NFL Overreaction Week 9
USAT’s Prince Grimes breaks down the biggest stories from Week 9 in the NFL.
take sports seriously
Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said there was no discussion about keeping quarterback Jaden Daniels in the game. Daniels suffered a serious injury to his left elbow during a primetime game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Quinn said in hindsight, things could have played out differently.
“I don’t want to think about where I’m going to get hurt,” Quinn told reporters after the 38-14 loss. “I’m more conservative there, running and handing off, so I don’t have a lead.”
Daniels had already missed three games due to injury. He missed Weeks 3 and 4 with a knee ailment, and more recently missed the Commanders’ game against the Kansas City Chiefs six days ago with a hamstring injury.
Midway through the fourth quarter, with the Commanders trailing 38-7, Daniels took a shotgun shot from the Seahawks’ 2-yard line. Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas wrapped him up and threw the quarterback, who had 210 pounds to spare. Daniels’ left arm landed awkwardly, flexing in a way no arm should.
When asked if he would treat Daniels differently in the future, Quinn mostly disagreed.
“It’s very important to get that part right,” he said. “And we do.”
Quinn said the play that caused the injury was a run-pass option, but it wasn’t the quarterback’s intended run. Quinn predicted that if he ran a play 50 times, 50 would be a handoff or a pass.
“I’m just disappointed in the final result,” Quinn said.
The Commanders fell to 3 wins and 6 losses due to too many isolated games in the second half of the season. They have battled injuries all year. Running back Austin Ekeler ruptured his Achilles tendon. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin is unable to stay healthy after a training camp contract impasse. Another wideout, Luke McCaffrey, was ejected on the first play of the game against the Seahawks.
But Quinn said the injury wasn’t the reason for the “Sunday Night Football” result.
“You don’t have to ask that question. I know what happened,” Quinn said.
he explained in detail. Penalties on both sides of the ball (8 for 87 yards). The Seahawks were short on stops as they allowed 418 net yards to the defense. Washington’s offense gained 4.7 yards per play, while Seattle’s offense gained 8.7 yards per play.
“I’m furious,” Quinn said of the team’s performance.
“It was just an unacceptable performance…we missed it by a mile,” he added.
And he made bones for his quarterback.
The reaction around the manager’s locker room was much the same as Quinn’s.
“It’s heartbreaking,” right guard Sam Cosmi told the Washington Post.
