The Washington Commanders have now lost back-to-back games after letting late chances slip away, and Monday’s 23-17 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers only turned up the heat around the team’s decision-making. What has been a messy stretch for the quarterback, the coach and the operation as a whole drew a blunt response from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who made it clear he does not think Dan Quinn is staying put.
“I wanna say this: It’s over for Dan Quinn; this is it,” Smith said during an episode of First Take.
Smith and the First Take panel dug into the Commanders’ problems, with the conversation quickly shifting from one bad finish to a bigger concern about where the franchise is headed. Smith pointed directly at the way the team handled the clock and the explanation that followed afterward.
“You just don’t make those kinds of mistakes; the reality is that clock management mattered. You didn’t know; you thought you had a field goal.
We saw it. Then lied about it in the press conference; you know everybody and their grandmother could see he was lying.
Which is brutal. When they catch you and they know you’re lying, you know you’re scurrying for cover because your job is on the line.
And there’s just no question they’re losing games.”
For Smith, the issue goes beyond the last two losses. He said the bigger indictment is the lack of progress from Jayden Daniels, the Commanders’ third-year quarterback.
“But most importantly, this speaks to the lack of development when it comes to the quarterback,” Smith added.
He pushed the point further, arguing that if Quinn is not aligned with Daniels, then the organization has to ask what it is getting from the head coach at all.
“If you can’t be in concert with your quarterback, how are you possibly developing him? … Somebody else evidently is handling those responsibilities instead of you, and if I’m the Commanders franchise, I’m like, ‘Why do I need a head coach that’s doing that?’
I need somebody that ingratiates himself with my star quarterback…I need somebody who’s simpatico with him. This is it; there will be a new head coach in the nation’s capital next season.”
Washington’s 1-4-1 start leaves it last in the NFC East, and Chris Canty suggested Quinn might not even make it much longer than that. He pointed to the bye week as a natural break point for the organization to make a move.
“We could have a new head coach within the next 24 hours, Stephen A. They’re going into their bye week,” Canty added. “This is a natural pivot point for the franchise, and they can make a statement for what is and isn’t acceptable in terms of establishing a standard with this new ownership group.”
In Other News...
Dan Quinn Just Opened The Door To A Commanders O-Line Shakeup
The Commanders are still sorting through a stretch that has tested both sides of the ball, and the latest roster churn is a reminder of how quickly depth can get stretched. While Steve Wilks has been brought in to help the defensive staff and veteran lineman Laremy Tunsil continues to offer leadership despite injury, the offense has had its own issues, with receiver Stefon Diggs struggling with multiple drops and the line not playing cleanly enough for Dan Quinns liking.
Quinn made it clear he sees the offensive line as a spot that could change, and he did not shut the door on personnel adjustments as Washington tries to steady things. Elsewhere, receiver Jaylin Lane had surgery for a fractured and dislocated ankle and is expected back before offseason workouts, while the kind of roster movement that always follows a rough stretch has already started to show up around the edges of the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Faces A Tough New Debate After Uneven Monday Night
Jayden Daniels return to the Monday night stage came with the kind of uneven finish that tends to sharpen the conversation around a young quarterback. In Washingtons 23-17 loss to the 49ers, the Commanders saw Daniels complete nearly 73% of his passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns, a line that still offered plenty of evidence of his talent even as he continued working back from a left elbow injury.
The bigger issue for Washington was the way the night ended, and how quickly the outside debate has started to turn toward Daniels long-term development. Stephen A. Smith and Emmanuel Acho both weighed in afterward, comparing his performance and injury history with other quarterbacks and raising questions about where his growth goes from here, a conversation the Commanders would much rather have on their terms than after a frustrating loss. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Next Two Games Could Shape A Painful Deadline Choice
Washingtons next two games loom larger than a normal midseason stretch because they could help decide whether this front office leans into a sell-off or keeps trying to ride out the season with the current group. The Commanders have a losing record, but they are still close enough in the NFC East to make the deadline conversation more complicated than a simple teardown, especially with a roster that includes veterans who would draw real interest on the market.
Stefon Diggs and Daron Payne have already surfaced as the kinds of players rival teams would monitor if Washington decides to shop help for future draft capital. The challenge for the Commanders is balancing short-term competitiveness with the temptation to turn veterans into assets, and the next two games could go a long way toward deciding whether this becomes a push for relevance or a painful reset. [Read more 🡒]