In Thursday night’s 26-18 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Washington Commanders found themselves at a crucial crossroads late in the fourth quarter.
Down by just two points, with 8:01 remaining, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn made a decision that would become the game’s defining moment: he opted to go for it on fourth-and-2 at the Eagles’ 26-yard line, rather than kicking a potentially game-changing field goal. The risk, however, didn’t pay off, and Quinn is now standing by his bold decision, despite the failure.
The decision to go for the fourth down came with Washington trailing 12-10 in a low-scoring affair. A successful 44-yard field goal would have given the Commanders a 13-12 lead, giving them an advantage in a game that was tight throughout. But Quinn decided to put the ball in the hands of his offense, trusting that they could convert the short distance and keep the momentum in their favor. Unfortunately, the play ended in disaster. Quarterback Jayden Daniels fumbled a tricky snap, throwing off the timing of his designed QB keeper, and he was stuffed short of the first-down marker.
Five plays later, Saquon Barkley would be dancing into the end zone for the Eagles, pushing the lead to two possessions and effectively sealing Washington’s fate. Despite the outcome, Quinn stood by his decision, describing it as a “bold call” that was backed by thorough preparation. “We were prepared for that moment,” Quinn said. “We’ve been an excellent fourth-down team. So going into it, we knew we would have to take our shots against a tough division team on the road. We thought that was an appropriate one. Certainly didn’t like the execution or the result, but we were prepared for that. And being bold in those moments, knowing we’d have some fourth downs. But that’s one we could fix.”
While Quinn was confident in his team’s ability to convert on fourth down, the results were telling. Washington entered the game with an impressive 11 successful conversions on 12 attempts this season, reinforcing the coach’s belief in his offense. However, the choice to go for it instead of taking the points and the lead is one that many analysts—along with some of Washington’s own fans—might question. Even the analytics, which are often criticized for encouraging coaches to be overly aggressive, would have suggested a field goal in this situation. A successful kick would have given Washington the lead and kept them within striking distance for a final touchdown drive. Without those three points, Washington never got back within one score.
Advertisement
Latest Press Conference
We’re on Social Media
Despite the failed fourth-down attempt, Daniels wasn’t second-guessing his coach’s decision. “I trust the coaching staff and the decision they made,” Daniels said after the loss. “I’m always a part of, ‘Hey, let’s go for it.’ I trust my teammates. I trust the unit. So, I always trust the coaches. I never question them.” This level of commitment to the team’s decision-making process, despite the consequences, speaks to the cohesion within Washington’s locker room.
But the Commanders’ troubles didn’t end with the fourth-down failure. Their final drive, while technically successful in terms of scoring, was another point of concern. With just over four minutes remaining, Washington took 4:10 off the clock to score a touchdown and convert a two-point try. While the touchdown was important, the clock management and tempo during this final drive left much to be desired. Even with two timeouts in hand, the Commanders were effectively out of time, needing a near-impossible onside kick recovery to stay in the game.
Quinn attempted to explain the sluggish pace of the drive. “Yeah, we were trying to [move quickly],” he said. “Honestly, it wasn’t about going slow or that part. So, yeah, we wanted to get the score in quick. Try to get it in before the two-minute [warning], for sure.” In reality, Washington’s execution during that critical drive did not reflect the urgency necessary to give them a chance at a comeback. Had they scored faster—ideally before the two-minute warning—they might have had a shot at a final possession. Instead, the slow, methodical pace, combined with missed opportunities earlier in the game, cost them.
The Commanders’ offense struggled all night, with Daniels missing several key throws and failing to establish any real rhythm. This wasn’t the first time this season the offense has sputtered in a critical moment, and with Dallas and Tennessee on the horizon, Washington now faces a tough stretch if they hope to recover and make a playoff push.
“It’s been a tough stretch,” Quinn admitted. “We knew that adversity would come. It just does. That’s our game. That’s why we love it so much. There’s hard parts, and tonight’s hard. And in fact, I even said that. The last two games were tough. They test your resolve, and they build some of your resilience.” Despite the adversity, Quinn remained focused on the bigger picture, encouraging his team to learn from these tough experiences. “It’s a difficult four- or five-game stretch, whatever it is. And it also emphasizes the ability to go close it, be there at the end and go win it. Those are the lessons for us to say to be the team we can be.”
Thursday’s loss drops Washington to 7-4, leaving them two games behind the Eagles in the NFC East. More critically, the Commanders now sit in the No. 7 seed in the NFC, with their playoff hopes on the line as they enter a crucial stretch of games. The road ahead doesn’t get any easier, and with the stakes growing higher, Washington will need to fix their execution on both sides of the ball to avoid further setbacks.
For Dan Quinn, the loss is a hard pill to swallow, but he remains steadfast in his belief that the Commanders’ season is far from over. The tough lessons learned in this loss—both from the failed fourth-down conversion and the clock mismanagement—will be crucial in shaping the team’s resilience moving forward. With playoff hopes still alive, Washington’s ability to bounce back will be tested in the coming weeks as they take on divisional foes and playoff contenders alike.