Dan Quinn is refocused and refreshed after the Washington Commanders' bye week. The head coach is also confident that his team can turn things around after another torrid start to the campaign.
But can this unwavering faith become anything more than big talk?
That's what Quinn is betting on. And looking at the current state of things, his job no doubt depends on it.
Dan Quinn is remains confident in a Commanders turnaround
The players are still fighting for Quinn, so it's only right that he shows the same courtesy. His comments have been largely positive in front of the media, but he should have read them the riot act behind the scenes.
Standards are nowhere near good enough, and the sloppy mistakes are egregious.
Quinn will pay the price if everything doesn't come together. But even under extreme pressure and fierce questions about his future, the respected leader is seeing all the right signals from his squad.
That isn't translating onto the field as yet. But at least the most difficult part of the schedule is seemingly over.
That's something, at least. But even though Quinn is getting more time to pick up positive results, they have been in short supply since a memorable run to the conference championship game.
Talk is now cheap for the Commanders and Dan Quinn
And yet, Quinn remains steadfast in his belief that this downtrodden squad can do great things.
The belief remains strong. Quinn made a bullish claim about putting together four full quarters in a game after the bye week (what a novelty), and when the Commanders do that, he thinks fans will finally see what this team is made of.
"My belief in them is really strong. I've seen the practice habits, and that's why knowing we've been in every game and I'd love to have all four quarters together. That's what we're chasing, and that's what I'm certain we're gonna get after [the bye week]. When we do that, beginning this week, I think that will really show what we're made of."
Quinn isn't going to say anything else.
But for fans, talk is cheap, and actions will speak much louder than words ever could in Washington's precarious predicament.
Dan Quinn's bullish claims demand improvements from the Commanders
If the Commanders cannot win against a beat-up Philadelphia Eagles team on a five-game losing run and without starting quarterback Jalen Hurts, there is no hope. And all the bravado will be empty claims with no real substance.
That's the immediate objective. It won't solve every problem, but the Commanders just have to take things one week at a time and worry about the rest later.
Striking a blow in the division is the minimum requirement this weekend, and it's on prime time. It's a chance for the Commanders to show they are not down and out, that the bye week has done them good, and that they can go on a run.
But after so many bold statements from the coach that his players didn't back up, seeing is believing.
Quinn's spirit is admirable. He has legitimate conviction in his team, the schemes, and the quality at his disposal. He also knows that if it eventually comes to nothing, he won't be around in 2027.
And being positive in the face of adversity is all he has.
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