Coach Dan Quinn is aware that star rookie Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders have limited time to fix their mistakes ahead of Thursday’s important NFC East game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
After a close 28-27 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Quinn feels there’s good news despite the short turnaround: there aren’t many serious problems to address, and his team, which has a 7-3 record, generally doesn’t need much guidance.
“If we had a long list of things that were wrong, I’d be worried,” Quinn said on Monday after reviewing the film of the loss. “But this is a group that responds well. A lot of these players already know what needs to be fixed before we even talk to them. That’s the best part — it’s not like we’re teaching kindergarten here, telling everyone, ‘No, put your backpack in the cubby.'”
The players are not panicking about the quick turnaround and are focused on facing the Eagles, with the division lead at stake.
“To have a short week and get a chance to re-prove yourself is the best feeling in the world,” defensive end Clelin Ferrell said.
As for what’s going well, Daniels continues to lead the offense in putting up points, even against tough defenses like Pittsburgh, which had allowed just 14.9 points per game before Sunday.
Daniels is building a solid connection with receiver Terry McLaurin, who had 113 yards on five catches, marking his fourth 100-yard game in the last eight games.
The biggest issue for the offense on Sunday came during Washington’s final drive, when they failed to convert on fourth-and-9 near midfield. Daniels’ pass to Zach Ertz was ruled short. Quinn mentioned that the Commanders would discuss the call with NFL officials on Monday to get some clarity.
