The Washington Commanders are below .500 for the first time in 2025 after their ugly Week 7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. And make no mistake, there are more questions than answers moving forward.
The defense was abysmal, and has been for the majority of the season. Washington’s offense, which was already without its top three wide receivers, might now be missing quarterback Jayden Daniels again as well. The Commanders are spiraling into disarray, and the bleeding must be stopped before it’s too late.
That job falls on Dan Quinn and the staff he has assembled. And finally, he took some much-needed accountability in addressing his team’s biggest flaw.
Dan Quinn knows what’s wrong with the Commanders, but fixing it is another matter
It’s hard not to feel sorry for Quinn in all of this, as the resilient culture he’s worked so hard to instill in the Washington locker room is on the verge of falling apart right in front of him. Most of the factors contributing to the Commanders’ underperformance have been beyond their control, including injuries and a brutal schedule. Still, it’s his job to take ownership to ensure the long-term plan remains intact.
Quinn did this after the Week 7 loss, admitting everybody — coaches and players — need to step up. “The only thing consistent has been our inconsistency,” he noted. This is supported by the fact that Washington hasn’t achieved consecutive victories all season.
Every time the Commanders have taken a step forward this season, they’ve taken two back. Their Week 5 road win over the Los Angeles Chargers was the high-water mark, when Daniels wasted no time returning to superstar form after a two-week absence. It was followed by optimism throughout the ensuing week, as help was expected to arrive in the form of returning wide receiver Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown.
Two games later, the Commanders have dropped back-to-back contests. Neither McLaurin nor Brown returned, and Deebo Samuel Sr. is additionally on the shelf. Joe Whitt Jr.’s defense looks worse by the week, and it just lost one of its best players in Dorance Armstrong Jr. for the season.
Washington can take one of two directions from here. Wallow in self-pity over the injuries and lack of momentum, or acknowledge that whichever 46 players suit up on game day must be better.
Quinn is choosing the latter route, as he should. Now the Commanders will need to hope his message is more than talk.
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