Jayden Daniels and Dan Quinn both took responsibility for the Week 5 debacle against the New York Giants. But the quarterback and head coach also passed some of the blame to one another.
The Washington Commanders cannot let this become a growing friction. Otherwise, their season will be over before it's barely begun.
Daniels said improvements are needed from the top down. Quinn said the signal-caller should have known the situation and either thrown the ball away or spiked it. It was an organizational failure, and both deserve blame.
Jayden Daniels and Dan Quinn must move on from Commanders' overtime farce
But the Commanders must move on now.
Quinn is respected in the locker room. Faith is deteriorating in the fan base, but the players still seem on board. Things should have been handled much better in Week 5, but there is nothing anyone can do about it now.
This is all about improving. It's about moving forward.
And it's about Quinn and Daniels avoiding awkwardness so they can focus on the next challenge.
Quinn is experienced enough to keep it professional and not harbor any resentment, despite what All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons believes. Daniels is the ultimate competitor, and he'll be striving with everything he has to help the Commanders get out of their slump.
Anything less, and this dynamic could send Washington crashing to new depths of despair.
And only one person will make way in this scenario.
This shouldn't be too much of a problem.
Commanders are confident Jayden Daniels and Dan Quinn can make things right
Quinn and Daniels have developed a close relationship over the last two years. There have been highs and lows, but both influential figures remain resolute.
Everyone is looking to them for leadership and inspiration. Any negative emotions stemming from such an inexplicable end to their Week 5 game at Northwest Stadium must be put on the back burner.
It's a week-to-week league. The aftermath has been discussed ad nauseam over the last few days, but it's now time to turn the page.
With the San Francisco 49ers coming up on Monday Night Football, all that matters is staying focused on what's ahead. After that, it's the bye week, which is coming at a good time for this demoralized squad.
Before then, they have to dig deep and become more fundamentally sound. There have been positives, but some glaring issues are holding them back. And until they fix these, the botched final play against the Giants will be the least of their problems.
Daniels has to be better. So does Quinn. Unifying around their purpose is a good place to start, and making sure the clear communication issues that surfaced don't linger is another key objective in the coming days.
After that, the Commanders should be more competitive. And any talk of this relationship falling by the wayside will be quashed until further notice.
It's a big moment for the Commanders. They will be scrutinized more than ever, and being on prime time will only magnify this.
Daniels and Quinn are under the microscope. And against one of the league's heavyweights, they must put on a united front.
Nothing else will suffice after a difficult few days.
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