Dan Quinn was feeling the heat heading into the Washington Commanders' divisional game against the New York Giants. Skepticism was rising, and although the head coach faced no genuine threat to his job security, the need to end his team's alarming eight-game losing streak was clear.
Quinn had to think outside the box. Whatever he was trying up to now didn't work, and there would be no better time to experiment amid a losing campaign. There were times of doubt along the way, but the Commanders got over the line to secure their fourth triumph of 2025.
And there was one daring dice roll made by Quinn that paid off handsomely.
Commanders gave Antonio Hamilton Sr. a chance to shine, and he seized it with both hands
The Commanders needed a rethink in their cornerback room. Marshon Lattimore and second-round rookie Trey Amos are done for the season. Others were underperforming and targeted as weak links with great success. Drastic action was required, and Quinn opted to throw Antonio Hamilton Sr. into the fire from a starting role on the boundary.
Hamilton had been on the fringes beforehand, playing just 34 snaps on the defensive rotation before Week 15. That all changed at MetLife Stadium with 56 snaps — 82.4 percent of the overall allocation — and he was more than ready for the challenge.
The former South Carolina State standout turned in arguably the best performance of his professional career to date. Hamilton was a dependable presence in coverage, mirroring opposing receivers and tracking the football extremely well. And even on the odd occasions when he was beaten, the savvy pro displayed the anticipation and closing speed to make plays.
This is precisely what Quinn has in mind when he placed additional responsibilities on Hamilton's shoulders. It could have gone either way, but this last-ditch attempt to solve Washington's growing problems in the secondary brought the desired results.
Nobody else is walking through the door. The Commanders must rely on what they have, and although it will be much more difficult against the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend, Hamilton has earned the right to retain his place in the starting lineup.
What comes next is uncertain. Still, if Hamilton can display the same consistency over Washington's final three games of the campaign, one couldn't completely dismiss the possibility of the defensive back getting another short-term commitment from the franchise next spring.
Time will tell on that. However, Quinn's decision to place so much faith in Hamilton against the Giants was a masterstroke in no uncertain terms.