The Commanders finally got a win, but they still refused to acknowledge the biggest question remaining about the team
The Commanders snapped their losing streak, but Dan Quinn continues to ignore playing the younger players.
The Washington Commanders finally snapped their eight-game losing streak after a road win against NFC East rivals, the New York Giants.
It’s been 10 calendar weeks since the Commanders have gotten a win, which was needed to help cool down any chances of coaches’ seats getting warm with the potential of a 12-game losing streak to end the season. A win is a win, but is this win worth being excited about when you look at the big picture?
It depends on your outlook, but this win shouldn’t lower your guard on how bad this team is right now, and the questions about the future that remain.
The Commanders squeak by a bad Giants team
This was more of a “somebody had to win” type of game than a win the team earned. The Commanders had a comfortable lead, then fumbled the ball twice in the fourth quarter, and came close to giving the game away.
Sure, they desperately needed this win for the locker room, but they didn’t come out and dominate by any means. The Commanders needed a win while playing their younger players so they have something encouraging to look forward to and build on, yet they still refuse to let them play more.
This win would’ve been more impactful if they came away with roster wins from some of the building-block players as well.
Dan Quinn still refuses to use the younger players
The biggest goal for the rest of the season should be playing the younger guys and actually seeing what you have on the roster. The Commanders have 22 free agents, and the majority of the starters shouldn’t return next season, yet they continue to play all of the snaps possible.
Sure, Mike Sainristil and Jaylin Lane had big moments, but they’ve been playing all season. It’s time to finally see what some other guys have in these final games, and it didn’t happen this week.
Quinn said more of the younger guys would play, yet it doesn’t happen until the team is forced to with injuries. Somehow, linebacker Bobby Wagner played 100% of snaps against the Giants, while Jordan Magee played just 14 snaps despite playing his best football over the last few weeks. Ale Kaho had zero snaps on defense and just one on special teams, while Kain Medrano didn’t see the field.
Ben Sinnott only had one target, which he caught for a 36-yard gain, and it didn’t come until after Zach Ertz got hurt last week, and Colson Yankoff left the game early against the Giants.
This team desperately needs to go into the offseason knowing what they have in their younger players. Instead, they will go into free agency and the NFL Draft blind while rolling the dice at multiple positions next season once again.
Winning should always be a priority, but the Commanders are eliminated from any playoff chances and will undergo a ton of roster changes, yet the team continues to play a ton of players who won’t be here next season over younger players who need valuable snaps.
There should be genuine concern about the coaching staff’s ability to develop players for the future, rather than debating whether the picks were worth making.
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