Washington Commanders offensive coordinator David Blough is making an early case that the team’s gamble was the right one, and the alternative looks rough enough to make that decision feel even sharper.
Blough came in as a risky hire. He didn’t bring the kind of experience teams usually lean on when they want the “safe” option, even with Dan Quinn backing him from the start.
That belief mattered, because Quinn wasn’t the only one who saw something there. Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell also had Blough in the mix for his own opening.
That matters now because another candidate who was discussed for Washington’s job has stumbled badly in his new spot.
Mike McDaniel, who was connected to Quinn from their time together with the Atlanta Falcons and once worked in Washington as the team’s wide receivers coach under the Mike Shanahan coaching tree, was seen by many as the more established choice. He later became head coach of the Miami Dolphins for four seasons, and his background made him an appealing name when the Commanders were searching.
But Washington went with Blough instead, even as plenty of fans wanted the kind of experienced hire that felt safer for the 2026 season. Quinn put his faith in the 31-year-old, and that choice has already started to pay off. Blough has the Commanders looking anxious about how they’ll keep him around after his masterclass against the Seattle Seahawks, with some already viewing him as a future head-coaching candidate.
McDaniel, on the other hand, is tied to a Chargers start that has gone off the rails.
Los Angeles is 0-3 after losing two home games to teams it was expected to beat. The schedule doesn’t get kinder from here, either, and the Chargers could realistically be staring at 0-6 by the time they reach their bye week.
The offense has been the biggest problem. The Chargers haven’t scored more than 16 points in any game so far, and Justin Herbert has more interceptions than touchdown passes. The roster has its limits, but the job of an offensive coordinator is to make those pieces work, and that hasn’t happened.
For McDaniel, the early returns are ugly enough to raise a bigger question: how much of his reputation was built on having Tyreek Hill at full speed in Miami? His system leaned heavily on speed, and the Chargers don’t have that kind of juice. Based on this start, it’s hard to imagine he would have done much better in Washington if Quinn had taken that path.
In Other News...
Commanders Got Pulled Into Jason Kelces Latest On-Air Awkward Moment
Jason Kelce found himself in another clumsy on-air moment during the NFL International Series game between the Commanders and the Colts, when he slipped and used Washingtons former team name. Dave Pasch quickly corrected him on the broadcast, keeping the moment from lingering too long, but it was the kind of live-TV stumble that instantly stands out when the whole audience catches it in real time.
Kelce has already had a few of these awkward broadcast miscues lately, including a separate slip on Monday Night Football when he referred to the Eagles as "we." For Washington fans, it was another reminder that even in a game with an overseas spotlight, the conversation can drift away from the action on the field and into the broadcast booth. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders London Game Suddenly Feels Very Different Before Colts Matchup
The Commanders trip to London just picked up a different kind of weight. What was already an unusual early kickoff against the Colts on Oct. 4 now has a new quarterback storyline attached to it, with Jayden Daniels sidelined and Marcus Mariota set to make the start. Washington is also carrying a mixed injury picture into the game, with Sam Cosmi and Nick Cross ruled out while Frankie Luvu and Chig Okonkwo are back in the fold.
For a team trying to keep its footing on an international stage, the ripple effects are hard to ignore. A morning kickoff alone can alter the feel of a game, but losing Daniels changes the way Washington will have to approach everything from protection to tempo against Indianapolis, even as a few injured pieces return to help stabilize the roster. The matchup still has plenty of intrigue, but it now looks like a very different kind of test for the Commanders. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Now Face A Brutal Problem Heading Into Division Games
The Commanders left London not just with a loss to the Colts, but with a deeper sense of urgency heading into the division stretch. Playing with third-string quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis after injuries sidelined Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota, Washington was already operating under difficult conditions before Indianapolis pulled away for a 30-13 win. Jonathan Taylor powered the Colts with two rushing touchdowns, and Daniel Jones added another on the ground even while his passing day never quite got going.
For Washington, the bigger concern is how thin the offense looked by the end of the trip. Wide receiver Jaylin Lane also exited with an ankle injury, adding another health issue to a unit that is suddenly scrambling for answers. With division games up next, the Commanders are facing a stretch where every missing piece matters, and the margin for error already looks painfully small. [Read more 🡒]