The Washington Commanders have struggled to manage crucial moments in consecutive games, leaving little room for error as they try to stay competitive. Their offensive execution has come under scrutiny, but the bigger concern involves decisions that have cost them chances to win.
The latest setback against the San Francisco 49ers has prompted questions about communication between the coaching staff and the quarterback.
Now, Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson has weighed in on the mistakes, pointing to two people who must take responsibility for preventing them.
Russell Wilson Calls Out Jayden Daniels, David Blough for Week 6 Mistake
Speaking on the “Set, Hut!” show with former offensive lineman Kyle Long, Wilson criticized the Commanders’ handling of a crucial fourth-down situation against San Francisco.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels threw the ball out of bounds under pressure instead of finding an open receiver on a short route, ending the possession without a score.
Long explained that an available option existed near the first-down marker, but pressure from the left forced Daniels to move right. The quarterback ultimately threw the ball away, while sideline footage appeared to show coach Dan Quinn trying to communicate with his team.
Wilson made clear that the responsibility extended beyond Daniels to offensive coordinator David Blough and the coaching staff.
“It’s absolutely unacceptable,” Wilson said, stressing the importance of understanding the game situation. “The quarterback’s got to know the situation, the offensive coordinator’s got to know the situation. Obviously, the head coach has to know the situation.”
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Wilson acknowledged that head coaches can become occupied with other responsibilities during a game. However, he argued that the quarterback and offensive coordinator must recognize the down, distance, and available options before making a decision. He also pointed out that even legendary quarterback Tom Brady once made a similar mistake in Chicago.
Still, Wilson drew a clear distinction between an isolated lapse and Washington’s repeated problems. “The reality is that it can’t happen two weeks in a row,” Wilson said.
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Commanders’ Clock Management Mistake Raises Concerns
Washington’s loss to San Francisco followed another costly mistake against the New York Giants in Week 5.
During overtime of a 27-27 tie, Daniels scrambled with 12 seconds remaining and no timeouts, allowing the clock to expire before Washington could attempt a game-winning field goal.
Wilson connected that missed opportunity to the Commanders’ latest defeat. Washington lost 23-17 to the 49ers, and the points left on the field became especially important as the game progressed.
Wilson noted that Washington later failed to convert another fourth-and-8 attempt after taking a sack. Had the Commanders secured points from their earlier opportunities, they could have put themselves in position to win after getting the ball back late.
“They did a great job coming back,” Wilson said, crediting Washington’s fight despite the mistakes.
With consecutive games exposing similar problems, Washington, which ranks 20th in PFN NFL Offense Impact%20assigns,red%20zone%20and%20third%20downs.), cannot afford another costly breakdown in game management.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.