A week after mismanaging end of overtime, Commanders coach and QB didn't seem to realize it was fourth down

Last week, the Washington Commanders completely screwed up an end-of-game scenario and let time run out in overtime without getting a field goal attempt off.

On Monday night the Commanders had another ridiculous gaffe. While it wasn’t quite as bad as last week, it was an embarrassment. It might also force Commanders owners to examine what’s happening with their football team, especially with head coach Dan Quinn.

The Commanders went for it on fourth-and-3 at the San Francisco 11-yard line in the second quarter. That was reasonable, considering the situation. The Commanders trailed 13-3 against the 49ers at the time. But then quarterback Jayden Daniels inexplicably threw the ball away even though it was fourth down. There was a flag down and perhaps he thought it was on the 49ers, but even if that was the case then it was a free play. The penalty ended up being an illegal shift on the Commanders, another mental error in a key spot.

No matter the reason for Daniels throwing the ball away when there was no real downside to forcing it into a receiver, it was another startling lack of awareness from him. Daniels was at the center of the issues against the Giants in overtime last week, when he let time run down while in the huddle and then got tackled, which allowed the clock to run out.

Daniels’ throwing it away was bad, and then it got even weirder.

ESPN showed Quinn on the sideline, apparently calling for a field goal, then having a surprised reaction when it looked like he was told that the previous play was fourth down. The ESPN halftime show addressed Quinn seemingly not knowing it was fourth down on the play in which Daniels strangely threw it away.

If lip readers are correct and Quinn didn’t know that it was fourth down, that’s troubling. Quinn doesn’t call offensive or defensive plays for the Commanders. Managing the game is his most important job on the sideline, and for the second straight week the Commanders inexcusably had no awareness of the situation in a key spot.

Quinn was likely already on the hot seat after a poor 2025 season and a 1-3-1 start to this season. The answers he gives to what happened on that fourth down could make his seat even hotter.