 17 total first downs, and Arizona only held the ball for 26 minutes. They also forced a fumble and had major stops on third and fourth down. “From an overall standpoint, [the] arrow was up for us…to have kinda the whole thing going together, some rush onto Murray to go into that space.”
Quinn also highlighted the play of the secondary, particularly Safety Jeremy Chinn, who signed in early March of this year. Chinn, a former Panther, had ten tackles in Sunday’s game. Seven of those ten tackles were solo. The third-down stops he felt on both sides of the ball determined the game. “To return the ball to the offense, we can convert the third downs offensively. That, to me, was the swing in this game, the third downs on both sides,” Quinn said.
Dan Quinn Monday Recap: Offense
Quinn believes that when the run and pass numbers are 55 and over, there’s a good chance to possess the ball. The Commanders’ ball control on Sunday was over 33 minutes, thanks to rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels’s field administration and the off-field direction of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.
Daniels also broke Tom Brady’s NFL record of having the highest completion percentage through the first four games with a minimum of 75 attempts. His completion percentage is currently 82.1%. Brady’s was 79.2% in 2007. Geno Smith‘s was 77.3% in 2022, and Kyler Murray‘s percentage was 76.1% in 2021.
But wait, there’s more. Daniels can take over the rushing record, too. Rushing 64 yards this past Sunday against Arizona, Daniels could take the rushing record by a quarterback in his first four games held by former Commanders QB Robert Griffin III. RG3 rushed for 234 yards in his first four games in 2012.
Quinn responded to these numbers, citing the work of the offense as a whole. He said, “The ability to have those completions, that’s just not Jayden, that’s the protection. To have a game where the offensive line can protect and allow him to deliver the ball to the right spots is a big deal, too…To see that come through in a few games so far is a big deal.”
Winning Means Sacrifice
Sitting atop the NFC East at 3-1, the Commanders are on a tear through the NFC, which is rarely seen by their franchise. The last time the excitement was at an authentic fever pitch was in 2012 with the arrival of Robert Griffin III. No one is comparing starting rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels to RG3, but they are embracing that he is someone new and is still growing into the position. He’s not the only one growing into their position. Close to half of the team is new, including the leadership.
Taking a moment to keep the team focused on the road paid off for Dan Quinn and the Commanders. “Being on the road for eight days is sacrifice,” he said. “That sacrifice leads to a lot of connection on the team. It looks like a whole bunch of things on the field.” Those things, Quinn further explained, came in the form of big plays and heavy support from the sidelines. “Those moments, they help,” he said.
While everyone is excited about the 3-1 start, this is not new for the franchise. The last two times the Commanders started the season at 3-1 (2008, 2011), they still missed the playoffs. In 2008, they finished the season 8-8; in 2011, they finished 5-11. An early 3-1 record has never been a good sign throughout the team’s history. Who knows, maybe this year is the year.
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