Micah Parsons had no trouble adding fuel to Washington’s overtime mess, but he was reaching.
The All-Pro edge rusher blasted Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels for the botched ending against the New York Giants, and he didn’t hold back when he tied the mistake to head coach Dan Quinn’s future.
“Jayden Daniels probably cost my man Dan Quinn his job, to be honest with you. To be honest with you.
And, like, I’m a big Jayden Daniels fan. But the reality is, he probably cost a lot of people their jobs this past weekend.
"And, mind you, it’d be different if Jayden Daniels was a rookie. This is your third year.
This is your third year. You’ve been to the NFC Championship game.
You’ve been in big moments before. And to me, like even after a sack, you’re casually getting up.”
That’s the kind of quote Parsons can fire off on his podcast, and he did. But stepping into a Commanders problem that had nothing to do with him made him look out of place, especially while he’s injured.
The reality is that Daniels has taken heat for the Week 5 tie, but not nearly enough of the blame. Quinn, as the head coach, has carried most of it, and offensive coordinator David Blough is also part of the fallout. Blough won’t talk to the media until Friday as Washington prepares for Monday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers.
Still, this wasn’t a one-man failure. Daniels should have known better than to let the play get away from him, and there’s no denying he shares some responsibility for not throwing the ball away or moving with more urgency after the sack. But pinning the whole thing on him misses the point.
This was a collective breakdown, and it exposed how disorganized Washington has looked lately.
That lands on the coaching.
Daniels already acknowledged as much, saying he’ll be better while also stressing that the fixes need to come from everyone, top to bottom. Quinn took a similar tack, saying it was on him while also pointing the finger at his quarterback and play-caller. It’s a mess either way, but Parsons was off base.
Skip Bayless made the same larger point, arguing that Quinn could have stopped the whole thing himself:
“No, Micah, wrong again. Jayden Daniels didn't cost Dan Quinn his job.
DAN QUINN DID. Strictly his responsibility to intervene, say no, we're not running another play, we're going to spike it and kick it now.
QB should've known better. But HEAD COACH is most to blame.”
Parsons has helped turn a hot topic into an even bigger one. But with his own recovery to worry about, he’d have been better off staying out of it.
Quinn has promised to clean it up. Daniels is expected to say the same when he meets the media on Thursday, and he may be asked about Parsons too. If he is, there probably won’t be much of a comeback.
Daniels has moved on. Hopefully Quinn and Blough have too.
In Other News...
Commanders Enter Brutal Stretch With Dan Quinn Under Growing Pressure
The loss to the Giants was the kind that sticks with a team, and not in a good way. Washington let a 14-point lead slip away in the fourth quarter, then fumbled away its final overtime chance, leaving Dan Quinn to absorb another round of criticism as the Commanders try to steady themselves after a rough finish that raised fresh questions about execution and control.
The timing could hardly be worse, because the schedule now turns toward one of the leagues toughest tests. Washington heads to San Francisco for a Monday night road matchup against the unbeaten 49ers, a setting that will demand cleaner football and far more resilience from a team already searching for answers, especially with Nick Bosa potentially back in the picture. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Gave Washington Something It Needed Before Facing San Francisco
Jayden Daniels return against the Giants gave Washington the kind of balance it had been missing, and it came at a useful time with San Francisco up next. The rookie quarterback looked comfortable working both sides of the offense, showing the running threat that changes how defenses have to play him while also handling himself well as a passer.
Beyond the raw production, Daniels best moments came from his decision-making, pocket patience and ability to sort through what he was seeing before the snap and after it. Those traits will matter again against the 49ers, who can force quarterbacks into tough reads, and Washington now has a better sense of how Daniels can tilt a game when he is seeing it clearly. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Suddenly Have A Week 8 Spotlight Problem To Watch
Philadelphia and Washington were supposed to share a prime-time stage in Week 8, but the schedule has become a little less certain as both clubs sit below .500. The matchup still carries NFC East weight, yet the league is now weighing whether it belongs in Sunday night at all, with a decision expected by October 20 as part of the broader flex conversation around the weeks prime-time slate.
There is still plenty around the game to make it interesting. The Eagles have four players entering return practice windows, while Washington is dealing with injuries and a difficult trip ahead against the 49ers, which only adds to the pressure on a division race that already feels unsettled. Even if the spotlight shifts elsewhere, this remains the kind of game that could say a lot about where both teams are headed. [Read more 🡒]