Final Thoughts | Quinn explains the decision to go 4th-and-11 against the Eagles

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn addressed the media Monday following the team’s 36-33 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles to offer some final thoughts before joining the Atlanta Falcons. Here are some highlights from his press conference.

– As always, Quinn was first asked about the status of injured players like Andrew Wylie, Dyami Brown and Marshon Lattimore. He didn’t have much to offer either player, partly due to the different training structure that week. With Christmas falling on a Wednesday, the team will complete a walkthrough on Tuesday – normally the players’ day off – and a high-speed training session on Thursday. Quinn will have a better idea of ​​the health of these players after this practice.

— On Lattimore, Quinn said he could feel the cornerback’s presence as he followed wide receiver AJ Brown on Sunday. Lattimore had three pass interference calls on him, which is certainly not ideal, but Quinn liked the way he competed. “He has a real edge, a strength about him and he fits our style of play really well. So I was pretty excited to see him.”

– With Austin Ekeler still on injured reserve, the Commanders have brought back rookie wide receiver Luke McCaffrey for return kickoffs the last two weeks. For the most part, McCaffrey handled the role well; On Sunday, he had six returns for 184 yards, including a 47-yarder. “I think you have to be able to hit some blocks because almost everyone has a single. So if a coverage player hits someone, you almost have to be able to break a tackle and have the strength to do it.” And… he does.

– As Commanders fans know, the team committed five turnovers against the Eagles, which is hardly a long-term formula for sustained success. Running back Brian Robinson Jr. was guilty of two – one in the first quarter and one in the second. The next challenge for Robinson will be recovering from this performance. Quinn doesn’t necessarily want the running back to stop thinking about it because he knows Robinson cares. Instead, he wants Robinson to break down why the blunders occurred and make the necessary adjustments.

“He had a clear mind about what needed to be done and how to take care of it. So he was angry, but I thought he let it happen and moved on to the next thing.”

– The Commanders made the bold decision to go for a quarter-final at the end of the third quarter. Quarterback Jayden Danels made the right decision with a 29-yard run, but Quinn acknowledged that “they’re pretty brave on that point.” Philadelphia’s ability to finish games played a role in the decision. If the Commanders had put the ball away, even if Tress Way had tied the Eagles deep, it would still have given Philadelphia a chance to mount a long drive and make a comeback even more difficult.

“That’s usually like a Good Friday study of what it looks like at the end of the game, and it was one of the reasons Saquon had the big average in the second half, and we were actually a part of that in our game in Philadelphia.” That definitely influenced my decision.”