The Washington Commanders took one last roll of the dice in Week 10 against the Detroit Lions. Head coach Dan Quinn moved defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. from the booth to the sideline amid pressure. They believed this could help improve communication, and it reportedly came at the players' request.
It did not have the desired effect.
Whitt's defense was nothing short of woeful as the Commanders fell to another crippling loss on home soil. The season is now officially over at 3-7. And Quinn needs to make a tough decision on his assistant's future.
Commanders need a different defensive approach as 2025 season implodes
The Commanders were no match for Detroit's high-octane offense. Lions head coach Dan Campbell appeared to take over the offensive play-calling duties, and they scored touchdowns on their first three possessions. Washington's soft underbelly was once again exposed, and the same problems that have blighted the team's chances this season kept popping up.
Everything has been done. All the cards have been played. There is nothing left for Quinn to do but remove Whitt from the equation.
It's not ideal. The pair developed a close working relationship on the Dallas Cowboys, and there is a deep mutual respect. At the same time, this is starting to reflect poorly on the head coach's leadership, and that is a massive problem with much graver ramifications attached.
The Commanders have one more game before their bye week, an international clash with the Miami Dolphins in Spain. The time constraints alone might dictate that Whitt remains in post. But make no mistake, Washington's extended rest period in Week 12 should be the end.
The players are demoralized, waving the white flag as Detroit ran riot. They were the latest in a long line of teams that have had their way with the Commanders' defense this season. It was also a problem last year; only quarterback Jayden Daniels masked these failings with an astonishing introduction to the NFL.
That seems like a million years ago right now. Daniels is injured, and the Commanders' defense is being exposed as an old, underprepared unit who have all but thrown in the towel on Whitt. If Quinn hasn't seen that yet, then he is blinded by loyalty and nothing more.
Whether this would impact anything in the short term is anyone's guess. But the time for half-measures is over.
Whitt has to go. The performances just haven't been good enough, and he carries the can.