Is Dan Quinn’s job (really) in jeopardy vs. 49ers? - Commanders links

The Daily Slop

Editor’s note: Each day, Hogs Haven compiles a collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, with a sprinkling of other stuff. Enjoy!

Commanders links

Articles

ESPN

Is Commanders coach Dan Quinn’s job in jeopardy after tie with Giants?

Washington Commanders coach Dan Quinn sat at a table deep inside Northwest Stadium, trying to make sense of a moment that made none. A coach known for wearing his hat backward instead wore a look of disbelief.

For the next 10 minutes, he tried to get comfortable. He folded his arms, then put them at his side, then put them back on the table. There was no comfort, not with what he had to address.

He took a quick deep breath after the first two questions, then readied for more. And more would come. There was no getting around what happened: a botched final sequence in his team’s Week 5 matchup with the New York Giants prevented a game-winning field goal attempt on the final play, resulting in a 27-27 tie.

“Feels like a loss,” Quinn said.

Inside the hushed locker room afterward, receiver Terry McLaurin stood against a burgundy cement wall. He looked upset; he looked drained; he looked bewildered. McLaurin, in his eighth season with the franchise, thought he’d seen it all in Washington — but last Sunday brought something new.

“Unacceptable,” McLaurin said.

With 50 seconds remaining in overtime, the Commanders had the ball at the Giants’ 24-yard line with no timeouts. Then, all hell broke loose. They didn’t snap the ball until there were 12 seconds to play. On the play, quarterback Jayden Daniels dropped back to pass and then quickly looked to scramble. He started upfield, then was tackled with nine seconds left. He did not get off the ground for another four seconds and there was little urgency by his teammates.

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The Athletic

The Commanders are on the brink. They’re also in primetime. Get the popcorn

The nature of playing on “Monday Night Football” means that — by the time the pregame show arrives — the developments from the previous Sunday of wall-to-wall pigskin has been parsed and dissected, and all that remains to talk about are the two opponents that night and any recent developments around them.

This particular Monday night, that leaves only the undefeated San Francisco 49ers and the visiting Washington Commanders. The topic, then, has to be what might be the most examined sack-for-no-yards-lost in NFL history: the final play of the Commanders’ confounding 27-27 tie against the New York Giants, in which quarterback Jayden Daniels, with no timeouts, took a snap with a dozen seconds left, was tackled with eight ticks remaining — and never got another snap off.

“Ultimately, it’s on me at the end,” Daniels said last week.

“It’s my responsibility, point blank,” coach Dan Quinn said.

“It falls on me,” offensive coordinator David Blough said.

Whoever takes the largest slice of the blame pie remains open for debate as Washington heads into its MNF kickoff with the 49ers. What’s not up for discussion: Just as the Commanders proved they’re not ready for a nation’s eyes to be on them, they enter a stretch in which four of their next five games stand alone in primetime. Anyone who wants to be watching football will be watching the Commanders, whether they are deserving of that distinction or not.

This is a franchise that has a decidedly tumultuous relationship with primetime football, and one that will spend the next month-and-a-half either proving it is worthy of the country’s attention or fading into oblivion once again. Nothing short of the professional futures of the people who run this team hang in the balance, and football fans who care deeply about or are indifferent to the Commanders will get to examine it all in real time.

In the 10 seasons between 2015 and Daniels’s rookie year of 2024, only nine teams played fewer regular-season primetime games than Washington.

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Riggo’s Rag

Rachaad White’s expanded Commanders role comes with an urgent demand

The Washington Commanders’ rushing attack will be without Jacory Croskey-Merritt for their Monday Night Football showdown against the San Francisco 49ers. He’s dealing with a groin injury, and head coach Dan Quinn had no choice but to rule him out after he missed practice all week.

Though disappointing, especially considering Croskey-Merritt is coming off his most productive game of the season, others have to step up. This means more is required of free-agent signing Rachaad White, who’s not quite met expectations so far.

White was an intriguing addition to the Commanders’ ranks in free agency. He bet on himself with a one-year, $2 million deal, and his previous connection to quarterback Jayden Daniels from their time at Arizona State added another layer of intrigue.

To read more of this article, CLICK HERE

Riggo’s Rag

7 Commanders on the hot seat against the 49ers on Monday Night Football

After a week of intense criticism and ridicule, the Washington Commanders are no doubt looking forward to getting back on the field and righting the wrong from their overtime calamity against the New York Giants.

Unfortunately for head coach Dan Quinn’s squad, the unbeaten San Francisco 49ers are waiting for them on Monday Night Football.

The Niners have been in sensational form to begin the campaign. They are 5-0, despite missing some top stars to injury. Head coach Kyle Shanahan is finding ways to win, and they have already beaten the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos this season to cement their status as a real contender.

This will be a difficult proposition for Washington to overcome. At the same time, nobody is expecting anything other than a heavy defeat, which could work in their favor.

They can play with more freedom. They can relax, though there is pressure to put up a fight, at the very least. And after completely botching their chance to win in Week 5, fans will be watching their response closely.

