Daniels, resurgent defense carry red-hot Commanders to division lead

Washington Commanders coach Dan Quinn insists that he never had a timeline in mind for his team’s “recalibration,” a euphemism for the rebuild he led this offseason. He just wanted his team to play hard and compete.

But with a division-leading 4-1 record and a potential franchise quarterback in rookie Jayden Daniels, the Commanders are ahead of schedule and charging forward after a month of promising play.

Sunday’s 34-13 beatdown of the Cleveland Browns marked a fourth-straight win for Quinn’s squad. The dominant victory, led by a strong defensive performance, allowed the Commanders to match last season’s win total en route to their best start since 2008.

Opposing defenses have struggled to contain the dual-threat Daniels and the electric Washington offense.

Some teams brought extra blitzers; others used a spy to keep the Commanders’ signal-caller contained. A few coaches have used man-to-man coverage; others played it safe with zones.

“If you use a spy, you’re not blitzing as much because you’re taking that extra player to go,” Quinn said Monday. “If you’re trying to blitz, you’re vulnerable on some of the deep balls.”

It hasn’t mattered what strategy opponents use; Daniels has made opposing defenses pay. He became the first NFL player to record 1,000 passing yards and 250 rushing yards in his first five games. Despite a sub-par performance on Sunday, the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft still leads the NFL in completion percentage.

Preparing to defend Daniels will only get harder — Quinn said the rookie is already evolving. The coach pointed out a first-quarter play where Daniels escaped pressure, rolled to his right and fired a pass deep downfield to wide receiver Terry McLaurin for a gain of 66 yards.

“Maybe earlier in the season on that play, we might have seen Jayden use his legs, and he certainly did on other plays in the game. … ” Quinn said. “Remaining a passer and having the ability to throw downfield, those are examples of the growth.”

A season-best defensive performance supplemented Daniels’ up-and-down day. After weeks of stressing the importance of a well-balanced team, Quinn’s defense flashed the energy and speed to keep up with the offense.

“That was a big piece of this,” Quinn said, noting that the defensive turnaround began during last week’s 42-14 win over the Arizona Cardinals. “That’s kind of the complementary ball I’ve been talking about, to feed off one another.”

The back-to-back wins have sent the Commanders to the top of their division and the second spot in the NFC behind the undefeated Minnesota Vikings.

Burgundy and Gold supporters have a team to be excited about for the first time in years. The crowd let the Commanders feel the love on Sunday.

The Browns recorded four false starts, including two in the red zone, as they struggled to string drives together.

“That was absolutely caused from the crowd noise,” Quinn said. “When we talk about a home-field advantage, that’s what we’re talking about. And the energy they bring to the team, it was really cool.”

While the hot start has brought fans back to Northwest Stadium and attention from the national media, some Commanders fans are still waiting for the other shoe to drop. The scars left by former owner Dan Snyder are still healing after 24 years of mediocrity.

Quinn assured fans they have nothing to worry about. Though he knows it may sound like “coach speak,” the coach stressed that his teams will give the fanbase something to be proud of.

“They’re going to see a team that’s absolutely bringing it, tough and physical,” he said. “That’s last game, a month from now, 10 years from now. That’s just how we’re going to get down.”

Quinn ended his Monday press conference with a message for the Doubting Thomases in the fan base as the Commanders prepare for their toughest test yet: a trip to Baltimore to face the Ravens and reigning MVP Lamar Jackson.

“I’d say it’s 2024,” Quinn said. “Let’s just let it ride with these guys and have a blast and be as loud as you can.”