After Monday night’s game, Commanders coach Dan Quinn took his time to introduce himself and speak to reporters. It came almost an hour after the game ended, and after quarterback Jayden Daniels met with reporters (which is highly unusual for any team). Quinn knew all about the viral moment in which he appeared surprised after a botched fourth-and-2 play from the San Francisco 13-yard line in the second quarter. It seemed like he didn’t know it was the fourth attempt. At the press conference, Quinn had an explanation. “I definitely knew it was a fourth down,” Quinn said, before lapsing into a largely confusing word salad and turning to him to explain that they planned to go for it on fourth down the entire game because they expected it to be a higher-scoring contest. Although Quinn’s body language suggested she was surprised to discover it was a fourth attempt, we’ll give her the benefit of the doubt. I knew it was a fourth chance. But the operation he’s responsible for didn’t know, once the penalty flag landed on the field (in full view of quarterback Jayden Daniels) that it wasn’t a situation where missing the line to win would make it fourth and seventh with a chance to kick a field goal. When the play does not stop due to a foul prior to the snap, the defense may reject a penalty on the offense. After the play, there should have been no confusion, on anyone’s part, about what had happened. The 49ers would reject the penalty and take possession. Because it had been a fourth chance. While some will believe (like me) that Quinn (and his quarterback) didn’t know it was a fourth down, the explanation doesn’t exonerate the lack of attention to detail. Instead, change the conversation from “did you know it was fourth down?” to “why didn’t you realize you still had to gain at least two yards to retain possession?” It speaks to the general culture under Quinn. The dominance, or lack thereof, of situational football. Quinn will have another chance to explain himself today when he holds his day-after press conference (unless he’s fired before then). As the Commanders enter their annual break, both Daniels and offensive coordinator David Blough will not be available to reporters until next week. If it is ever admitted that a mistake was made, we know what the exercise will be: “It’s my responsibility. I take responsibility. It won’t happen again.” How many lessons will Quinn, Daniels and Blough learn along the way? Teams don’t hire head coaches with the idea that there will be several years of on-the-job training when it comes to the nuances of the game. Quinn has been coaching in the NFL continuously since 2001, with the exception of a two-year stint at Florida in 2011 and 2012. He served as the Falcons’ head coach for six years, and this is his third year with the Commanders. In signing Quinn, the Commanders weren’t rolling the dice on a rookie. They were hiring a fully trained football coach who presumably knows how the game works in every aspect. The last two games have shown the opposite. And it further complicates the decision owner Josh Harris, still a new and inexperienced owner, will make about whether to make an in-season trade.