This is no time for half-measures. Everyone must come together, and the Commanders must put in maximum effort before the bye week. And when expectations are low, that’s when this squad tends to do well.

Hopefully, that will be the case at Levi’s Stadium. But these seven Commanders must deliver with the prime-time spotlight shining on them

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WUSA9

Commanders turn the page after overtime tie ahead of matchup with undefeated 49ers

To read more of this article, https://www.wusa9.com/article/sports/football/commanders-turn-the-page-after-overtime-tie-ahead-matchup-undefeated-49ers-nfl-football/65-fc1982c1-7170-4a89-bb9f-30f040edb12b

The Commanders are moving on from a frustrating overtime tie to the New York Giants as they prepare to face the undefeated San Francisco 49ers on Monday night.

The Commanders have little time to dwell on last week’s mistakes with a trip to Santa Clara, California, next on the schedule. But players say the loss offered important lessons, particularly about executing in critical moments.

“You could be prepared for a moment, but unless you execute, it doesn’t really mean much,” wide receiver Terry McLaurin said. “What I think showed up is we didn’t execute it.”

McLaurin compared the experience to studying for a test but freezing when it is time to answer the questions.

The Commanders now face a significant challenge against a San Francisco team that has yet to lose this season. Washington’s defense is preparing for an offense that averages 365 total yards per game and features several key playmakers, including quarterback Brock Purdy, running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receiver Mike Evans and tight end George Kittle.

Defenders emphasized the importance of staying disciplined and recognizing offensive formations, particularly with San Francisco’s use of motion and players who can make plays in different situations.

Knowing where the 49ers’ primary targets line up will be critical, while maintaining consistency will be just as important when things go wrong.

“When good things happen, you keep charging them. When bad things happen, keep charging them,” defensive back Amik Robertson said. “That’s just the nature of the game.”

Washington’s offense also faces a challenge against San Francisco’s defense, with linebacker Fred Warner among the players the Commanders must account for.

Receivers stressed the importance of protecting the football while navigating traffic and staying out of third-and-long situations, when the 49ers’ defense can take advantage of predictable passing downs.

Monday’s game also begins a stretch of primetime appearances for Washington. Four of the Commanders’ next five games will be played in front of a national audience.

McLaurin said he enjoys the opportunity to showcase the team on a national stage.

For the Commanders, the immediate focus is on applying the lessons from last week’s tie and executing against one of the league’s toughest opponents.

To read more of this article, CLICK HERE

Sporting News

Dan Quinn replacements: Ranking seven best candidates should Commanders move on from coach

The Washington Commanders went 12-5 in the first season under head coach Dan Quinn in 2024. Since then, ahead of Week 6 of the 2026 NFL regular season, his team has posted a 6-15-1 record, putting his job security in serious jeopardy in Year 3.

Beyond the lack of success in the past two seasons,  the Commanders’ botching of a potential overtime victory over the Giants in Week 5 has made his seat hotter. Quinn will need Washington to show improved results soon to extend his term to four years. 

Should owner Josh Harris want to make another change and hire the 32nd head coach in franchise history, here would be his options, starting with one in-house.

Commanders’ 7 best coaching candidates for 2027

1. David Blough, Commanders offensive coordinator (age: 31)

Would the Commanders follow the Bills‘ example and remove an older defensive-minded coach in Quinn (56) and promote his offensive coordinator? Don’t rule it out, despite Blough, a former journeyman backup, being so young.

Bold offensive-minded hires have worked well for several teams. It’s a good bet Washington pivots from old-school defense to new-school offense with its new leader. Blough should get a chance because of good early work getting Jayden Daniels back on track.

To read more of this article, CLICK HERE

Podcasts & videos

Full Command

BRUTAL EVALUATION OF EVERY COMMANDERS PLAYER! Jayden Daniels WHERE? Sonny Styles ELITE?

Locked on Commanders

Commanders vs 49ers: Washington Needs Zero Turnovers to Win

NFC East links

Bleeding Green Nation

Eagles vs. Panthers: The good, the bad, and the ugly

This was over before it started.

By the middle of the fourth quarter on Sunday, that reality finally reached the fans by the show of large sections of empty seats at Lincoln Financial Field.

Get ready for a lot of that in the coming months, because the rest of the Eagles’ 2026 season will be devoted to evaluating who to keep and who to discard after the Eagles fell to the Carolina Panthers, 25-14, at the Linc.

The Eagles are now 2-4—and through, regardless of how bad the NFC East looks.

It was the Eagles’ fourth-straight loss, making it the first time they have lost four-straight games since Doug Peterson’s 4-11-1 season in 2020—and the first four-game losing streak in Nick Sirianni’s tenure.

Going to the Linc are still great ways to fill autumn Sunday afternoons, sans winning.

But after the greatest four-year stretch in Eagles’ history, with the mounting cracks in the wall the Eagles were bound to collapse.

They have.

