The blame game around Sonny Styles didn’t last long once Dan Quinn got a look at the tape.
After Saturday’s game, social media was quick to pin Detroit quarterback Joshua Dobbs’ 50-yard touchdown run on the Commanders rookie linebacker, even though the play told a different story. The breakdown, as Quinn laid it out Monday, started with rookie edge rusher Joshua Josephs, who lost contain and opened the door for Dobbs to burst into the open field.
Josephs had otherwise turned in a strong performance, but on that snap he let the quarterback escape. There was another issue on the play by a Washington defender as well, but it was not Styles. Quinn made that plain when he addressed the run.
“A good zone read for him, and he’s got that ability like [QB] Jayden [Daniels] to hand it off and pull it,” Quinn said of Dobbs.
“So, on that particular one, on that option, they read the defensive end. So, if the defensive end closes, he pulls it.
So, on that particular one, we’d love Josh [Josephs] to wait it out. And then we were in man-to-man behind, so once it’s handed off and we’re out of pass, get off your man, and everybody get back to it.
So, I get it could be a first down, but to have it be a touchdown was certainly disappointing. But it would start with Josh, and then, just backside pursuit and speed to finish.
But he made a good play, too.”
The message from Quinn was straightforward: the touchdown wasn’t on Styles. It was a teaching moment for Josephs, and a reminder that the loudest takes online don’t always match what actually happened on the field.
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