Dan Quinn subtly threw Kliff Kingsbury under the bus after Commanders loss

The Washington Commanders needed everything to go right to topple the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. It was a positive enough start throughout the first half, but missed opportunities proved crucial.

Washington forced NFL MVP candidate Patrick Mahomes into two early interceptions. This was a massive positive that kept the Commanders firmly in the hunt, and potentially even in the early ascendancy if these chances were seized.

Unfortunately, the offense failed to score a single point off these turnovers. And they eventually paid a heavy price.

Dan Quinn calls out Commanders offense for failing to maximize opportunities

That did not go unnoticed by head coach Dan Quinn during his postgame assessment. The strain is beginning to show, and he pointed the finger squarely at Kliff Kingsbury and his offensive unit for failing to come through when the defense gave them opportunities.

"Man, did we leave a lot of opportunities out there tonight. You cannot leave that many chances out there and expect to win, especially against this team. Not capitalizing on our turnovers. Not winning on our fourth downs. It was great to see us getting some of the takeaways — that's been an emphasis of what we've been hitting on — but you cannot leave that many opportunities out there and walk away from this place with a win. There were opportunities for us to make or mark, and we didn't nail them."

Dan Quinn via NBC4 Sports

The message was subtle yet glaring. Quinn expected more from Kingsbury's offense, and they didn't deliver the goods. Washington mustered just seven points throughout the contest, with countless individual errors, communication problems, and unbalanced play-calling all contributing to their demise.

It was never going to be easy without quarterback Jayden Daniels leading the charge. Veteran backup Marcus Mariota performed admirably, but his early momentum was halted by a critical mistake by wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. Things became more stagnant as the contest went on, and things weren't clicking. Kansas City seized the initiative, overwhelming the Commanders en route to a convincing victory.

Kingsbury remains hotly linked with a head coaching gig during the offseason. Whether that's in college or the pros is anyone's guess, but it's starting to look like the play-caller's time in Washington could be coming to an end.

He opted to resist interest from elsewhere earlier this year. Kingsbury wasn't going to leave this environment and Daniels for any job, but you only stay hot on the head coaching cycle for so long. If legitimate overtures arrive once again this time around, he'll probably be more willing to take his chances elsewhere.

And considering the Commanders don't look likely to make the playoffs, Kingsbury can speak to any potential suitor right away.