The Eagles may be expecting Tanner McKee to be the next coming of Nick Foles (or Tom Brady, according to Zack Baun). The problem is this fanbase knows Nick Foles. It watched Nick Foles win a Super Bowl.

Tanner McKee is no Nick Foles.

To read more of this article, CLICK HERE

Big Blue View

3 ‘things I think’ after a Giant flop against the Saints: Is it J.J. McCarthy time?

New York Giants fans overwhelmingly believe J.J. McCarthy should be the team’s quarterback beginning this Sunday against the Houston Texans.

Eighty-one percent of the 751 voters in our poll think McCarthy should replace Jameis Winston as the starter when the Giants face the Houston Texans this Sunday.

Head coach John Harbaugh wasn’t ready to make that decision in his post-game press conference.

“I can’t answer that now,” Harbaugh said. “The game just ended ten minutes ago.

“It’s not even up for discussion or conversation right now. We’ve got to go back and go to work. I have no problem with Jameis whatsoever. I love the way he competes, I love the way he fights, all those kind of things. He was up and down today for sure, but those things will all be decided not ten minutes after a game.”

It is, though, a decision Harbaugh has to make.

When the Giants acquired McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings a few weeks ago for a fifth-round pick, it seemed clear Harbaugh would face this decision at some point. I’m sure he knew that, too. I doubt, though, that anyone expected that choice to have to come now.

Harbaugh put McCarthy into Sunday’s game with the Giants trailing by 24 points and 11:25 remaining. Most likely, he figured that in what seemed like a lost cause, it was a good chance to give McCarthy some snaps running the offense.

McCarthy’s first series ended in an interception on a ball nowhere near intended receiver Malachi Fields.

Then, stuff started to happen.

C.J. Donaldson of New Orleans fumbled. Arvell Reese recovered. McCarthy suddenly started slinging the ball all over the place, throwing for 243 yards in less than a quarter of action. The Giants started scoring, and somehow found themselves with a chance to win the game with :12 left.

To read more of this article, CLICK HERE

Blogging The Boys

Cowboys vs. Packers: 2 winners and 4 losers from the game

The Dallas Cowboys arrived at Lambeau Field needing a response after an ugly loss to Tampa Bay, but another slow offensive performance and unprepared defense left Dallas chasing the game all evening.

Dallas went into halftime down 17-0, with turnovers and penalties repeatedly wasting opportunities leading to Dallas falling to Green Bay 23-13. Here are this week’s winners and losers from the game.

Winner: Dee Winters

Dallas has waited a long time for an interception, and Dee Winters finally delivered one.

Winters read Jordan Love perfectly late in the first quarter, stepped in front of the pass and appeared to return it for a touchdown before replay ruled him down at the Green Bay 42-yard line. Even without the score, it was exactly the type of momentum-changing defensive play Dallas has desperately needed.

The frustrating part was that the offense immediately wasted the opportunity with an interception of its own. That shouldn’t take anything away from Winters. On a defense that was searching for takeaways and impact plays, Winters provided one.

Winner: Quinnen Williams

The Cowboys needed considerably more from their defensive front after weeks of inconsistent pressure, and Quinnen Williams made his presence felt early.

Williams got to Jordan Love for a sack and helped Dallas produce a much more disruptive start up front. Green Bay found success through the air, but its conventional rushing attack has been much less effective. Williams’ sack was one of the Cowboys’ biggest early defensive plays and it was needed to try an inject some optimism in a defense that’s struggled this season.

This is the type of performance Dallas expected when it paid the price to bring Williams into the middle of the defense. The Cowboys need him affecting games rather than simply occupying blockers, the sack showed exactly that.

To read more of this article, CLICK HERE

Upcoming opponent – 49ers

How 49ers QB Brock Purdy mastered the art of layering passes over defenders

For San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and linebacker Fred Warner, training camp has become an annual battleground. It isn’t just about offense versus defense; it’s how they can, individually, win the day against each other.

For Purdy specifically, those chess matches are vital because the middle of the field is fertile but dangerous ground in coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense. It requires Purdy to layer the ball to his pass catchers between multiple defenders, the type of precision best achieved through repetition against the best middle linebacker in the game. And he has gotten good enough at it that he can even leave Warner grasping at air.

Early in the 49ers’ 16th training camp practice this August, he completed a pass over Warner’s outstretched arms to wideout Mike Evans for a big gain. But later, Warner broke up similar over-the-middle attempts to wide receiver Demarcus Robinson and running back Kaelon Black. Warner turned and boisterously let Purdy hear about it after both.

As the practice neared its end, Purdy dropped back and saw Warner sink into coverage. Purdy fired it just past Warner’s fingertips and into Deebo Samuel Sr.’s waiting hands. Then, Purdy let it fly toward Warner again — verbally. A loud “F— you, Fred” echoed across the field. Moments later, Warner and Purdy stood behind the huddle laughing, and they later acknowledged how such intense practice moments push the other to be better.

To read more of this article, CLICK HERE