Dan Quinn explains how past scars helped fuel key decision that pushed Commanders past Eagles
In the first meeting between the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles, the former held a four-point lead late in the third quarter and was in prime position to regain said lead midway through the fourth quarter before a failed (and questionable) fourth down conversion gave the ball back to the latter.The rest is history. Saquon […]
In the first meeting between the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles, the former held a four-point lead late in the third quarter and was in prime position to regain said lead midway through the fourth quarter before a failed (and questionable) fourth down conversion gave the ball back to the latter.
The rest is history. Saquon Barkley blew the game open with two big touchdown runs and the Commanders were handed their fourth loss of the season.
That's been Barkley's strength all year long – the fourth quarter. He leads the NFL with 526 rushing yards in the final 15 minutes, which is 92 more than second-place Derrick Henry. His six rushing touchdowns also lead the NFL and his 6.3 yards per carry average is only second to Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie Bucky Irving's 7.4 yards per carry. He's also second in first downs at 19, which is three fewer than Henry's NFL-leading 22.
Barkley is also great inside the final four minutes of games, which is key when it comes to closing them out. Per Sports Info Solutions, Barkley's 136 rushing yards, again, leads the NFL and so do his two rushing touchdowns. And to complete the Triple Crown, his 5.4 yards per attempt are No. 1 among the 18 qualifying running backs with at least 12 fourth quarter carries.
All of the above, especially the the Week 11 experience when Barkley ripped off 76 rushing yards and two touchdowns on seven carries, is exactly why Dan Quinn went for it on 4th and 11 late in the last game. It was a huge call that sparked the Commanders' come back and it was a gutsy one, too.
But he knew the Eagles' chances of closing things out were too good if he punted the ball back and he also knows those are the moments where Jayden Daniels shines.
"Honestly, it came down to their history in [the final] four minutes," Quinn recently told reporters. "That's usually like a good Friday study of what it looks like at the end of the game. And it's been part of why Saquon's had the big average in the second half and we were actually a part of that in our game at Philadelphia. So that definitely influenced my decision, but I also had a lot of confidence, too. So I wouldn't have done it blindly, but it's not one that you want to be in, for sure."
The 4th and 11 was a pivotal moment in the game. The Commanders were down by 13 after the Eagles just kicked a field goal. The third quarter was drawing to a close and Washington would've had to attempt a 58-yard field goal. Instead of punting or trying the field goal, though, Quinn put the ball in the hands of one of the best rookie quarterbacks of all-time and let him make a play. Daniels' 29-yard scramble led to a touchdown that cut the Eagles' lead to six points and well, the rest is history.
"Sometimes it changes on fourth downs, where people become more aggressive, or, you know, can play it differently," said Quinn. "But we went in with a little bit of extra work going in this week, knowing that we'd have to play some fourth down. So we did a little competition during the week, offense against defense into that same spot. And that's how we thought we would get better, honestly."
Quinn's aggressiveness has been a sigh of relief. Defensive-minded head coaches usually play it on the "safer" side of things, but he's been far from that in 2024. Sure, he hasn't been perfect and there have been times were he should've flipped his decision, but he's been smartly aggressive in an overall sense and it's really helped the Commanders win some games.
And it helped them win their biggest game of the year on Sunday.
Dan Quinn gives the Commanders a reality check after Eagles win and it’s the right thing to do
Let's not underestimate the importance and meaning behind the Washington Commanders' comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles. It was a sloppy, but gritty win that goes a long way in showing the growing team that you're never out of it when there are reasonable circumstances involved. And it's easily the team's biggest win of the […]
