Dan Quinn calls out Commanders after unacceptable preseason showing

Commanders' performance leaves Quinn frustrated

Washington created two early takeaways but failed to take advantage of the second one. The return units committed four penalties, the defense struggled to maintain containment and the offense failed to produce when given opportunities late in each half.

Quinn was especially disappointed by the lack of complementary football.

“A lot of what I saw, that wasn’t us, and that bothered me,” Quinn said.

The Commanders had recently shown Quinn they could finish games. Against Detroit, the team failed during the same situations it handled successfully one week earlier.

Washington’s two-minute possession near halftime included a tackle for loss, one completion and a sack. The defense later had an opportunity to get off the field during a four-minute situation but allowed Detroit to convert on fourth down.

“I didn’t feel like we played complementary football,” Quinn said. 

Preseason results disappear quickly. Sloppy habits tend to stick around unless somebody handles them before the games begin counting.

Jayden Daniels expected to receive heavier workload

Quinn has not decided whether Jayden Daniels will appear in Washington’s preseason finale. The starting quarterback should receive significant work against Baltimore during Wednesday’s joint practice.

The session will be tilted more heavily toward Daniels and Washington’s starters than the previous joint practice with Miami. That could allow Quinn to evaluate the first-team offense without exposing Daniels to unnecessary hits during the game.

Washington is also still sorting through competitions at center, safety and backup quarterback. Quinn said the team has enough talent at center, although no player has secured the job.

Those questions can be settled over the remaining practices. The larger concern is ensuring the team that looked disconnected against Detroit does not follow Washington into the regular season.

Quinn did not cancel a day off because he was mildly annoyed. His decision sent a simple message: The Commanders’ latest effort was not close to acceptable.